During the implementation of the Erasmus+ Module: Jean Monnet ‘University Autonomy in the Development of Democratic Values in Higher Education: EU Experience for Ukraine’ at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, the project team members published a number of scientific articles that became an important result of the Module implementation.
The articles covered the theoretical, paradigmatic, and axiological foundations of the development of modern higher education (Kostiuk, T. (2024). Key Stepping Stones of Modern Higher Education: Trapped Values and Reshaping of the Paradigm. Continuing Professional Education: Theory and Practice, 2 (79), 18-28. https://doi.org/10.28925/2412-0774.2024.2.2), comparative analysis of common features and specifics of university autonomy models in European countries (Bulvinska, O. (2024). Models of university autonomy in the EU countries: a comparative analysis. Continuing Professional Education: Theory and Practice, 1 (78), 155-169. https://doi.org/10.28925/1609-8595.2024.1.12), as well as a practical model for the development of European values of future PhDs during the implementation of the Erasmus+ module: Jean Monnet ‘University Autonomy in the Development of Democratic Values in Higher Education: EU Experience for Ukraine’ at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University (Protsenko, O., Bulvinska, O., & Kalinicheva N. (2023). Higher Education as a Space for Forming the Values of United Europe. Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education, 12 (1 (23), 95-114. https://doi.org/10.35765/mjse.2023.1223.04).
The published articles are aimed at promoting European democratic values and the European experience of university autonomy in the EU countries, improving the level of theoretical and practical training of PhD students within the Module, and developing democratic values in all participants in the educational process.
- Protsenko, O., Bulvinska, O., & Kalinicheva Н. (2023). Higher Education as a Space for Forming the Values of United Europe (Вища освіта як простір формування цінностей Об’єднаної Європи). Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education, 12 (1 (23), 95–114. https://doi.org/10.35765/mjse.2023.1223.04
- Бульвінська, О. (2024). Моделі університетської автономії в країнах ЄС: компаративний аналіз. Неперервна професійна освіта: теорія і практика, 1 (78), 155–169. https://doi.org/10.28925/1609-8595.2024.1.12
- Kostiuk, T. (2024). Key Stepping Stones of Modern Higher Education: Trapped Values and Reshaping of the Paradigm (Основні засади розвитку сучасної вищої освіти: від перегляду цінностей до переформатування парадигми). Continuing Professional Education: Theory and Practice, 2 (79), 18–28. https://doi.org/10.28925/2412-0774.2024.2.2
On 25 March 2024, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University hosted the debate “University Autonomy: a Sufficient or Necessary Condition for the Quality of Higher Education” as part of the Module “University Autonomy in the Development of Democratic Values in Higher Education: EU Experience for Ukraine” (Erasmus+: Jean Monnet Programme).
The debate was attended by PhD students of the University, who were divided into 2 teams – the Affirmation Team and the Negation Team.
The affirmation team defended the position of the undeniable advantages of university autonomy, while the negation team emphasised the expediency of state regulation of certain processes in the higher education system to ensure the quality of higher education.
The work of the teams was evaluated by judges consisting of O. Horban, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies; T. Kostiuk, Project Team Member, Doctor of Public Administration, Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Political Science and Sociology; N. Mospan, Project Team Member, Doctor of Pedagogy, Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Linguistics and Translation; L. Chervona, PhD, Senior Researcher, Head of the Department of Interaction between Higher Education and the Labour Market of the Institute of Higher Education of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine.
When discussing the first issue “University autonomy as an important factor in improving the quality of higher education”, the teams presented their own vision of the benefits and challenges associated with academic, staffing, financial and organisational autonomy or, conversely, centralised state regulation.
Presenting their arguments in the discussion of the second problematic issue “Opportunities for university autonomy to implement social responsibility of universities”, the debate participants focused on highlighting three areas of university activities aimed at ensuring the social responsibility of universities to society: 1) contributing to the development of local communities: educational and outreach activities of universities for local communities, providing expert assistance to local business organisations and enterprises; 2) implementing the principles of sustainable development, contributing to solving environmental problems; 3) supporting inclusiveness, equality and diversity, ensuring equal opportunities for all students and staff, regardless of their social background, race, gender or other characteristics; supporting students with disabilities and vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.
The teams’ answers to the cross-questions and questions from the audience were interesting, original and unbiased.
The judging team noted the high level of preparation of the debate participants, their professional interest and analytical approach in highlighting the advantages and untapped reserves of university autonomy and state regulation of the higher education system.
From 22 May to 25 May 2023, a research internship was organised for postgraduate students of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University at the Jesuit Ignatianum University in Krakow (Republic of Poland) as part of the Module “University Autonomy in the Development of Democratic Values in Higher Education: EU Experience for Ukraine” of the Program Erasmus+: Jean Monnet (on the basis of BGKU). The internship was financially supported by the Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow.
The long-standing cooperation between the two universities continued during the implementation of the Module, which provided an opportunity for PhD students, who were actively engaged in the study of the university autonomy development in the EU countries, to travel to the Republic of Poland to study this issue in practice. During the internship, the PhD students got acquainted with the mission and vision of the university, its structure, the peculiarities of organising the teaching and learning process and conducting research in the context of university autonomy, and the implementation of the Ignatian pedagogy concept. We are sincerely grateful to the Jesuit Ignatianum University in Krakow for the warm welcome and support!
On 18 May 2023, as part of the implementation of the Module “University Autonomy in the Development of Democratic Values in Higher Education: EU Experience for Ukraine” of the Programme Erasmus+, Jean Monnet, a roundtable discussion “University Autonomy: Balance between State Regulation and Responsible Independence” was held. The event was attended by members of the Module’s project team, PhD students of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, students and teachers of the State University of Telecommunications, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, researchers from the Institute of Higher Education of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, as well as postgraduate students and teachers of the Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow. The roundtable was moderated by Olena Protsenko, Module Coordinator, PhD in Education, Associate Professor.
Serhiy Kurbatov, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Sociology at the Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman (topic: “Autonomy as a necessary precondition for the existence of the university”) and Georgiоs Pappas, Doctor of Philosophy, Tutor at the Department of Romance Languages and Civilisation Studies at the Hellenic Open University (topic: “The Hellenic Open University: Identity and Functions”) made presentations.
The discussion was attended by Maria Stadniichuk, Olha Buriak, Volodymyr Snihur, PhD students at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University; Natalia Machynska, Doctor of Pedagogy, Professor, Head of the Department of Primary and Preschool Education at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv; Natalia Mospan, Doctor of Pedagogy, Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Linguistics and Translation at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University; Olena Orzhel, Doctor of Public Administration, Associate Professor, Chief Scientist at the University of Kyiv; and the Greek Open University. During the discussion, the participants discussed various aspects of university autonomy, presented the best practices of its implementation, and shared their own experience of participation in university governance.
