Higher Legal Education in Ukraine in the 21st Century: Current Situation and Development Issues

Abstract

Importance of the given topic is explained not only by international cooperation, globalization, informatization, changes of priorities in social, economic and educational policies, but also various transformations in higher legal education in the international context. The purpose of the given study is to examine the current condition of Ukrainian higher legal education and to analyze its statistical indicators, actual features and development issues. The following methods of scientific research were used in the present study: interpretative and comparative-historical analysis, methods of chronology, comparison, research and historical retrospection. As a result thereof, some peculiarities of Ukrainian higher legal education were determined. Firstly legal studies degree programs are offered by classic universities, legal higher education establishments and non-dedicated higher education establishments. Secondly there is an uneven regional distribution of higher education establishments and licensed number of future students in legal studies degree programs. Thirdly higher legal education has been commercialized. Moreover the legal studies degree programs are chosen most often by future students, although the majority of graduates is not employed in the obtained occupation. Furthermore the European and national approaches to the legal higher education are combined. Additionally learning standards in higher legal education are defined by state and self-governing professional establishments. Lastly, it can be concluded that not only a dynamic pattern analysis in higher legal education quality, but also anticipation and definition of development tendencies in higher legal education are affected by constant changes in the procedure of the unified proficiency admission test for the legal studies degree programs.