USING FORESIGHT RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY AREAS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the significance of foresight research in identifying priority areas for higher education development over the next 15-20 years. Developed countries such as the USA, Great Britain, Japan, and Germany employ the Foresight methodology for long-term forecasting at the national level. This methodology has proven to be the most effective tool for selecting priority areas for the development of science and technology. Foresight research is versatile and can be used to model problems in various fields, including medicine, education, natural sciences, technology, and more. Foresight forecasting and modelling can be used to determine the directions of university education development, funding sources for higher education, and demand for skilled personnel in different sectors of the economy.
 Scientific and prognostic support is vital in determining priority areas of scientific research and development for the coming years. By doing so, it is possible to determine the dominant scientific theories and branches of science that will shape the education of the future. Furthermore, the perspectives of the educational process participants must be taken into account when reforming education. The results of foresight forecasts on higher education improvements show the following trends: elite education, development of educational online platforms, lifelong learning, transparency of the university system, and gamification. Longterm forecasting in higher education enables the implementation of strategic educational management and science-based university development. Foresight studies help to predict the scientific and technical potential of a higher school, determine the optimal ratio between research and development in the field of education, and forecast the effect of obtaining and applying scientific and technical activities' results.
 The creation of new means of supporting learning technologies and their promotion in the educational process for the next 15-20 years and the determination of priority areas of scientific research and development depends on foresight studies of higher education development. Established forecasts indicate the strength of the scientific and technical potential and ensure the transition of higher education to an innovative new path of development. Further development and use of foresight studies are needed to determine the forecasts of higher education development.