ТРЕТЯ МІСІЯ УНІВЕРСИТЕТІВ: ДОСВІД ІТАЛІЇ ДЛЯ УКРАЇНИ З ІМПЛЕМЕНТАЦІЇ Й ОЦІНЮВАННЯ

Abstract

The analysis and reflection of Italy's experience in the implementation and evaluation of third university mission was carried out and revealed effective approaches and practices that can be adopted and applied in Ukraine. Further investigation of Italian experience is appropriate since the implementation and evaluation of results and achievements within all three university missions is a key task of public administration, university governance and management, a fundamental condition for ensuring the effective functioning and competitiveness of Italian universities and its higher education system in general. The authors demonstrate that the process of formation and implementation of the third mission in Italian universities is closely related to the formation and development of the national system of quality assurance in higher education, and first of all, to the evaluation of the quality of university research. It is emphasized that the current stage of evaluation of the third mission at Italian universities is aimed at a) overcoming the vision of the third mission as an auxiliary one and b) promoting its influence on the first and second third missions (i.e. education and research) in order to strengthen its importance and impact on university activities. The authors argue that recognition and implementation of the third mission by Ukrainian universities can be facilitated by its official inclusion, alongside education and research, into university statutory documents, strategies, goals etc. An algorithm of steps aimed at the official implementation of the third university mission by Ukrainian universities is proposed, including: 1) the formation of the national concept of the third mission for Ukrainian universities; 2) identification of strategic directions and a framework of quality indicators for the third mission assessment and evaluation, with relevant criteria; 3) incorporation of quality indicators for third mission assessment and evaluation into the system of indicators pertinent for assessment of quality of educational programs and university educational activities at large; 4) establishment of a Third Mission Commission within the National Agency for Quality Assurance of Higher Education; 5) organization and conduct of periodic evaluation of the quality of third university mission implementation; 6) systematic collection of data and monitoring of the situation related to educational, informational, advisory activities on the formation of third university missions by Ukrainian universities and development of environment and conditions beneficial for advancing the culture of third university mission in higher education sector and Ukrainian society at large.