International Charity Foundation “International Foundation for Education Policy Research” Monitoring Study MONITORING THE INTEGRATION OF UKRAINIAN HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM INTO THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH AREA Analytical Report Kyiv * 2014 INTERNATIONAL CHARITY FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATIONAL POLICY RESEARCH International Charity Foundation “International Foundation for Education Policy Research” Ukrainian Association of Students Self-Government The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of research from I. Slobodyanyk and the International Fund for Cooperation and Partnership of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. T. Finikov, O. Sharov (general editors) Authors: Summary – T. Finikov, O. Sharov Preamble – T. Finikov, O. Sharov Chapter 1 – T. Finikov, O. Sharov, V. Tereshchuk Chapter 2 – T. Finikov, O. Sharov, S. Melnyk Chapter 3 – T. Finikov, O. Sharov Chapter 4 – T. Finikov, O. Sharov, S. Melnyk, Ye. Shchepetylnykova, O. Smyrnov, A. Lotaryev Chapter 5 – T. Finikov, O. Sharov, A. Lotaryev Chapter 6 – T. Finikov, O. Sharov, M. Zhuk Chapter 7 – T. Finikov, O. Sharov, Ye. Shchepetylnykova, O. Smyrnov, A. Lotaryev © International Charity Foundation “International Foundation for Education Policy Research”, 2014 ISBN 978-966-7128-88-3 (Ukr.) ISBN 978-966-7128-89-0 (Engl.) © Т. Finikov, O. Sharov, 2014 CONTENTS RESUME ......................................................................................................... 6 PREAMBLE ...................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 1. CONTEXT OF THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA ................. 10 Indicator 1.1. Student population ........................................................................10 1.1.1. Absolute indicators. Levels of education ....................................................10 1.1.2. Coverage of higher education .................................................................. 11 1.1.3. Forms of education .................................................................................14 1.1.4. Fields of study ........................................................................................14 Indicator 1.2. Higher education institutions..........................................................16 1.2.1. General indicators by the levels of accreditation .........................................16 1.2.2. Development of private education ............................................................ 17 1.2.3. The Problem of optimization of the network of higher education institutions . 18 Indicator 1.3. Public expenditure on higher education ..........................................19 1.3.1. Forms of higher education funding ...........................................................19 1.3.2. Volume of public and private funding of higher education ...........................20 1.3.3. Share of expenses for higher education ....................................................21 1.3.4. Structure of expenses for higher education ...............................................22 1.3.5. Some aspects of state policy in the sphere of higher education funding .......23 CHAPTER 2. DEGREES AND QUALIFICATIONS .................................................... 24 Indicator 2.1. Bologna structures ........................................................................24 2.1.1. Structure and implementation of first-cycle higher education programs ........24 2.1.2. Structure and implementation of second-cycle higher education programs ..26 2.1.3. Short-cycle higher education programmes ................................................27 2.1.4. Third-cycle programmes .........................................................................28 2.1.5. Common degrees and programs ..............................................................30 Indicator 2.2. Bologna Tools ..............................................................................32 2.2.1. National qualifications frameworks ...........................................................32 2.2.2. ECTS, results of education, student centred learning .................................34 2.2.3. Diploma supplement ..............................................................................39 Indicator 2.3. Recognition of qualifications ..........................................................40 CHAPTER 3. QUALITY ASSURANCE ................................................................... 43 Indicator 3.1. External quality assurance .............................................................43 3.1.1. Character and orientation of national quality assurance systems ..................43 3 3.1.2. Ability of higher education institutions to be evaluated by non-national agencies ........................................................................................................45 3.1.3. Evaluating national systems against ESG ...................................................47 3.1.4. Involvement of employers in QA ...............................................................49 Indicator 3.2. Internal quality assurance ..............................................................51 3.2.1. Formal requirements for higher education institutions to establish internal quality assurance systems ............................................................................... 51 3.2.2. Responsibility for the focus of internal quality assurance systems ...............53 3.2.3. Institutional strategies for continuous quality improvement .........................55 3.2.4. Publication of critical and negative evaluation reports ................................56 3.2.5. Some observations regarding higher education quality assurance ..............56 CHAPTER 4. SOCIAL DIMENSION OF HIGHER EDUCATION .................................... 58 Indicator 4.1. Statistical information on the impact of students’ background on their participation in and attainment of higher education ..............................................58 4.1.1. Gender balance in higher education ..........................................................58 4.1.2. Migrants in higher education ....................................................................61 4.1.3. Influence of parental education on higher education attainment ..................63 Indicator 4.2. Policy approaches to widening access to and participation in higher education ........................................................................................................64 4.2.1. Overview of the main approaches .............................................................64 4.2.2. Monitoring .............................................................................................65 Indicator 4.3. Opening access routes to higher education and providing adequate student services...............................................................................................66 4.3.1. Non-traditional access routes to higher education .....................................66 4.3.2. Student services ....................................................................................67 Indicator 4.4. Fees and financial support .............................................................70 4.4.1. Students’ expenses ................................................................................70 4.4.2. Student income and public support ..........................................................75 CHAPTER 5. EFFECTIVE OUTCOMES AND EMPLOYABILITY ................................... 79 Indicator 5.1. Higher education output: higher education attainment levels .............79 Indicator 5.2. Completion rates and policies for improvement ...............................82 5.2.1. Completion rates ....................................................................................83 5.2.2. Entry and graduation rates ......................................................................85 5.2.2. Entry and graduation rates ......................................................................85 Indicator 5.3. Graduates on the labour market: unemployment and transition from education to work .............................................................................................86 Indicator 5.4. Private returns on education: income and educational attainment ......88 Indicator 5.5. Higher education qualifications and labour market demand: qualification mismatches ...................................................................................93 4 CHAPTER 6. LIFELONG LEARNING .................................................................... 96 Indicator 6.1. National understanding of the concept of lifelong learning ................96 Indicator 6.2. Lifelong learning as a recognised mission of higher education institutions .......................................................................................................98 Indicator 6.3. Financing lifelong learning .............................................................99 Indicator 6.4. Promoting flexible delivery of higher education programmes ........... 101 6.4.1. Policy approaches targeting flexible delivery of higher education programmes ................................................................................................. 102 6.4.2. Studying in higher education with a formal status other than the status of a full-time student ............................................................................................ 103 6.4.3. Provision of part-time studies by higher education institutions .................