Advancing Ukrainian PHD Education Through the Integration of European Scientific Values: Key Principles and Practices

This article examines the integration of European scientific values into the training of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) students in Ukraine, a process that has become particularly relevant in the context of European integration and wartime challenges. It argues that academic integrity, interdisciplinarity, open science, the development of transversal competences, and social responsibility constitute the core of the modern European model of doctoral education, as reflected in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the European Research Area (ERA). The study focuses on the educational-scientific program of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences and the course “Ethics of Scientific Inquiry: Philosophical and Linguistic Aspects” at Sumy State Pedagogical University. A mixed-methodology approach was employed, combining theoretical methods (analysis of European policy frameworks, EUA-CDE reports, and scholarly publications) with empirical methods (observation of the doctoral process, roundtables, and semi-structured interviews with PhD students, supervisors, and program guarantors). The findings indicate that Ukrainian doctoral programs are progressively converging with European standards by embedding academic culture, adopting digital tools and open science practices, reinforcing ethical norms, and developing socially relevant competences. Particular attention is given to the resilience of Ukrainian PhD education under wartime conditions, which reflects a new culture of shared responsibility and adaptability. The article concludes that the integration of European values is not only a precondition for modernizing Ukrainian doctoral education but also a significant contribution to the development of the broader European scientific and educational space.