Recent developments in Europe and around the world show that Francis Fukuyama’s idea about the end of history, based on the victory of liberal democracy in Eastern European countries, is not confirmed. Similarly, Eric Hobsbawm’s conclusions that nationalism is losing its role in the modern world are also unsubstantiated.

When we focus on Europe, we see the Russian invasion of Ukraine since 2022, the Russian occupation of Crimea before that (2014), and the Russian-Georgian conflict (2008). All these conflicts have a significant nationalist dimension, as Russia justifies them as defending the rights of Russian minorities in the mentioned countries. However, the rise of nationalism is not limited to Eastern Europe. In Central and Western European countries, right-wing, conservative political parties and movements, often based on nationalist rhetoric, have gained prominence over the past decade. One example is Brexit (2016), but there are also the results of parliamentary elections in Germany and France, where the nationalist right is strengthening its position with each election.

Many politicians, journalists, and even scholars are questioning the role of educational systems, including universities and colleges, in the rise of nationalism. On the one hand, it is generally assumed that education has a positive influence on the development of national identity and citizenship within individual countries. However, on the other hand, doubts emerge about whether educational systems are effectively fulfilling these functions, especially as many young people support right-wing nationalist parties and movements.

The topic of the ethical aspects of nationalism in small countries and nations is a key focus of my research and publications. In the context of CA22121, I have chosen to examine the expressions of nationalism within the higher education systems of two relatively small EU member states, Cyprus and Slovakia, which I have previously studied in relation to the development of their national movements in the 19th century.

In the first half of September 2025, I completed my STSM at the University of Central Lancashire Cyprus (UCLan). In addition to studying relevant literature on the topic, I paid considerable attention to discussions with UCLan academics and their experiences regarding manifestations of nationalism at their university and other Cypriot universities. I want to extend my gratitude to Prof. Stéphanie Laulhé Shaelou (Head of the School of Law), Dr Andreas Marcou, and Dr Katherina Kalaitzaki for their assistance in achieving the goals of my STSM. The uniqueness of UCLan lies in its status as a British university serving a diverse international community of students from Europe, Asia, and Africa. Our discussions also included a comparison with issues of nationalism at Slovak universities, where many Ukrainian students study.

I firmly believe that the outcomes of my STSM at UCLan in Cyprus will support the achievement of the objectives of CA 22121, particularly in terms of knowledge about issues of nationalism at universities in Cyprus and Slovakia.