The aim of the study is to determine the effectiveness of using personalized digital ecosystems to develop research autonomy of Doctors of Philosophy (PhD) students. The study employed the following methods: longitudinal observations, calculation of indices of reflective activity and coefficients of strategic flexibility, and convergent parallel design. The study found that the development of students’ autonomy is possible due to the transition from structured to configured digital environments. Personalized digital tools (Zotero, Obsidian, ATLAS.ti, Voyant Tools, NVivo, Overleaf, Open Science Framework, etc.) were used to train three independent cohorts (2021–2025). The proposed digital ecosystems statistically significantly contributed to the development of key components of autonomy: the level of cognitive independence increased from 2.8 to 4.1 points (d=1.61), and the strategic flexibility indicator from 1.5 to 3.7 (d=3.22). Analysis of behavioural logs confirmed the formation of individual work processes, where the experimentation coefficient reached 0.8 in an open environment. Systematicians (31 people) demonstrated a stable growth of autonomy to 4.0 points, and Adaptive Researcher (13 people) reached a maximum index of 4.6, which indicates the effectiveness of free choice of tools. The final comparison of the 2021–2023 cohorts did not reveal statistical differences (F(2,65)=0.45, p=0.64), which confirms the stability of autonomy development at the level of 4.0±0.8 points regardless of the year of the start of the study. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the empirical comparison of open configurable versus structured digital environments using objective behavioural log-data, the identification of three distinct developmental trajectories, and the confirmation of effect stability across three independent cohorts.The practical significance of the research is identifying effective digital architectures that contribute to the professional development of the researchers at the third level of higher education.

This article examines the issue of developing soft skills among future social workers in the context of the digitalization of education, a topic that has become particularly relevant given the current social instability, martial law, and the transformation of the modern educational environment. The aim of the article is to provide a theoretical justification for the problem of developing soft skills in future social workers in the context of the digitalization of education and to develop a conceptual model of this process, taking into account the risks of its being merely declarative and imitative. To achieve this goal, the following objectives have been identified: to analyse international and Ukrainian academic approaches to the interpretation of soft skills; to clarify the nature and structure of soft skills in the context of professional training for social workers; to characterize the impact of the digitalization of education on the process of developing soft skills; to identify the risks of superficiality and formalization in the development of soft skills within a digital educational environment; and to substantiate a conceptual model for developing soft skills in future professionals in the context of the digitalization of education. The study employed a range of theoretical methods: analysis of the scientific literature – to clarify the essence of the concept of soft skills and identify the main approaches to their development; comparison and generalization – to contrast international and Ukrainian scholarly perspectives on the development of soft skills in higher education; systematization – to identify the key components of soft skills in future social science professionals; theoretical modelling – to develop a conceptual model for the development of soft skills in the context of the digitalization of education; and interpretation – to substantiate the pedagogical opportunities and risks of the digital educational environment in the development of soft skills. It has been argued that the digitalization of education creates both new opportunities for developing flexible skills through interactive platforms, collaborative tools, and blended learning, and risks of formalizing interpersonal interaction, reducing the emotional component of communication, and leading to the superficial development of soft skills. A contradiction has been identified between the innovative rhetoric of the digitalization of education and actual pedagogical practices, within which soft skills often remain merely declared learning outcomes without adequate pedagogical support. Particular attention is paid to the fact that the effective formation of soft skills requires not only the implementation of digital technologies, but also the reconsideration of the pedagogical logic of the educational process focused on activity, collaboration, reflection, and the personal engagement of students. It is emphasized that the development of soft skills in future social specialists should be carried out systematically and integrated into all components of professional training. Conclusions. As a result of the study, a conceptual model for the formation of soft skills in future social specialists was proposed, based on the interaction of target-content, procedural-activity, and reflexive- evaluative levels. It has been determined that the effective formation of soft skills is possible provided there is a transition from technologically oriented to pedagogically meaningful design of the educational process, centred on students’ activity, interaction, and reflection. The article outlines the possibilities for the practical implementation of the proposed model within the higher education system, particularly in the design of educational programs, the use of active and interactive teaching methods, case studies, simulation practices, and digital collaboration tools.

In the era of educational transformations, caused by digitalization, globalization and the need to ensure continuous personal and professional development, a modern specialist must not only possess professional knowledge, but also be able to independently acquire new knowledge and skills, adapt to new challenges, critically interpret information, generate innovative solutions. In this regard, the formation of self-educational competence as the ability to organize a personal educational process throughout life is of key importance. The relevance of the topic is also due to the rapid development of an open information educational environment, which creates new conditions and opportunities for students' self-learning. Within this environment, students can freely choose sources of knowledge, platforms, pace of learning and forms of self-control, which transforms traditional approaches to higher education and requires a new pedagogical paradigm, focused on the development of the individual as an active subject of educational activity. The modern stage of development of higher education is characterized by the growth of the role of the open information educational environment, which provides new opportunities for individualization and personalization of learning. In these conditions, the formation of self-educational competence of future bachelors is of particular importance, which allows them to effectively organize their own educational trajectory, independently acquire knowledge, critically interpret information, and adapt to changing conditions of professional activity. At the same time, educational practices are not yet sufficiently adapted to the systematic development of this competence, which necessitates the need for theoretical understanding and methodological support of the process of its formation in the context of the open information educational environment. The article reveals the essence of self-educational competence as an important component of the professional training of future bachelors in the context of the digitalization of education and the growing importance of the open information educational environment. Based on a thorough analysis of scientific research, the content of the concept of "self-educational competence" is analyzed, its key aspects, functions, and potential for implementing the concept of lifelong learning are characterized. It is substantiated that the development of self-educational competence of future bachelors is a necessary prerequisite for their professional mobility, readiness for self-development and effective self-organization in the conditions of an open educational space

The article explores the development of professional-pedagogical communication competence among PhD students in Professional Education. The purpose of the article is to theoretically substantiate the essence, structural components, and ap- proaches to the development of professional-pedagogical communication competence in future Doctors of Philosophy in Professional Education, as well as to present practical experience of its development with- in the implementation of the educational and scientific programme “Professional Education” at Alfred No- bel University. The study employed methods of analysis, generalisation, and systematisation of scholarly sources and regulatory documents, as well as the method of conceptualisation to define the essence and structure of professional-pedagogical communication competence. The practical basis of the study involved an anal- ysis of the authors’ experience in implementing the educational and scientific programme “Professional Ed- ucation” at Alfred Nobel University. The concept of professional-pedagogical communication competence is interpreted as the teacher’s awareness of the value of professional communication, which determines purposeful activity aimed at mas- tering relevant knowledge and skills. It presupposes self-awareness as a communicative personality, under- standing of ethical standards, and the ability to interact effectively via verbal, non-verbal, and computer- mediated communication. The competence includes communicative skills (speech-communicative, infor- mational-instrumental, organisational-technological, non-verbal, and informational-search) and emotion- al intelligence. Its structure incorporates four components: value-motivational, cognitive, activity-based, and personal ones. The development of this competence is based on personality-oriented, participatory, environmental, and resource-based approaches. Their combination fosters a supportive learning environment that stimu- lates communicative engagement among postgraduate students. Key principles include contextual learn- ing, social partnership, individualised academic support, and respect for students’ communicative strengths and limitations. Educational components involved in competence formation include courses such as “Professional and Pedagogical Communication”, “Pedagogical Mastery of a Higher Education Teacher”, “Academic Writing and Rhetoric”, and “Self-Management and Self-Development of a Higher Education Teacher”. Their content helps PhD students to understand the nature, types, and tools of communication; explore communicative styles and barriers; master rhetorical and speech techniques; and develop skills in academic writing, pres- entation, reflection, and networking. Conclusions. Thus, the concept of professional-pedagogical communication competence is presented as a multidimensional construct integrating value-based, cognitive, activity-related, and personal aspects of communicative development. The implementation experience of the educational program demonstrates that involving postgraduate students in training formats, communication cases, facilitation practices, and simulation games allows them to gain experience in real-life interaction under conditions close to profes- sional activity. This enables them to make effective decisions, adapt their communication style to specific situations, give public presentations of scientific findings, and build trust-based relationships within the ac- ademic community.

The use of online simulations in building research skills is determined by high potential opportunities in modelling the design of academic research and testing empirical hypotheses. The aim of the study was to develop and experimentally test a programme for using online simulations to build research skills in future Doctors of Philosophy (PhDs). The research Four research skills were identified to determine the features of using online simulations to build research skills in future PhDs. These are design, procedural, optional, and communication skills. A programme for using online simulations to build research skills in future PhDs was developed and tested. It involved the use of online simulations to perform tasks related to academic research. Experimental testing of the programme confirmed an increase in the number of respondents with a high level of design (by 9%), procedural (by 4.6%), optional (by 4.5%), and communication (by 6.9%) research skills. An increase in the number of respondents with an average level of development of design (by 9.1%), procedural (by 9.1%), optional (by 11.4%), communicative (by 6.8%) research skills was also found. The results of the study can be used in the educational process of higher education institutions (HEIs) to develop the content of training for future scholars. The research prospects include the use of online simulations in the work of future PhDs on their academic topics.

Relevance. The study of problematic aspects in the process of training civil servants in the post-Soviet countries is extremely relevant today. This is, of course, due to an active policy of retraining workers according to the European approaches. Thus, an examination of the problems currently impeding the effective training of civil servants will make it possible to find ways to address and improve them.Purpose. The aim of the work is to analyze the main approaches and tools that are used by post-Soviet higher education institutions in the process of training civil servants.Methodology. In the article used various scientific and methodical means, among which functional and system approaches, as well as the method of analysis and synthesis, comparison, deduction, generalization.Results. As a result of the research, both the theoretical and practical part of the question was revealed. Accordingly, in the first half of the work the essential content of the basic concepts and terms related to the studied topic has been determined, as well as their features and features have been disclosed. In addition, the methods and approaches underlying the training of civil servants in the post-Soviet countries were digging more into and their main disadvantages were identified accordingly.Conclusions. The practical value of the work lies in the fact that it can be used as methodical material for higher education institutions, and for the personal development of individual educational workers. Perspective direction for future research is consideration of modern programs, including remote ones, to improve the professional competence of civil servants and identify their main disadvantages.

The problem of forming graphic competence of future specialists in the field of digital technologies in higher education institutions is highlighted. A number of negative factors that hinder the effective development of graphic competence are identified: a low level of initial professional training, which includes both graphic and pedagogical components at the pre-university stage; weak motivation for learning and professional activity, which is manifested through the choice of a profession that does not meet the student's personal interests; inconsistency of the learning process with students' expectations (too high or low complexity of educational components); individual personality characteristics that affect the level of interest and involvement in the educational process; insufficient integration of components (general, technical) of the specialty, which is manifested in weak interdisciplinary connections that could provide a holistic approach to the training of specialists. The purpose of the article is to determine the pedagogical conditions for the effective formation of graphic competence of specialists in the field of digital technologies in higher education institutions. It was found that the effectiveness of the educational process is significantly increased under the following pedagogical conditions: purposeful formation of positive motivation of higher education applicants; purposeful development of students' thinking activity; integration of pedagogical and engineering components of the specialty; analysis and assessment of the level of development of components of graphic competence. It was established that the use of 3D modeling, graphic editors and virtual simulators contributes to the development of practical skills necessary for the professional activities of specialists in the field of digital technologies.

The article examines the problem of the teacher’s professional growth due to continuous self- education and personal development in the conditions of martial law. The aim of the article is to outline the pathways of self-educational activities for teachers and the approaches to enhancing the professional level of educators, implemented at Alfred Nobel University under martial law conditions. In the course of the research, methods of analogy, retrospective and semantic analysis, SWOT analysis, generalization, and specification of scientific principles and the regulatory framework related to teacher self-education were employed. A SWOT analysis of interpretations of the concept of “self-education” was conducted, and it was found that self-education is a necessary component of professional activity which is determined by social order and is a factor in the personal and professional growth of a specialist. Emphasis is placed on self-education of the teacher as the leading form of improvement of pedagogical skill and professional competence, which consists in assimilation, renewal, dissemination and deepening of knowledge, generalization of experience through purposeful, systematic self-education activities aimed at self-development and self-improvement of the individual, satisfaction of personal interests and objective needs of the educational institution. It was found that the conditions of the martial law in Ukraine and changes in educational orientations made corrections both in the content of teachers’ self-education and in the forms and types of their self-education activities. Some approaches to raising the professional level of a teacher, which were implemented at Alfred Nobel University under martial law conditions, namely acquiring competencies to preserve and restore mental health, providing psychological support to participants in the educational process, improving information competence, implementing effective ways to improve the quality of education in online learning, and mastering new learning/teaching methods, are considered. The content of the developed and implemented comprehensive program of care for human mental health, including a marathon of online meetings with domestic specialists and lecturers from European countries, aimed at mastering the competencies to ensure one’s own psychological health and improve the psycho-emotional state of higher education students in wartime conditions, is disclosed. The expediency of particular directions of development has been substantiated including teachers’ mastering various software, the ability to work on various educational platforms, and the use of interactive applications; cooperation and interaction with domestic and foreign higher education institutions in order to gain experience for the further implementation of the best European practices in the educational process; internships, participation in international projects, thanks to which teachers found and implemented effective ways to improve the quality of education in online learning, and mastered new methods of learning/ teaching. The feasibility of implementing special measures to support the self-educational activities of teachers under martial law conditions has been confirmed, with a focus on the targeted development of key professional competencies related to continuous professional self-development. The conclusions emphasise the need for purposeful self-education of the teacher, thanks to which a new invaluable experience of providing quality education in wartime conditions is formed.

In today's world, the speed and efficiency of resolving disputes in the field of contract law are of great importance for businesses and individual participants. Traditional litigation is often notorious for its length and high costs. In this regard, alternative methods, such as mediation and arbitration, are gaining more and more popularity. Their advantages, such as speed, confidentiality, and greater party autonomy, make them attractive for the resolution of contractual disputes. The article explores alternative dispute resolution methods in the field of contract law, including mediation, arbitration, and confidential settlement. The purpose of the study is to analyze alternative ways of resolving disputes in the field of contract law. Research methodology includes such methods as empirical method, comparative analysis method, forecasting method, and logical methods. As a result of the study, alternative ways of resolving disputes in the field of contract law and the advantages of each method compared to traditional court proceedings are considered and also provide examples of successful application in practice. The results of the study show that alternative dispute resolution methods in the field of contract law, such as mediation, arbitration, and confidential settlement, have some significant advantages compared to traditional litigation. In addition, current trends in the use of these alternative methods in modern contract law are investigated. The study also indicates that the success of these alternative dispute resolution methods in the field of contract law depends on mutual trust between the parties, who are ready to work together to achieve a mutually beneficial resolution of the conflict.

The study of the flipped classroom methods is important for improving the quality of education and the effectiveness of learning in the context of modern technological changes and growing interest in distance education. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the use of the flipped classroom model in learning a foreign language for professional purposes. Testing was used to diagnose the effectiveness of assimilation of educational material, which included various types of tasks: multiple response, error correction, matching, fill in the blanks, open-ended tasks, completed responses. The total number of tasks is 25 (5 for each type) and questionnaires to determine the level of satisfaction with educational video materials and online learning. Tests and questionnaires were pre-validated according to the research objectives. The obtained results (χ2emp = 8.095 > χ2 0.05 = 7.815) gave grounds to conclude that the blended learning model of flipped classroom in the development of foreign language competence is more effective than traditional learning. The experiment showed that this format helps students implement an individual learning trajectory, which contributes to improving academic performance. It was determined that the effectiveness of using this model depends on the quality of video materials and students’ ability to organize their own independent work. The prospects of further research фку the study of the influence of the application of the flipped classroom model on the students’ learning motivation.

Background. Polysaccharides are known to possess adjuvant properties, they are biodegradable, safe, and are of low-labor production. In this regard, the development of polysaccharide-based adjuvants is an urgent task.The aim. To develop a method for obtaining mannans from the cell walls of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and to study their adjuvant properties using subunit vaccine model.Materials and methods. The preparation of mannans was obtained from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast by enzymatic and alkaline hydrolysis. Its adjuvant properties were assessed in BALB/c mice immunized with the recombinant receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 (S) protein (Delta (B.1.617.2)). The titers of specific antibodies in the blood sera were determined by ELISA assays using the recombinant RBD (Wuhan-Hu-1 and Delta), and the recombinant (S) protein (Wuhan-Hu-1, Delta and Omicron) as antigens. The titers of virus-neutralizing antibodies were determined using virus-neutralization tests with the SARS-CoV-2 virus strains Wuhan – hCoV19/Australia/VIC01/2020 (Wuhan-Hu-1), Delta – hCoV-19/Russia/PSK-2804/2021 (Delta (B.1.617.2)), and Omicron 1 – hCoV-19/Russia/Moscow171619-031221/2021 (Omicron (B.1.1.529)).Results. The developed scheme allowed for obtaining up to 200 mg of mannans from 10 g of yeast cell debris. Double, with a two-week interval, immunization with RBD (50 μg) in combination with mannans (40 μg and 10 μg) induced the production of specific antibodies in titers from 1:2477330 to 1:188360. The titer of virus-neutralizing antibodies to the Delta – hCoV-19/Russia/PSK-2804/2021 was 1:485 (40 μg of mannans per mouse).Conclusions. We developed a scheme for obtaining a low-toxic preparation of mannans from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. The highest adjuvant activity was achieved when using mannans at the dose of 40 µg per mouse. Blood sera obtained from the immunized animals neutralized both homologous and heterologous SARS-CoV-2 strains.

The purpose of the research is to theoretically substantiate the issue of incorporating STEM technologies in the educational process of higher education as a means of developing pedagogical skills of students of technology and pedagogical specialities. Additionally, the study aims and to assess the extent of knowledge regarding STEM education among future teachers and their preparedness to effectively integrate STEM projects into their professional practice. We used various methods, including analyzing the existing theoretical works of Ukrainian and foreign authors related to our research topic. We also utilized techniques such as generalization, systematization, and questionnaires. During the experimental research, we focused on determining the levels of awareness regarding STEM education and the preparedness of students of technology and pedagogical specialities to implement STEM projects in their professional roles. Based on the survey results, it was discovered that the majority of future specialists a positive view of utilizing STEM projects as a means to enhance their pedagogical skills.

To increase the effectiveness and immunogenicity of modern vaccines, especially subunit ones, it is required to use adjuvants. Polysaccharides, due to their safety and biocompatibility, are desirable candidates for the creation of vaccine adjuvants. The aim of our study was to develop a method for obtaining beta-Glucans from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall, and evaluate their adjuvant properties. The high purity and non-toxicity of the resulting preparation was achieved by using enzyme complexes of cellulase and protease in combination with ultrasound (22 kHz) at the purification stage. The developed scheme allows for the yield of beta-Glucans up to 2 g from 100 g of the biomass of wet cells. The adjuvant properties of beta-Glucans were studied in 50 male BALB/c mice, weighing 16–18 g. Immunization was performed twice, with a 14-day interval, intramuscularly, 200 μl per animal. The recombinant receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the surface S protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (Wuhan-Hu-1 and B.1.617.2 (Delta)) was used as an antigen, at a dose of 50 μg per animal. A positive control group was administered with the antigen combined with aluminum hydroxide. As a negative control, mice injected with the saline solution were used. The titers of specific antibodies in the blood sera were determined by ELISA assays. RBD (Wuhan-Hu-1 and Delta), and S protein (Wuhan-Hu-1, Delta and Omicron) were used as antigens. The titers of virus-neutralizing antibodies were measured in neutralization tests using SARS-CoV-2 virus strains Wuhan-Hu-1, Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529). The results of the study have shown that beta-Glucans have the ability to enhance the production of specific and virus-neutralizing antibodies in mice immunized with RBD. The titers of specific and virus neutralizing antibodies are comparable to their levels in the group immunized with RBD and Al(OH)₃. It has been found in the experiments in white outbred ICR mice that the preparation belongs to practically non-toxic substances. Therefore, it can be concluded that the use of beta-Glucans could become a preferable alternative to the conventional adjuvants based on aluminum salts, being biocompatible, biodegradable and non-toxic substances of low labor-intensive production.

Phage display has become an efficient, reliable and popular molecular technique for generating libraries encompassing millions or even billions of clones of divergent peptides or proteins. The method is based on the correspondence between phage genotype and phenotype, which ensures the presentation of recombinant proteins of known amino acid composition on the surface of phage particles. The use of affinity selection allows one to choose variants with affinity for different targets from phage libraries. The implementation of the antibody phage display technique has revolutionized the field of clinical immunology, both for developing tools to diagnose infectious diseases and for producing therapeutic agents. It has also become the basis for efficient and relatively inexpensive methods for studying protein–protein interactions, receptor binding sites, as well as epitope and mimotope identification. The antibody phage display technique involves a number of steps, and the final result depends on their successful implementation. The diversity, whether natural or obtained by combinatorial chemistry, is the basis of any library. The choice of molecular techniques is critical to ensure that this diversity is maintained during the phage library preparation step and during the transformation of E. coli cells. After a helper phage is added to the suspension of transformed E. coli cells, a bacteriophage library is formed, which is a working tool for performing the affinity selection procedure and searching for individual molecules. Despite the apparent simplicity of generating phage antibody libraries, a number of subtleties need to be taken into account. First, there are the features of phage vector preparation. Currently, a large number of phagemid vectors have been developed, and their selection is also of great importance. The key step is preparing competent E. coli cells and the technology of their transformation. The choice of a helper phage and the method used to generate it is also important. This article discusses the key challenges faced by researchers in constructing phage antibody libraries.