Implementation of the independent educational auditors institute as a mechanism of public quality control in higher education of Ukraine

The reasons for the introduction of a completely new practice of higher education in Ukraine by the institute of independent educational auditors are highlighted. Two ways of this process are suggested. The first is evolutionary, when independent educational auditors will work in parallel with the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (NAQAHE). The other is revolutionary, when the state will fully transfer the licensing and accreditation functions to a public organization of independent educational auditors. The evolutionary development of an independent educational audit implies that in the medium term and subject to its consistently high level and public authority, NAQAHE will share some of its authority in favor of independent quality institutions and will allow universities to decide what to do with the auditor report. The introduction of the independent educational auditors institute in a revolutionary way will eliminate the state monopoly over licensing and accreditation processes and will launch a mechanism of professional public control in this area. It will encourage the universities to take care of the continuous improvement of the higher education quality. The benefits of an independent educational audit should also include the possibility for universities to obtain an objective quality professional assessment of educational programs and training of specialists, to maintain the independence of universities, to receive recommendations for the development and effective functioning of their own internal systems of assessment and higher education quality assurance. Involvement of international authoritative organizations in the creation and further supervision of the independent educational auditors institute's activity in Ukraine will contribute to the international recognition of audit reports. It will expand the academic, scientific and innovative horizons of domestic higher education institutions development. The efficiency of the independent educational auditors' work should be ensured by the impartiality and transparency of their activities for the final beneficiaries and the public. The introduction of independent educational auditors institute will make transparent and effective the process of external quality assurance in higher education in Ukraine, will reduce the level of corruption in the educational sphere, will improve the quality of higher education and its competitiveness in the European market, will increase academic and teaching skills, will fill the labor market with qualified specialists, and will promote all sectors of the economy development and country's human capital formation.