On October 24, the first International Research-to-Practice Conference "Substantiating Ways to Implement the Experience of Leading NATO Member States into Regulatory and Legal Changes in Ukraine's Military Service Legislation" was held at the National University of Ostroh Academy and hosted by the Department of National Security and Political Science. The conference was initiated by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Department of Personnel Policy of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, and the Scientific and Methodological Centre for Personnel Policy of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
The event brought together scholars, military experts, representatives of civil society, Ukraine's defence institutions, and partner countries to discuss the key directions of reforming military service and personnel policy in the context of Euro-Atlantic integration.
The co-organisers of the scientific forum were: the Military Academy (Odesa); the Naval Institute of the National University "Odessa Maritime Academy"; Bohdan Khmelnytskyi National Academy of the State Border Service of Ukraine; the Yevhenii Berezniak Military Academy; the National Security Department of the Academy of Sciences of Higher Education of Ukraine; the State Scientific Institution "Institute of Information, Security and Law of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine"; Lesia Ukrainka Volyn National University; the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management; Świętokrzyska Higher School; and the Scientific and Educational Consortium (Poland).
The conference was held in a hybrid format. Some participants attended on-site at the New academic campus, while others joined online via Zoom. More than 80 scholars and practitioners took part in the event.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by: Ihor Pasichnyk, Founding Rector, President of the National University of Ostroh Academy and Hero of Ukraine; Colonel Mark Andrusiak, Director of the Department of Personnel Policy of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine; Major General Andrii Kovalchuk, Head of the Military Academy (Odesa); Colonel Serhii Hrechko, Deputy Head of the Central Directorate of Civil-Military Cooperation of the General Staff of the AF of Ukraine; representatives of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; Colonel Oleksandr Meiko, Acting Rector of the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine; Colonel Serhii Mokliak, Vice-Rector (for Research) of the Yevhen Berezniak Military Academy; Serhii Lysenko, Full Professor, Director of the Institute of Security of the IAPM; and Oleh Dmytrenko, Head of the Department of National Security at Lesia Ukrainka Volyn National University.
In their speeches, they emphasised that partnership between the academic community and the defence sector is vital to the modernisation of the Armed Forces, as the war has demonstrated that personnel security and education are the foundation of defence capability.
“Ostroh Academy has always been and remains a place where ideas of statehood are born. We do not just research social processes – we are shaping a new generation of leaders capable of strategic thinking, responsible action, and building a safe and strong Ukraine,”
"Ostroh Academy has once again confirmed its status as a scholarly hub that not only analyses challenges but also offers practical approaches to modernising public policy,"
Among the presentations that attracted particular interest were the reports by Ruslan Rusetskyi, Mykola Romanov, Ihor Krasota, Serhii Kardash, Leonid Lenko, Ihor Tataryn, Serhii Byzov, Volodymyr Panko, and Serhii Lukianchuk. In their presentations, speakers addressed regulatory and legal improvements to military service, psychological support for veterans, cybersecurity, the role of artificial intelligence in military education, and the cultivation of a new leadership culture aligned with NATO standards.
Conference participants underscored that integrating Alliance standards goes beyond technical compatibility – it represents a profound civilisational choice that is shaping the new personnel, legal, and ethical foundation of Ukraine's security sector.
The discussions resulted in a recommendation to establish a permanent expert platform at Ostroh Academy for the systematic monitoring of the implementation of Euro-Atlantic standards in military legislation.
“We should not only adopt the experience of others but also forge our own solutions that address the challenges of war and our state,”
Proposals for strengthening personnel capacity in the defence and security sector were presented.
The University plans to publish the conference proceedings, which will bring together the best scholarly and practical contributions of the participants. The event further demonstrated that Ostroh Academy is emerging as an influential analytical centre capable of generating ideas for statehood and advancing the transformation of Ukrainian military policy in line with NATO standards.
