Abstract:  Social ties play an important role in migration and everyday life, while digital media have reshaped their form and reach. This article examines how digital networks and social ties shape the social inclusion of Ukrainian students in Slovakia in the context of post‐2022 war‐related mobility. The analysis is based on an exploratory pilot questionnaire survey conducted in 2025 among 85 Ukrainian students enrolled as full‐time international students at the Faculty of Management, Comenius University Bratislava. The findings show that students maintain frequent transnational contact with family and friends in Ukraine and rely heavily on digital communication, especially Telegram groups, to sustain these ties and access practical information about life and study in Slovakia. At the same time, local social ties in Slovakia are more limited and are formed predominantly within co‐national circles rather than with members of the host society. Most respondents report moderate to relatively strong social inclusion, although many remain uncertain about their long‐term future in Slovakia. The findings show the ambivalent role of digital networks in the social inclusion process. They reduce isolation, support everyday functioning, and sustain transnational continuity, but they do not necessarily foster deeper local belonging or the formation of bridging ties with members of the host society. The study contributes to research on international student mobility, digital migration, and social inclusion by showing how digitally sustained transnational ties can support everyday adaptation, while also limiting the development of deeper host‐society embeddedness among students whose mobility is shaped by conflict.

Keywords:  digital networks; international student mobility; Slovakia; social inclusion; transnational ties; Ukrainian students

Published:   3 June 2026

Issue:   Vol 14 (2026): Mobility and Relationships in Digitally Saturated Social Worlds (In Progress)