Internal quality assurance system of higher education: experience of the Republic of Poland

Abstract

The article analyzes the higher education institutions activities of the Republic of Poland in order to identify the perspective directions of the use of Polish experience in quality assurance in Ukraine. In particular, the activities of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin University of Technology, University of Warmia and Mazury and the University of Rzeszow concerning the quality of education have been analyzed. The main methodological issue of the research is in what extent and in what forms it is possible and appropriate to use in the domestic educational system the achievements of modern Polish experience in creating internal quality assurance system of higher education. It is concluded, that perspective directions of the use of Polish experience in Ukraine are: conceptual (defining goals and strategies for quality assurance in higher education, taking into account best educational practices, as well as Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area); normative-legal (creation of internal normative-legal documents concerning quality assurance in higher education); organizational (creation of a procedure for quality assurance at the university, the mandatory components of which are: reporting, control and monitoring). Quality assurance in higher education is a continuous, systematic and multifaceted process. For Ukraine, at this stage, it is fundamentally important that the National Agency for the Quality Assurance in Higher Education commenced its activity, since the formal existence of this Agency makes it impossible to certify the systems of internal quality assurance of higher education institutions, as well as the introduction of institutional accreditation and self-accreditation of programs. The ultimate goal is to create conditions for building a quality culture, which consists of cultural and psychological aspects, and management structures.