General information about the higher education system in the country
As of 2024, in Ukraine there are 314 HEIs (Universities, Academies, Institutes) with 1,149 mln students (incl. 33328 foreign students) and 115857 academic staff, of which 217 are public (1,114 mln students) and 97 (0,035 mln students) are private. Currently, 27 % of HEIs are damaged or completely destroyed during the war since 24 February 2022. 19 HEIs were temporarily relocated to safer regions of Ukraine. In 24 regions of Ukraine and Kyiv, the HEIs are operational in online, offline or blended/hybrid formats depending on the safety situation and shelters availability. Up to 30% of students became internally displaced persons or went
abroad.
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU) includes 160 research institutes with 29870 staff, incl. 15530 researchers, that offers PhD studies and some of them – Master’s degree programmes. There are five Sectoral National Academies of Sciences in: Law, Medicine, Agrarian, Education, Art, that provide PhD studies and some of them – Master’s degree programmes. Integration of the NASU and Sectoral Academies with HEIs is a priority activity.
During last years the National entrance exams for Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD degree programmes were introduced and are held remotely in digital format. There is the Unified State Electronic Database on Education: HEIs and degrees data, enrolment campaign, history of learning pathway, etc. The Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education” is compatible with the Bologna Process in general and includes the following key provisions:
Three cycle structure of Higher Education (Junior Bachelor (short cycle), Bachelor – Master – PhD / Doctor of Arts) as well as specific so-called postdoctoral cycle – Doctor of Science;
National Qualifications Framework with 8 levels of qualifications according to the QF LLL;
ECTS (determination of study programmes scope in terms of ECTS credits, 30 hours in 1 ECTS credit)
and Diploma Supplement;External and Internal QA systems in line with ESG;
Curricula developed on competence-based and student-centred approaches using Learning Outcomes;
Mobility & joint programmes (Double / Joint degree);
National higher education standards in compliance with National Qualification Framework (NQF) (420
developers involved)Academic, organisational, staffing autonomy (not yet financial)
National Qualification Agency established and fully operational, responsible for NQF and Recognition;
Decrease of maximum of teaching workload from 900 to 600 contact hours per year.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later to the war in Ukraine, since spring 2020, the accreditation procedure is performed in a distance format which limits a possibility to reliably assess advantages and flaws of the new approach to the accreditation. At the same time, the need is obvious today for a more complete inclusion of the updated ESG 2015 in the Ukrainian legislation. Revised Guidelines for study programmes accreditation, which provides the accreditation procedure for international joint study programmes, has been developed.
The Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education” and Strategy of the Higher Education Development in Ukraine for 2022-2032 determined key reforms in higher education in line with European integration objective and EHEA principles: ensuring equal access to quality higher education through digitalization, inclusion, and a flexible learning pathway; building the system of higher education quality assurance and integrity; developing the national qualifications system and qualification recognition mechanisms; internationalization of higher education and research; modernization of the HEIs network.
Information on recent policy updates, major reforms and related news
The Strategy of the Higher Education Development in Ukraine for 2022-2032 established appropriative Strategic and operational goals for reforming higher education.
Effectiveness of management in higher education system, which is socially responsible, to promote social responsibility of HEIs for solving social and environmental problems, University autonomy. The objectives: HEIs network modernization; development of educational statistics and information systems; creation of an inclusive educational environment, universal design and provision of reasonable accommodation; strengthening of HEIs autonomy.
Trust of citizens, the State, and business in the educational, research, and innovative activities of HEIs that envisages such objectives: digital transformation of management, regulation and monitoring processes in HEIs and effective use of digital technologies in the educational process; development of standardized digital tools for measuring learning outcomes and checking for academic integrity.
Ensuring quality educational and research activities, competitive higher education, which is accessible to various segments of the population, including granting vulnerable and unprotected population groups, residents of temporarily occupied territories special support in access to higher education; modernization of educational environment and equipment, taking into account the requirements of inclusiveness; higher education quality enhancement in line with ESG. The objectives: support for academic mobility of students; harmonization of educational and professional standards via involvement of business and professional communities in their development; development of internal quality assurance systems as a basis for quality higher education; the involvement of independent institutions in the accreditation; creation of conditions for accreditation by foreign accreditation agencies.
Internationalization of higher education of Ukraine to ensure comparability and recognition of Ukrainian education qualifications in Europe and the world, implement foreign best practice in higher education, increase the number of international cooperation projects. The objectives: ensuring the harmonization of thenational higher education structure in accordance with EHEA principles; development of the national qualifications system, simplification of procedures for foreign education qualifications recognition; support of international joint study programmes; digital transformation of the process of foreign citizens admission; stimulating the study of English and other foreign languages; support for national and international academic mobility of academic staff.
Attractiveness of higher education institutions for study and academic career trough implementation of the student-centered approach, which is the basis for the educational process organization using innovative technologies and various forms of education. The objectives: development of management training programmes for management staff and promising leaders of HEIs (staff reserve), trainings to support reforms; recognition of the learning outcomes of non-formal and informal education, confirmation of professional qualifications; provision of conditions for the professional development of academic staff, in particular digital competence development programmes.
Last initiatives of the Ministry:
- Reform of learning pathway – shift to credit accounting (30-80 ECTS credits per year) in particular;
- Reformed content for “regulated professions” – Medical, Maritime, etc.;
- Particular emphasis on STEM and Computer Science – MA level;
- Transformation of funding mechanism – introduction of public grants for students;
- Autonomy experiment via expansion of powers of supervisory boards in particular;
- Mergers – modernisation of HEIs network, establishment of centers of excellence.
A number of steps have been taken to implement these reforms. The National Strategy for the Creation of a Barrier-Free Space in Ukraine for the period up to 2030 (adopted in 2021) will contribute to the further introduction of inclusion in higher education. The Draft Law on the development of individual learning pathway in higher education, which will ensure access to higher education for citizens with limited educational and financial opportunities, has been prepared. The Draft Law on modernization of the HEIs network will create the prerequisites for building the HEIs capacities through the resource’s accumulation and the expansion of autonomy. The following issues remain undefined: ensuring access to quality higher education for persons with limited educational opportunities through digitalization; assuring digital higher education quality; mechanism of joint study programmes quality assurance; qualification recognition mechanisms; creating an inclusive educational environment using digital technologies; internationalisation in higher education and EHEA values
Information about relevant projects and initiatives
N | Project name | Objectives | Length of project | Keywords | Links |
1 | DigiUni: Digital University – Open Ukrainian Initiative | The objectives of the project are 1) to develop the concept, strategy, and action plan for creating an integrated, inclusive and high-performing digital education ecosystem in Ukraine to be submitted for state adoption; 2) to develop and launch the all-Ukrainian open digital education environment – DigiPlatform; 3) to create the Open DigiUni- Ukraine Charter; 4) to develop the rules for ensuring and improving the quality of the digital content at the higher education institutions of Ukraine, methods of the digital content quality assessment, developing methodology and guidelines for creating digital content and digital courses; 5) to create DigiCentres at each Ukrainian higher education partner institution with the necessary software and equipment; 6) to develop the primary DigiPlatform content; 7) to develop 100+ new courses in different fields of knowledge; 8) to train 600 educators as digital content facilitators and to provide 5,000+ students of the Ukrainian higher education partner institutions with courses and 1,000+ representatives of other target groups with educational modules using DigiPlatform within the pilot DigiUni project. | 2023-2027 | digital educational ecosystem; quality, inclusive, and transparent education |
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| 2 | 101129280-BEAUCOUPERASMUS- EDU-2022-CBHESTRAND 3 Boosting Digital Excellence and Aptitude of Universities in the Countries of East Partnership | Project goals: digitalization of universities, strengthening of digital competences of teachers of higher education institutions, development of BA, MA, PhD, MOOC courses, advanced training that contributes to the formation of a modern teacher who knows how to use ICT | 3 yrs 2023-2026 | Digital trnasition, digital competences | Project results platform: https://erasmus-plus.ec. europa.eu/projects/search /details/101129280 Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/groups /298149283367942 |
| 3 | 101128509-RE-DIRECTIONERASMUS- EDU-2022-CBHESTRAND 2 Redefining Higher Education on a digital context and mainstreaming a common inclusive and green structure based on EU best practices and policy recommendations will provide and promote digitalisation and inclusion in higher education | Project goals and objectives: Establishing links between higher education sector and collaboration with other educational actors to 83 101128509-RE-DIRECTIONERASMUS- EDU-2022-CBHESTRAND 2 Redefining Higher Education on a digital context and mainstreaming a common inclusive and green structure based on EU best practices and policy recommendations will provide and promote digitalisation and inclusion in higher education stimulate innovation and solve societal problems Stimulating innovation and update of existing mechanisms and pedagogical approaches Quality assurance mechanisms applied within universities Access to reliable educational software and platforms Achieving academic progress through adoption and implementation of new digital standards and green skills Strengthening digital capabilities and access to high-quality digital infrastructure Improving implementation of modern digital resources and familiarization with green skills Supporting displaced students and vulnerable groups and raising the quality of their studies Improving access to quality education in higher direction and offering connectivity solutions Training and re-trainingof academic and administrative personnel Updated curricula and well-equipped academic and administrative staff for distance learning Raising institutional capacity Strengthening universities with updated educational resources Development /modernizing curricula Producing more competitive graduates for the labor market Increasing activity in the development of digital skills of all citizens and sectors Improving cyber security, digital ethics and protection of personal data on the internet Standardizing the educational process in accordance with the European Education Area | Digital skills, green skills, inclusivity, inclusive education | Project web-site: re-direction. org Projects results platform: https://erasmus-plus.ec. europa.eu/projects/search /details/101128509 | |
| 4 | 101082928 — SMART-PL STUDENTS’ PERSONALIZED LEARNING MODEL, BASED ON THE VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OF INTELLECTUAL TUTORING "LEARNING WITH NO LIMITS" | Project goals and objectives:
| 3 yrs 2023-2025 | academic trajectories, transparency and comprehensibility of education, inclusive education, hybrid technologies | Project web-site: https://www. smart-pl.live/about Projects results platform: https://erasmus-plus.ec. europa.eu/projects/search /details/101082928 |
| 5 | 101083143 — DEFEP DISTANCE EDUCATION FOR FUTURE: BEST EU PRACTICES IN RESPONSE TO THE REQUESTS OF MODERN HIGHER EDUCATION SEEKERS AND LABOR MARKET | Goal: implementation of a sustainable, efficient and effective system of distance education in the institutions of higher education of the Eastern Partnership countries as a separate and independent form of learning based on the principles and methods of didactics, most suitable for the formation of promising competencies of applicants, according to cognitive, behavioral and technological transformations of individual, society and the labor market. | 3 years, 2023-2025
| distance education, distance education system, quality assurance of distance education | Project web-site: https://defep. chmnu.edu.ua Projects results platform: https://erasmus-plus.ec. europa.eu/projects/search /details/101083143 Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/profile.php? id=100090639761148 |