Licensing and Accreditation

One of the most significant changes in the system of classifying Ukrainian higher education institutions is the state-run licensing and accreditation process. Licensing, the first step in accreditation, is a temporary right granted by the state permitting an institution to begin operations. The first licensing of private higher education institutions occurred in 1993. By January 2000, 138 higher education institutions in Ukraine were licensed.

The most difficult dimension of the accreditation procedure is not its complexity, but rather the long set of strict quantitative accreditation requirements adopted by the State Accreditation Commission (SAC) that goes far beyond the ability of the vast majority of emerging private institution to meet. In setting accreditation criteria unattainable for many higher education institutions, the SAC may not have intended to undermine the Ukrainian higher education system or shut down most private institutions. However, the SAC clearly used formal requirements as bureaucratic cover for the informal relations that inevitably arise between the accrediting organs and institutions.

Many Ukrainian observers believe the current process of accreditation is cut off from reality and actually a product of organizational and professional incompetence. As one Ukrainian scholar states, "If an American university, having exclusively a Nobel-prize-winning teaching staff, decided to transfer its base into Ukraine, it would not even be able to obtain a license here (without a bribe, of course), and it could only dream about accreditation."

The Future of Ukrainian Higher Education

Future development of private higher education in Ukraine is unpredictable since it depends on critical government and legislative decisions currently under discussion. Depending upon the climate set by the Ukrainian Parliament that was elected in spring 2002, the landscape of private higher education is expected to change dramatically. Private higher education may expand or contract, but it is unlikely to retain its current shape or scope.

Data from a national sampling of leaders in Ukrainian private higher education suggest a pessimistic outlook especially in light of demographic trends. A declining birthrate is expected to produce an enrollment gap in the decade ending in 2010 that will dramatically affect the Ukrainian education system. This gap originated in the second half of 1980s due to the Chernobyl disaster and the economic uncertainties associated with perestroika. When this destructive wave reaches higher education demand will significantly decrease, while the competition between higher education institutions will reach a peak. According to Ministry of Education data, if the index of demand for higher education in 2002 is 1.0, it will decrease to 0.86 in 2007, to 0.64 in 2012, and to 0.61 in 2013.

The stratification of Ukrainian private higher education is also expected to increase in the next decade. Just over 20 percent of private higher education institutions have market positions stable enough to secure their future existence. The remaining 80 percent are expected to close or merge with larger private or state institutions.

4.b Explain the following concepts from the text.

Long-suppressed challenges; Ukrainian nationalism; market-oriented economy; the public sector; catalyst; identity; Russification; estimates; state accreditation; to issue a diploma; 'niche' strategy; underserved; educational market; profitable specialties; counterpart; commercial law; educational law; draft of the law; the National Doctrine of the Development of Ukrainian Education; licensing; accreditation; state-run; SAC; bureaucratic cover; Nobel-prize-winning teaching staff; bribe; to change dramatically; national sampling; index of demand; stratification.

4.c Discuss the following issues and share your opinion with the rest of the class.

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