Features of the activities of university-affiliated think tanks in Ukraine.

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the growing role of universities as centers of analytical and expert activity in the context of wartime challenges, digital transformation, and Ukraine’s integration into the European educational space. University analytical centers increasingly serve as platforms for the development of educational policy, public dialogue, and scientific consulting for public authorities, which highlights the need for a comprehensive assessment of their effectiveness. The purpose of the article is to evaluate the efficiency of the functioning of Ukrainian university analytical centers based on the analysis of their organizational and managerial, substantive and methodological, and communication and analytical characteristics. The objectives of the research include identifying the current state, distinctive features, and potential for the development of university analytics as a component of the higher education management system. In the course of the study, a criterial approach was developed and substantiated, encompassing three evaluation blocks: organizational, substantive-methodological, and communicative. To collect empirical data, content analysis of open sources, analytical products, and public materials of Ukrainian university analytical centers was applied. The activities of five leading centers were analyzed: the Anti-Corruption Research and Education Centre (ACREC), and the School for Policy Analysis of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the Carpathian Institute of Analytics of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, the Center of Social Research, and the Research of Fakes and Propaganda in Russian Science of Sumy State University. The results of the study show that most centers demonstrate a well-developed research agenda, active communication practices, and a strong orientation toward international integration. At the same time, certain centers face several challenges — the absence of normative regulation, a stable system for monitoring performance, and a shortage of financial and human resources. A clear trend was identified toward strengthening inter-university cooperation, expanding participation in international projects, and increasing the importance of analytical expertise in shaping public and educational policy. The study concludes that university analytics is a significant tool for improving the quality of higher education management, shaping a strategic vision for its development, and enhancing interaction between the academic community, society, and the state. Further advancement of this field requires targeted efforts toward the methodological, legal, and communicative strengthening of analytical centers within Ukrainian universities.