When the classroom becomes a space for scholarship:Philology students join academic conferences as listeners and discover the contemporary scholarly discourse

Academic conferences are an important part of university life. They create a space for exchanging ideas, presenting new research, and discussing current issues in the humanities. At the same time, such events also play an essential role for students who, even as listeners, gain valuable experience by immersing themselves in the atmosphere of genuine scholarly work.

In February 2026, lecturers of the Department of Ukrainian and Foreign Literature and Comparative Literature participated in several academic events that were also attended by students of the Social and Humanitarian Faculty of Berdyansk State Pedagogical University as attentive listeners and participants in scholarly discussions.

Thus, on February 25, lecturers of the department and students joined the 5th All-Ukrainian Scientific Conference «In the Cultural Crucible: Multiculturalism, Regionalism, and the Frontier in the Light of Literary Existence and Reception», dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the birth of the prominent Ukrainian writer Valerian Pidmohylnyi. The event was hosted by Oles Honchar Dnipro National University and brought together researchers who discussed issues of multiculturalism, cultural transfer, regionalism, as well as the role of Ukrainian literature in the global cultural space.

The following day, on February 26, the All-Ukrainian Scientific Conference «Ukrainian Literature: Contemporary Context (in Memory of Petro Soroka)» took place. It was organized by the Faculty of Philology and Journalism of Volodymyr Hnatiuk Ternopil National Pedagogical University. The conference addressed pressing issues of contemporary Ukrainian literature, including the theme of the Russian-Ukrainian war in modern poetry (Prof. Hanna Tokman from Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav delivered the report «Biblical Intertextuality in Contemporary Military Poetry: Ya. Chornohuz, O. Khomenko, P. Vyshebaba») and prose (Prof. Olha Kharlan from Berdyansk State Pedagogical University presented the paper «Novels about the Russian-Ukrainian War of the 21st Century: Genre and Thematic Varieties»). The conference also focused on interpreting Petro Soroka’s literary legacy, issues of the development of the Ukrainian language, and the challenges of the modern media environment.

For students of all philological specialties of the Social and Humanitarian Faculty, attending such events as listeners is extremely beneficial. They have the opportunity to hear presentations by experienced scholars, become acquainted with new approaches to the analysis of literary texts, and observe how research questions are formulated and professional discussions unfold. Such experiences help future philologists better understand how contemporary humanities scholarship functions.

Moreover, attending academic conferences broadens students’ academic horizons. They gain deeper knowledge in the disciplines they study («History of Ukrainian Literature», «History of Foreign Literature», «The Russian-Ukrainian War in Contemporary Literature», etc.), discover new ideas for their own research projects, course papers, and qualification theses, and recognize the importance of scholarly inquiry in the profession of a philologist.

Thus, even as listeners, students become part of a larger scholarly process. It is through such encounters with living scholarship that interest in literary research is formed, academic culture develops, and a new generation of Ukrainian humanities scholars grows.

Tetiana Svitsa, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Ukrainian and Foreign Literature and Comparative Literature.