Language, literature, and media in the spotlight of young researchers: a student conference held at BDPU

On 7 November 2025, Berdyansk State Pedagogical University once again became a platform for scholarly discussions. The Department of Ukrainian Language and Journalism of the Social and Humanitarian Faculty hosted the 7th All-Ukrainian Remote Student Conference “The Ukrainian Language at the Turn of the 20th–21st Centuries: Linguistic and Linguodidactic Aspects.” This year, it brought together 87 participants from across the country—those who strive to improve their research skills and share their scientific insights and ideas. The event was also supported by several leading higher education institutions: the National University “Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic,” Poltava V. G. Korolenko National Pedagogical University, Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University, and Mykhailo Drahomanov Ukrainian State University.

From Slang and Media Blogs to Postcolonial Literature and Wartime Discourse

The Department of Ukrainian Language and Journalism created a space for discussing urgent issues of contemporary humanities, the development of scholarly language culture, the enhancement of analytical and creative skills, and the involvement of young people in academic discourse on questions of language, culture, communication, and society. According to the conference program, students worked in five sections, each with its own distinctive focus.

Researchers of contemporary Ukrainian discourse examined how the language is changing under the influence of social media, blogging, the advertising industry, and modern media. Some participants analyzed Instagram and X slang; others explored the linguostylistics of travel writing or storytelling techniques in advertising. There were discussions about media occasionalisms, borrowings, transformations of literary language, and even how language represents psychological processes in literature.

The linguodidactic section brought together those who are already shaping the future of Ukrainian schooling. Presentations focused on digital teaching tools, interactive methods, online platforms, and the development of pupils’ linguistic and rhetorical competencies.

Young literary scholars raised questions about contemporary Ukrainian prose, intermediality, postcolonial perspectives, and cultural transformations, studying works ranging from Ivan Bahrianyi to Tamara Horikha Zernia.

The journalism section became one of the most emotionally charged: participants analyzed wartime content, mobile journalism, podcasts, press office work, the functioning of social media during war, and the ethical challenges of modern media.

Proceedings and Certificates on the Way

Following the conference, an electronic collection of materials will be published and made available on the official BDPU website. All participants will traditionally receive certificates, but most importantly—they have gained experience that unites students into a professional community and motivates them to continue their academic pursuits.

Daryna Smyshliaieva,
1st-year student
Specialty С7 Journalism