UNIVERSITY AS A REINTEGRATION PLATFORM: MARKETING RESEARCH AND DIGITAL TRENDS IN VETERAN SUPPORT

Abstract

The article addresses the critical and underexplored issue of socio-professional reintegration of veterans within the Ukrainian higher education landscape during and in the aftermath of armed conflict. The relevance of this topic is underscored by the unprecedented scale of the veteran community in Ukraine, the growing social expectations placed upon higher education institutions, and the urgent need for systemic, evidence-based institutional responses. In the current context, the university is evolving far beyond its traditional role as an educational provider, transforming into a comprehensive ecosystem that simultaneously facilitates access to learning, psychosocial support, career guidance, and the reconstruction of civilian identity. This multidimensional function positions the university as potentially the most effective platform for veteran reintegration available within contemporary Ukrainian society. The discussion focuses on the conceptualisation of the university reintegration ecosystem as a synergy between civic institutional mission, engaged academic practice, and individually tailored support mechanisms. Particular attention is paid to the methodological applicability of digital marketing instruments for monitoring and continuously improving reintegration processes. The study explores how social listening, sentiment analysis, and AI-driven analytics can provide institutions with real-time insights into the needs, expectations, and emotional states of student-veterans – dimensions that are systematically missed by conventional academic feedback mechanisms. Furthermore, the analysis examines the ongoing shift in institutional communication strategies toward authenticity and «new normalcy» narratives, highlighting the growing significance of student-veteran generated content over polished, institutionally produced materials. The paper also considers generational nuances, specifically the differing expectations, digital behaviours, and transformation-oriented motivations of veteran cohorts, which carry direct implications for the design of university support programmes. By synthesising classical theoretical traditions in higher education studies with contemporary digital marketing trends and current empirical data from the Ukrainian institutional environment, the article proposes a four-level conceptual monitoring model that ensures institutional accountability, enables evidence-based programme refinement, and supports the long-term viability of veteran reintegration initiatives within university ecosystems.