Challenges to national defence in contemporary geopolitical situation

This article examines the key determinants influencing psychological well-being among students in both types of institutions by synthesizing findings from empirical research published in peer-reviewed academic journals. The comparative perspective adopted here aims to illuminate shared challenges as well as the psychosocial specificities of military higher education. Understanding these patterns is particularly relevant in contexts such as the Czech Republic, where military universities operate under the authority of the Ministry of Defence and follow unique structural, educational, and professional mandates. By integrating existing evidence, the article seeks to inform more effective, context-sensitive mental health strategies within both civilian and military academic settings.

Foreign language competences for the military personnel of Lithuania and NATO are essential in sustaining National Security of the alliance especially by effectively performing their military duties that include not only specific military art but also administrative and managemental. The Military Academy of Lithuania is a unique higher educational institution that prepares specialists in administration, management, and other fields. Therefore, being a cadet of the Academy, he/she acquires all the necessary competences to obtain proficiency in these fields. However, the cadets of the Academy considerably need foreign language competences so that they could actively, successfully, and professionally conduct their duties not only locally but also participating internationally in various military organizations and missions. Thus, in many cases military’s success in multinational operations very often depends on soldiers’ ability to communicate and express themselves in English or any other foreign language. In this “global village” it is practically inconceivable to make career without the knowledge of the English or any other foreign language. Thus, the aim of the research is to analyze the role of foreign language competencies acquired at the Lithuanian Military Academy where cadets obtain qualifications and foreign language competences needed for successful career making, National and International security. Therefore, the objective of the research is how theoretically and practically resolve the issue of developing new linguistic competences in foreign languages necessary for MAL cadets through analyses of the results of the questionnaire.