Issues in Ukrainian Credential Evaluation: Overview, Recognition, and Fraud

Supporting Handout

Tatiana McKenna, Evaluator Mary Dumke, Evaluator TAICEP 2016 Annual Conference, Chicago

• Originally a founding republic of the former USSR, Ukraine became an independent state in 1991. Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe after its neighbor, Russia.

• The development of education until 1990 reflected central Soviet policy. However, in 1991 the Ukrainian Ministry of Education was formed and is now responsible for all levels of education in the republic.

• The 25 June 1991 Law on Education is the foundation for educational reforms. Since 1992 there has been an accreditation system for all levels of educational institutions. This involves licensing (registration), assessment and certification.

• The Law on Higher Education (2002) establishes the three-level structure of higher education: incomplete, basic, and complete educational levels with corresponding educational-proficiency levels of Junior Specialist, Bachelor, Specialist and Master.

• Education at all levels is free at state institutions, supporting the Ukrainian constitutional mandate to grant access to education to all citizens. This philosophy has been maintained from Soviet times.

• Current name of the MOE is Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine with the new minister as Sergiy Kvit (the eighth minister of education) since February 27th 2014. Dmytro Tabachnyk was a former minister

Legislation on Education: See http://enic.in.ua/index.php/en/regulatory-framework

 The most recent Law on Higher Education 2014 is geared towards the total overhaul of Higher Education in Ukraine: http://zakon2.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1556-18

 Law of Ukraine on Higher Education of 2014 translated into English: http://erasmusplus.org.ua/vyshcha-osvita-v- ukraini.html Innovations in Higher Education on the Basis of 2014 Law

qQuality of higher education to be monitored by the National Agency of Quality Assurance: specialties, standards of HE, accreditation of specialties, curricula, specialized academic councils and institutions of quality assurance. qAcademic autonomy in issuing educational documentation, degrees (state and customized). qFinancial and economic autonomy. qStrong student governance. qTransparency in school finances, availability of information of specialties, degrees, scientific work. qRectors, deans, chairs to be elected for five years. qBachelor-Master – PhD. Five educational-qualification levels: junior bachelor, bachelor, master, doctor of philosophy, doctor of sciences. qNew classification of HEIs: no more “levels of accreditation”. Four types of HEIs: universities, institutes and academies and colleges. qWar with plagiarism among teachers/instructors and students. qDecreased workload for students and teachers. 1 ECTS=30 academic hours instead of 36. qAcademic mobility for students in terms of ECTS (bachelors – 180-240 credits and masters – 90-120 credits). qAdmission into HEIs via external assessment by law. qCompetitive system of state requirement for education. qStipends equal minimal salary in Ukraine. qState financing of science. qUkrainian as medium of instruction. qInforesurs database vs Osvita database. http://tvoemisto.tv/news/vyshcha_osvita_v_ukraini_16_zmin_69153.html

New Higher National Qualifications:

According to the newest amendments to the Law on Higher Education from 01.07.2014 № 1556-VII, Junior Specialist and Specialist qualifications will be discontinued over the next few years. Beginning in 2016, the new National Qualifications Framework will exist.

 Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine:

o http :// erasmusplus.org.ua/vyshcha-osvita-v-ukraini/vyshchi-navchalni-zaklady.html

 Directory of the Universities WorldWide including Ukraine:

o http ://www.university-directory.eu/Ukraine/Ukraine-Universities.html#. UgISG3ny2QV

 Catalog of HEIs of Ukraine:

o http:// vnz.org.ua/vnz

 Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine:

o http://osvita.ua/vnz/guide /

 Other resources:

o http ://www.parta.com.ua/ukr/university/state /

 Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine:

o http :// mon.gov.ua/activity/education/vishha/spisok.html

1.Ukraine became a Bologna signatory country in 2005.

2.In 2004 a transition to a new knowledge assessment system leading to the credit-transfer system. Key concepts: (“Student Application Form,” “Study Agreement,” “Practical Training and Quality Commitment Agreement,” “Academic Statement,” and “Supplement to the European-Standard Diploma”.

3.European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS): 60 credits correspond to one full academic year.

4.Moving away from the system of bachelor, specialist, master, candidate of sciences and doctor of sciences towards the three-level education including bachelor, master and doctor of sciences.

5.Mobility of students, teachers, researchers.

6.Unified European research field.

7.Quality Assurance.

However, there are certain difficulties of Ukrainian Higher Education in the context of the Bologna process: 1.Abundance of HEIs, specialties which should be 4-5 times less. 2.Decreasing quality of higher education. 3.Insufficient cooperation between education and job market. 4.Level of Ukrainian HEIs autonomy is worse than the European. 5.Corruption in HEIs. 6.Absence of mobility among Ukrainian students. http://www.euroosvita.net/prog/print.php/prog/print.php?id=1682

The European Diploma Supplement contains eight pages broken down by: Page 1 - Information identifying the holder of the qualification, the qualification, and the level of the qualification; Page 2 - Information on the contents and results gained; Page 3 - Program details (e.g. modules or units studied) and the individual grades/marks/hours/credits obtained; Page 4 – Grading scheme, grade distribution guidance; overall classification of the qualification; information on the function of the qualification; Page 5 – Additional information including the faculty, previous documents, school and MOE contact information; Page 6 – Information on the national higher education system in Ukrainian; Page 7 – Information on the national higher education system in English; Page 8 – Diagram of higher education qualification levels in Ukraine in English. https://osvita.net/en/appendix-to-higher-education-diploma/ Combat Fraud: Documentation Security Features

1. Osvita datebase no longer available as of 2014. Inforesurs database is currently available. Free online verification of Diplomas issued after 2015. Inforesurs also offers verification service for Diplomas issued 2000-2014. http://www.inforesurs.gov.ua/

2. Hologram on the diploma with a Ukrainian poem present until 2012 “Учітесь, читайте і чужому навчайтесь, й свого не цурайтесь”

3. Laser ultaviolet protection

4. Left bottom corner absence of flower outline

5. Holograms on both sides of the diploma

6. Microprint Україна on the diploma supplement and fine line pattern (micronet)

7. Diploma and number microprint

8. Color transition

9. Osvita and ENIC Naric documentation samples: https://osvita.net/ua/checkdoc / and http://enic.in.ua/index.php/en/education-documents-examples ***

*** Great resource! There are many transitional periods with varying formats of educational documents. Compare your credential to samples listed by educational level and years of issue.

The Educational System of Ukraine, NORRIC. 2009 (available for download in English): vhttp://norric.org/publications

Ministry of Education and Science (in Ukrainian): vhttp://www.mon.gov.ua/

NAFSA Guide to Educational Systems around the World: vhttp://www.nafsa.org/_/File/_/ges/Ukraine%2008.pdf

UK NARIC country database: vhttp://www.naric.org.uk/ (paid subscription required)

Country Education Profiles database by Australian Education International: vhttp://aei.gov.au/AEI/CEP/Default.htm (paid subscription required)

ENIC Ukraine National Information Centre of Academic Mobility: v http :// enic.in.ua/index.php/en/

McKenna, T. Updates in the System of Higher Education in Ukraine. TAICEP TALK, Volume 2, Number 4, 2016. v http :// www.taicep.org/taiceporgwp/professional-development/newsletter/ (paid subscription required)