QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN UKRAINE: AN ASPECT OF STATE REGULATION

Abstract

The article examines the problem of education quality assurance in the conditions of its mass character increasing. It is emphasized that quality management should become the matter of a modern higher educational institution management. The system of external quality assurance should be an organic continuation of the mechanisms of internal quality assurance created by higher education institutions, in accordance with the principle of autonomy of higher education institutions. The main powers of the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance (NAQA) have been defined, which has become an important body for public management of educational changes in higher education with expanded regulatory and control functions in the field of quality assurance, previously performed by the state. These are, in particular, issues of accreditation of educational institutions and educational programs, certification of scientific personnel, accreditation of specialized scientific councils. It is emphasized that the strategic activities of state structures for quality management of higher education are: updating the accreditation process and other procedures for determining the quality of education; modernization of the quality of higher education; formation of standards of higher education with a focus on the needs of students and employers; improving the quality of training of applicants for scientific degrees by creating conditions for effective research activities; promoting academic integrity. The main normative documents that regulate the quality of higher education in Ukraine are evaluated. It is determined that the multilevel management model protects the national education system from the mechanical conception of it as a complex of external to society elements, contributes to the socio-cultural specificity of educational activities. This helps to harmonize the tasks of ensuring the quality end result of the higher education institution functioning and the goal of effectively utilizing the full potential of higher education as an object of public administration in the content of public administration. Therefore, the model of state participation in higher education is being transformed from a managerial one into a supportive one.