DEVELOPMENT OF ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC-TECHNICAL COOPERATION BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND UKRAINE: RESULTS OF THE EXPERT SURVEY

Abstract

This article focuses on the integration of Ukraine into the research and educational space of the European Union. The aim of the article is to form and summarize the competent opinion of the scientific and educational expert community about the prospects and possibilities of deepening cooperation in education, science and technology between the EU member states and Ukraine, as well as to search for effective forms of such cooperation to expand the presence of Ukrainian academic institutions and universities in European programs and accelerate Ukraine's integration into the EU scientific and educational space. Methodology. The method of expert survey was used as a tool to identify the opinions of representatives of the Ukrainian scientific and educational expert community. Two expert questionnaires for representatives of academic science and higher education in Ukraine were developed to collect information. Respondents were asked key questions about their experience of working with educational and research institutions in EU member states, as well as their views on the opportunities and prospects for deepening professional ties and networks with European partners. Results. The expert survey covered 17 cities of all cultural and historical regions of Ukraine (Central, Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western). Twenty-two higher educational institutions and five scientific institutions of Ukraine took part in the survey (32 experts in total). According to the results of the expert survey it was found that domestic higher education institutions and research institutes are interested, have successful experience and potential to deepen scientific, educational and scientific and technical cooperation with institutions of EU member states. It turned out that all higher education institutions and research institutions of Ukraine, which representatives participated in the survey, cooperate with European universities. The geography of cooperation is wide, mainly covering such countries as Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary. Cooperation between partner institutions is carried out within the framework of Cooperation Agreements and is aimed at participation in such European programs as Horizon 2020, Erasmus + KA1, Erasmus + KA2, TEMPUS UNI4INNO "Universities for Innovation". Practical implications. It was found that most experts do not support the expediency of creating territorially separate structural subdivisions of foreign higher educational institutions in Ukraine. Instead, they consider it advisable for domestic universities and scientific institutions to create their own branches and representative offices at universities and scientific organizations of the EU. Experts see the following as the key purposes for creating such units: participation in international mobility programs, joint participation in European programs, joint research and development, exchange of students and faculty, joint participation in conferences, preparation of joint scientific publications. Experts consider such areas of implementation of joint educational programs and research projects as "green" economy, digital economy and society, implementation of modern transport technologies and systems, creative industries, research in humanities and social sciences. Value/originality. Proposals for intensification of academic and scientific-technical cooperation between the EU and Ukraine, which, in particular, concern: increasing the budget of European programs for EU associate members; launching special thematic competitions for such countries; simplifying bureaucratic procedures for preparation and implementation of European projects; strengthening competencies of Ukrainian scientists and educators in project management under special grants, which can be initiated by the National Research Foundation of Ukraine.