РЕФОРМУВАННЯ ФІНАНСУВАННЯ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ В УКРАЇНІ: ВІД РАДЯНСЬКОЇ МОДЕЛІ ФІНАНСУВАННЯ ДО ФІНАНСУВАННЯ НА ОСНОВІ РЕЗУЛЬТАТІВ

Abstract

The article focuses on a specific reform in the Ukrainian higher education sector that has taken place in recent years. The reform is aimed at changing the funding model for higher education institutions. The previous outdated Soviet-era funding model inherited by Ukraine in the 90s has been criticized greatly in the last decades. Hence, the current implementation of performance-based funding in Ukraine is considered a significant move toward better public sector management. This paper starts with an overview of existing funding models in the higher education sector, analyzing their advantages and disadvantages. Then it examines current trends in change of funding mechanisms in the higher education sector. Finally, it discovers a considerable reshaping of the higher education funding in Ukraine that has shifted from the Soviet-era funding mechanism to modern performance-based funding. The reform is a logical consequence of a broader international reform agenda of higher education funding and adherence of Ukraine to the European path. The reform in the Ukrainian higher education system resulted from new liberal economic and political agenda that replaced Soviet-era ideas, combined with the impact of European Union accession conditions. Therefore, the Ukrainian higher education system, as well as the other Ukrainian public sector systems, should be harmonized with European Union’s recommendations. Currently, it is difficult to reach a definitive conclusion on whether the PBF is a sufficient mechanism for funding higher education sector or not. To obtain a complete picture, it is crucial to analyze the PBF in different contexts. Despite the debatable nature of performance-based funding, no funding model can fit all contexts and institutional landscapes. Hence, it may always be essential to adjust and keep a funding mechanism up to date by the institutional demands and modern trends and analyze the intended and unintended effects of evolving funding mechanisms, particularly in the post-Soviet landscape because it is recognized as a new call for researchers in examining higher education sector reforms.