Social partnership in education: implementation practice at the local level (the results of a new experiment of the People's Ukrainian Academy)

This article attempts to analyze the problem of social partnership in educational sphere, based on the results of the experiment of the People's Ukrainian Academy on the formation and development of social partnership as an effective factor in ensuring the stability and prospects of education. The demand for the idea of social partnership in educational sphere as an effective factor in ensuring stability and further development of educational systems has been substantiated. The potential of classical sociological theories in the study of social partnership is revealed, the main theoretical aspects of the implementation of social partnership in educational sphere are determined. The directions of the research developments of domestic scientists on the state and trends in the development of social partnership, reforming higher education based on the consolidation of efforts of stakeholders, technologies of social partnership, stakeholder relations, problems of trust in educational sphere are presented. The analysis of theoretical developments and practical implementation of intermediate results of research and experimental work within the framework of the experiment is presented. Attention is drawn to such types of social partnership in education, which define partnership as a system of relationships between the subjects of the educational process and the educational institution; partnership as a level of the organization of relations between an educational institution and external social structures. The effective principles of joint activities are highlighted such as: consistency; voluntariness; trust; interrelation and interdependence of actions of stakeholders; flexibility and mobility; continuity, common values. Organizational and coordinating forms of social partnership have been determined, which have already proven their effectiveness. Among them, the following can be found: a board of trustees, an advisory board on financial and investment issues, a resource center for social partnership at the regional level; resource center for social partnership on the basis of an educational institution; a council of partners of the educational institution. Priority directions for further implementation of the experiment have been determined.

Features of Establishment of Legal Foundations for Private Education in Ukraine

The article is devoted to the problems of legal regulation of the functioning of private universities in Ukraine on the example of one of the first such educational institutions – Kharkov Humanitarian University "People's Ukrainian Academy". The article presents a historical retrospective of the main legal conflicts in the activities of the PUA, which were not only resolved in its favor, but also formed the basis for the correction of the current legislation by amending the regulations governing the activities of educational institutions in Ukraine. The relevance of this topic is mainly due to the need to amend the current legislation in order to ensure the equality of the legal status of educational institutions based on various forms of ownership and which are still in a state of intense competition for consumers of educational services. The analysis of the current educational legislation presented in the article testifies to the continuing normative consolidation of preferences for state educational institutions, which leads to legal discrimination of private universities. This, in turn, not only contributes to a decrease in the quality of educational activities of private educational institutions, but can also lead to their self-liquidation. The article also emphasizes the need to continue work on the correlation of educational and civil legislation. For this purpose, as well as to improve the overall qualitative characteristics of the functioning of the Ukrainian educational industry, the emphasis is placed on the need to systematize the norms of educational legislation as one of the forms for its improvement. At the same time, one of the main means of conceptual renewal of the system of educational legislation of Ukraine is its early codification, which should lead to the creation of a single systematized act – the Code of Ukraine on Education.

Library in Search of Self-identification: the Experience of the Center for Scientific and Humanitarian Information of PUA

The article is devoted to a description of various approaches to solving topical educational and “library” problems typical of the contemporary world, which are being realized in its practical activities by the scientific-educational complex for continuing education Kharkiv University of Humanities “People’s Ukrainian Academy”. “People’s Ukrainian Academy” is the institution where the university library’s functions are not limited to repositing and providing books to students and teaching staff. The authors point out that in the contemporary world where 90% of all available information has come up in the last two years, libraries are to learn and teach others how to manage information, how to analyze and systematize it, how to maintain the academic ethos, and foster academic integrity. The authors emphasize that the tasks are qualitatively different from what libraries used to have. Among the main goals the Centre for Scientific and Humanitarian Information (the whole name of the PUA’s librarian complex) attempts to achieve, combination of functions is a priority: shaping reader’s needs and developing a culture of reading, a culture of dealing with books and other information sources, establishing and developing a cuture of Dialogue in the education institutions, leadership in its innovative activity. The paper substantiates the existing PUA approaches to the functions of the librarian complex and considers the principles and methods of the library work with people of different age-groups, its participation in soling cultural communication problems, developing a culture of the Dialogue, book-crossing and others. The paper explicates how non-standard formats of activity ensure achieving the goals of the university library in the times of uncertainty and constant change.

Interaction of the trade union organization with internal stakeholders of educational institution

This article analyzes the interaction of the trade union organization with the internal stakeholders of the educational institution on the example of the experience of the People's Ukrainian Academy. The internal stakeholders of the educational and scientific complex have been identified: the staff (teachers, teaching and support staff), students, graduates, public organizations and councils of the academy; structural subdivisions, medical service, labor protection service; departments, sports club, etc. The main directions of the work of the trade union organization are allocated: care of health preservation; labor protection; social protection; help in acute life situations; catering; conducting cultural and sports programs; explanatory and consulting work (health care, pension issues, etc.). The structure of the integral part of the Trade Union Organization of the PUA - Trade Union of Students is considered and its main functional responsibilities are indicated: creation of a pro-staff in each academic group and organization of its work; conducting projects and programs to maintain a healthy lifestyle; patronage of senior courses over juniors and schoolchildren of the Specialized School of Economics and Law; assistance to students in solving educational and housing problems; organization of cultural and sports creative projects; holding a competition for the "Best Room" in the hostel; assistance in the organization of rest and improvement of students during the winter and summer vacations. The experience of the trade union committee in using the capabilities of all internal stakeholders of KhUH "PUA" to achieve a synergistic effect that facilitates the process of human adaptation to the conditions of constant change is presented.

Student Self-government - an Opportunity to Develop Soft Skills and Build Social Partnership

The article deals with new principles and organizational forms of social work in the context of digital society development. The author attributes the necessity to implement changes in the sphere to a higher level of individualism in the modern society and young people’s urge to self-fulfillment and self-realization. The paper reviews most common existing forms of students’ public organizations: parliaments, councils, unions and clubs. The author highlights that nowadays they tend to perform the advisory function in education institutions, or their activity is limited to actually being social clubs for interest groups. Frequently, they are not designed to handle strategic tasks education institutions and students communities are facing. Following the guidelines the new Ukrainian Law on Higher Education puts forward, the author addresses the experience of Kharkiv University of Humanities “People’s Ukrainian Academy” in organizing pupils’ and students’ self-governance, and the practice of its public organizations. The author attempts to analyze how effective the current system is, whether its organizational principles and forms are up-to-date, to what extent they meet students’ needs and expectations. The author shares PUA’s experience in the work on training and educating youth leaders, explicates how naturally they make up constituent part of the university education and pedagogical system, how successfully they cooperate with other teachers’ and pupils’ public organizations of the complex of continuous education. A very special attention the article pays to the PUA pupils’ organization “ISTOK” and its activities. According to the author, the secret of public organizations’ successful performance lies in team work and cooperation, collective problem-solving, integration of experience and up-to-date approaches to social work.

Education Quality Management in the Modern School: Approaches in the Context of Continuing Education

The article is devoted to the study of the quality management system of education in a modern school. In researching this direction, the author relies on the main characteristics of the quality that education must correspond to. Attention is focused on what should be the criteria in solving the problem of education quality. It is concluded that the teacher today has lost the role of a person transferring knowledge, who acts by authoritarian or totalitarian methods, trying to give as much factual information as possible. A teacher today is a mentor who guides and organises educational and upbringing work with students at school. Consequently, the quality of education is aimed at meeting the public demand for the formation of a personality that is ready to actively respond to permanent changes in the social environment and the challenges that education faces today.

“How to Turn a Dream into a Vocation” or Search for New Career Guidance Markers

This article deals with the issue of preparing secondary school pupils to making their career choice as to the most important decision, which is to determine their subsequent life. The author emphasizes the topicality of the problem at the time when the labour market is undergoing substantial changes concerning the demand for professionals and requirements to them. The paper presents the experience of the People's Ukrainian Academy in organizing vocational guidance work with schoolchildren, describes the newly-developed program for the formation of professional choice "How to turn a dream into a profession" and the mane years’ work of Entrepreneurship School. The author points out that career guidance could be much more effective if innovative techniques and approaches, as well as diverse formats of activities are employed. Involvement of all stakeholders and the focus on real needs and perspectives of Kharkiv region are also considered efficiency-boosting. The article also explicates the key principles of career guidance in PUA fostering its effectiveness.

Pre-university training: traditions and novations in transformation conditions of higher education

The article deals with the notion of ‘pre-university training’, its role and significance in young people’s start in professional training in higher education have been considered. Herewith, the role of pre-university training in lowering the risks which arise in this process has been stated. The most typical risks, belonging to the category of social risks, have been considered, their classification has been provided. It has been noted that such risks are objectively determined with a new social environment where young people get into while entering higher educational establishments, also with new forms of learning activities which are often unfamiliar to the current school graduates. The main forms of work with the prospective students in the system of pre-university training have been analysed, their impact on more effective adaptation, first of all of first year students to their learning in a modern higher educational establishment, has been shown. Such analysis has been undertaken based on the experience of Kharkiv University of Humanities ‘People’s Ukrainian Academy’ as for organizational activities of the Pre-University Training Centre during thirty years. The transformation of pre-university training system in conditions of admission changes in higher educational establishments has been considered, namely the increase of educational component in general subjects within the training process for external independent evaluation of education quality.

Work of Integrated Departments as Exemplified by the Department of Ukrainian Studies

The article is devoted to the review of the experience of the Department of Ukrainian Studies of Kharkiv University of Humanities “People’s Ukrainian Academy” as an integrated structural unit of an innovative educational institution operating on the principles of continuous education. Considerable attention is paid, in particular, to the practical implementation of this concept in educational activities (the organization of study hours, the development of basic integrated programs in the Ukrainian Language, Ukrainian Literature and Foreign Literature, which cover teaching in both secondary and higher schools), research and educational work on the formation of the modern specialist as an intellectual and worthy individual with his own civic position. When reviewing the educational and methodological practices of the department, especially highlighted are integrated programs developed by the department academic staff, namely, the integrated programs on the Ukrainian Language, Ukrainian Literature, as well as the program on the History of Foreign Literature. The principles of drawing up these programs are set out in accordance with the task of the most effective implementation of both vertical (from secondary to higher school) and horizontal (interdisciplinaryt) integration. Special attention is paid to the technologies of online education, in particular, online courses developed at the department as a promising algorithm for the effective organization of the educational process. The multi-vector educational work carried out by the department staff in cooperation with other structural divisions of People’s Ukrainian Academy is also in the focus of the author’s attention. The participation of the department staff in nation-wide educational projects such as External Independent Evaluation in the Ukrainian Language and Literature has also been emphasized. When analyzing each component of the structural block, emphasis is put on the essence of its integrated format and its significance for the successful implementation of the concept of the complex of continuing education, in general, and the formation of a fully rounded personality that will feel confident in modern world, in particular.

University-Alumnus: New Trends

The article discusses theoretical and practical approaches to creating a system of effective interaction between universities and alumni, including the organization of alumni associations. The experience of formation of relations "university-graduate" of foreign and Ukrainian universities is described. The experience of work with graduates of the Kharkiv Humanitarian University "People's Ukrainian Academy" is analyzed and summarized, the main directions and forms of cooperation with graduates as stakeholders are revealed. The main tasks and areas of work of such interaction today are: preservation and enhancement of scientific and cultural traditions of the PUA; establishing and expanding contacts between alumni, fostering the spirit of corporatism, mutual assistance and cooperation; participation of graduates in programs for the development of the university, strengthening its material and technical base, supporting scientific research; promotion of successful employment of graduates, their career growth; strengthening and developing loyalty to your Alma Mater, active participation in enhancing its prestige; ensuring the continuity of values that have developed in higher education in the system of interaction "students-graduates-students". The structure of the Alumni Association is presented, its goals and objectives are described. The integrity of the corporate educational system of interaction between the People's Ukrainian Academy and alumni is presented in the Program for providing a support system for NUA graduates. Attention is paid to describing the traditions that unite their graduates around Alma Mater. Such as: Graduate Breakfast, sports and children's programs, annual meetings on May 29, etc.