EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN THE CONDITIONS OF MILITARY CHALLENGES: A CASE OF A HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION IN THE FRONTLINE ZONE

Abstract

This article examines the transformation of educational leadership under the conditions of full-scale war, using a case study of a higher education institution located in a frontline region of Ukraine. The study is grounded in the premise that wartime disruptions fundamentally reshape the functions, priorities, and value orientations of university leadership, shifting the focus from traditional administrative efficiency toward resilience, adaptability, and ethically grounded decision-making. The paper analyzes the evolving scholarly discourse on educational leadership in crisis contexts, highlighting the growing emphasis on adaptive governance, institutional sustainability, and value-driven leadership practices. Particular attention is paid to the Ukrainian context, where universities have been forced to operate under extreme uncertainty, infrastructural damage, forced displacement of academic communities, and financial constraints. These conditions necessitate new leadership models capable of balancing crisis response with long-term institutional development. A qualitative case study approach is employed to explore the strategic responses of a university operating in a high-risk environment. The methodological framework integrates SWOT analysis to identify internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats influencing institutional functioning. Building on this diagnostic stage, a TOWS analytical matrix is applied to model strategic alternatives and align institutional capacities with environmental challenges. This combined approach enables a structured interpretation of leadership practices under prolonged crisis conditions. The findings demonstrate that wartime educational leadership is characterized by increased strategic flexibility, intensified international cooperation, digital transformation, and the prioritization of human-centered governance. The study reveals that effective leadership in such contexts relies on integrating crisis management with long-term strategic vision, ensuring the continuity of educational processes while maintaining institutional identity and developmental trajectories. The paper contributes to the theoretical understanding of educational leadership by conceptualizing it as a multidimensional and adaptive phenomenon shaped by extreme external shocks. From a practical perspective, the results provide strategic insights for higher education institutions operating in unstable environments, offering analytical tools for strengthening institutional resilience and leadership capacity. The study also highlights the broader relevance of the Ukrainian experience for the global academic discourse on leadership in conditions of armed conflict and systemic disruption.