The Digital Bridge Project: Strengthening Cognitive Resilience in Ukrainian and EU Students

Abstract

The events in Ukraine in 2022 had a devastating effect on its population.  The authors of this paper considered whether it would be possible to strengthen both Ukrainian and other young people’s cognitive resilience in the face of different forms of conflict if they were put into contact with students in other countries. One potential means for building this resilience that could be explored in a classroom setting was the provision of a platform through which to compare perspectives with fellow students of other nationalities while gaining exposure to and practical experience with a set of cognitive tools for understanding and addressing challenging situations.  The Digital Bridge Project (DPB) was designed to improve these students’ English and critical analysis skills through direct exchange with their counterparts in other parts of the world via five online interviews in which they explored decision-making tools proposed by a variety of authors. The following case study describes how the Project was conducted. Three Ukrainian universities and the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Iserlohn, Germany participated in this study. The results of the Project indicate that it is a model that can be applied effectively in a variety of subject areas. The authors recommend that schools and universities wishing to emulate the model discussed here should adapt the format to their specific needs. The results of the student surveys from both countries involved indicate that the method can empower students to address a wide range of disruptive forces in business and society with tools that are part of a 21^st century skill set for both enhancing managerial decision-making and encouraging participatory democracy.