Qualifications Framework in Higher Education of Ukraine Materials

“Qualifications Framework in Higher Education of Ukraine”

Materials to the speech of the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, “Development a national qualifications framework in higher education in Ukraine" at an informal conference of education ministers from six countries of the Bologna Process (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine) and the three observer countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) with the support of the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia, Yerevan, September 8 -9, 2008/ Speaker from Ukraine Ivan Babyn

Ukraine’s joining Bologna process influenced essentially on the goals and content of the higher education system of Ukraine. As important benchmarks of its development there came to the forefront tasks of harmonization of the national system of education in line with the principles of creation of the EHEA

Development of the National Higher Education Qualifications Framework will provide: - mutual recognition of educational documents at the European and international levels - Introduction of the Diploma Supplement of the European format - Promotion of student and academic staff mobility - Competitiveness of HE graduates on the national and international labour markets and provision of education of high quality

Goals of the National Higher Education Qualifications Framework: - to describe interrelation among qualifications that exist in the country and identification of learning paths - to make existing qualifications/degree profiles easily understandable for students, parents, employers, and academic staff - to assist higher educational institutions in creation of new educational programs as well as upgrading existing ones -to support higher education quality assurance system -to support international compatibility and comparability and facilitate recognition of academic degrees - to describe constantly changing demands of society towards education system and to promote description of appropriate, constantly renewable qualifications; - to support lifelong learning practices

The structure of the system of education in Ukraine at present.

Higher Education Qualifications Framework of Ukraine Structure of Education Higher education Education and Education Period of qualification institutions studies levels Levels of Education Non-complete Higher Education Vocational school, College Junior Specialist 3 years Basic Higher Education Institute Bachelor 4 years Specialist +1 year Complete University, Higher Education Academy Master Educational document Diploma of junior specialist Bachelor’s diploma D. of Specialist Master’s +1. 5 year diploma Postgraduate Education Structure of Education Postgraduate Scientific Qualification Program Highest Scientific Qualification Program Levels of Education institutions Scientific degree Higher Education Institution Higher Education Candidate Institution of Science Higher Education Doctor of Institution Science Period Educatio of nal studies document

Modernization of the structure of the system of education in Ukraine in accordance with the EHEA requirements

Cycle ІІІ cycle Doctoral program II Cycle Master’s program І cycle Bachelor’s program Short cycle within I cycle Professional higher education Qualification Level title V Doctor ІV Master IIІ Bachelor ІІ Specialist I Junior Specialist Type of a document that confirms qualification HEI that awards qualification Doctor’s diploma University, academy Master’s diploma University, academy 180 -240 Bachelor’s diploma Institute, college within the structure of University 120 Specialist, Diploma of Higher Education College 60 Junior Specialist, Certificate of Higher Education College ECTS 60 -120

Placement of qualifications in qualifications framework Present academic/ scientific degrees (before reform) Doctor of Science degree Candidate of Science degree Equivalent (after reform) Doctor’s degree Specialist (5 -6 років) Master’s degree Specialist (4 роки) Bachelor’s degree Junior Specialist (not less than 2 years) Specialist, Diploma of Higher Education Junior Specialist (not less than 1 year) Junior Specialist, Certificate of Higher Education

Basic educational problems the country faces at present: - development of principles, mechanisms and procedures of the introduction of doctoral study as Bologna cycle III - employment of bachelors - graduates of the first cycle - creation of the quality assurance system for higher education, which would correspond to the European standards and norms - provision the student and teaching staff mobility - extension of the social partnership practice.

Methodological problems of the creation of the National Higher Education Qualifications Framework: - securing balance between description of level requirements for qualifications and their precision, possibility of assessment and measurement, functionality of a system - taking into account academic and professional components of qualification descriptors and their equivalency - improvement and enhancement of the description of level requirements for qualifications based on the principle of simplicity - taking into account differences in the national systems, the national and sectoral peculiarities