“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.

Structure of Education Levels of Education Education institutions Education and qualification levels Period of studies Educational document Higher education Non-complete Higher Education Vocational school, College Junior Specialist 3 years Diploma of junior specialist Basic Higher Education InstituteBachelor4 years Bachelor’s diploma Complete Higher Education University, Academy Specialist+1 year D. of Specialist Master+1.5 year Master’s diploma Structure of Education Levels of Education Education institutions Scientific degree Period of studies Educatio nal document Postgraduate Education Higher Education Institution Postgraduate Scientific Qualification Program Higher Education Institution Candidate of Science Highest Scientific Qualification Program Higher Education Institution Doctor of Science Postgraduate Education Higher Education Qualifications Framework of Ukraine

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

CycleLevel Qualification title ECTS Type of a document that confirms qualification HEI that awards qualification ІІІ cycle Doctoral program VDoctorDoctor’s diploma University, academy II Cycle Master’s program ІVMaster60-120Master’s diploma University, academy І cycle Bachelor’s program IIІBachelor Bachelor’s diploma Institute, college within the structure of University Short cycle within I cycle Professional higher education ІІSpecialist120 Specialist, Diploma of Higher Education College I Junior Specialist 60 Junior Specialist, Certificate of Higher Education College

Present academic/ scientific degrees (before reform) Equivalent (after reform) Doctor of Science degreeDoctor’s degree Candidate of Science degree 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 Placement of qualifications in qualifications framework

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