On July 13, 2023, the State University of Trade and Economics hosted the meeting of the Union of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine. The event was primarily aimed at discussing urgent issue faced by higher education institutions and signing the Declaration on Cooperation with student self-government bodies. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Office of the President of Ukraine, the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance and the State Service of Education Quality of Ukraine. The meeting was held by Petro Kulikov, the Chair of the Union of Rectors.
Attendees highlighted and discussed several issues relevant for higher education institutions. Ivan Vynnytskyi, the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, reported on the results of the National Multi-Subject Test in 2023, the Unified Entrance Exam (UEE) and the Single Professional Entrance Exam (SPEE), as well as on the formation of the state order for 2023. The information was supplemented by Oleh Sharov, CEO of the Directorate of Professional Pre-Higher and Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Together with the audience, they discussed state order issues and changes in the financial system.
Stanislav Nikolaienko, the Rector of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, suggested signing the Declaration on Cooperation between rectors of higher education institutions and student representatives. This document will show the desire of heads of education institutions and student leaders to cooperate and will actually approve the beginning of such cooperation. The audience supported this suggestion.
Diana Strelchuk, the Chair of the Student Self-Government Council of the State University of Trade and Economics, raised the issue requiring attention and discussion on the part of the Union representatives. It includes outdated algorithms for the purchase of technical means, which is an obstacle to the renewal of material and technical support of institutions, as well as changes in the admission rules of higher education institutions during the admission campaign and other issues.
Anatolii Mazaraki, the Rector of the State University of Trade and Economics, stressed the relevance of electing a member to the Supreme Council of Justice from representatives of law schools and scientific institutions. He addressed Union participants with the offer to make rectors of higher education institutions responsible for observing and fulfilling all necessary procedures. Participants supported this offer.
Olena Shapovalova, the Director of the Ukrainian State Center for International Education, focused on student migration during the war, which was also discussed.
Andrii Butenko, the Head of the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance, talked about problems related to accreditation of educational programs.
Completing the meeting, Stanislav Nikolaienko, the Rector of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, mentioned the need to make suggestions to the legislation in order to settle property issues, in particular, regarding the provision of lecturers with housing and the use of lands of education institutions.
The meeting was attended by the Union members present in the hall and online and student representatives from different higher education institutions of the country.
The meeting resulted in the adopted decisions that will contribute to the improvement of the learning process and the quality of higher education in Ukraine.