QUALITY ASSURANCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN UKRAINE: LEGAL SUPPORT AND SYSTEM

The article is devoted to the study of the evolution of the legal quality assurance of higher education and the quality assurance system of higher education. The authors considered a number of normative legal acts in this area, from 1991 to this time. It is emphasized that at the beginning of the country's independence, the concept of the quality of higher education was absent, as well as there was no separate profile law. The provisions of the Law of Ukraine «On Higher Education» of 2002 were considered as the first legal act that enshrined the concept of «quality of higher education.» It also examines the provisions of the current legislation, namely the Law of Ukraine «On Higher Education» 2014 in the edition, provides a system for ensuring the quality of higher education. It is noted that as of 2023 in Ukraine, the vast majority of higher education institutions, in accordance with the requirements of the legislation, have developed Regulations on the system of internal quality assurance of higher education, which can be found on the official websites of a higher education institution. It is established that in addition to state institutions, as well as the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, the legislator in the system of quality assurance in higher education provides for independent institutions accredited by the latter to assess and ensure the quality of higher education. It is noted that in 2022 the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine updated the list of foreign accreditation agencies and agencies for ensuring the quality of higher education, certificates of accreditation of educational programs of which are recognized in Ukraine. Attention is paid to the Strategy for the development of higher education in Ukraine for 2021–2023. It is emphasized to support those operational goals of the strategy that serve to improve the quality of higher education. It is summarized that the implementation of the goals of the strategy is closely connected with the goals of the New Ukrainian Doctrine proposed by the President of Ukraine in 2023.