1. Mission of the University and strategy of its activity
Founded in 1918, in the difficult years of Civil War, the Taurida University passed the glorious and difficult way of growing and development. The Decree of the President of Ukraine of August, 26, 1999 made alteration not only in its name and added the status of National University, but also declared its new mission.
Foremost, it consists in heredity of cultural and educational traditions of the University. In spite of all the complications of Crimean history in the 20th century, these traditions practically were not broken, and so the task of present generation of teachers and students is to keep their spirit and pass to the future – to the generation of the third millennium.
A tendency to globalization of social development in all the spheres of human and social activities is distinctive feature of the 20th century. There is a transition of mankind from industrial to scientific and informational technologies which are based to a great extent not on financial, but on intellectual property, on knowledge as substance of production. The most priority spheres in the 20th century are science and education.
The single world and, foremost, European educational space is gradually being formed. For Ukraine, European integration in its cultural and civilization aspect is entering into single family of the European peoples with their cultural and political traditions.
The central role in development of the European culture, as it is underlined in Sorbonne Declaration of May 25, 1995, belongs to the universities. They must prepare a creative worker and citizen, who understands himself and the society, in which he lives, who can give the impulse of progress to the innovative activity. In this connection, the basic mission of the University is to become the center of communication, information and producing knowledge.
Conceptualization of the University education must be based on:
philosophical culture which forms the world view. Science methodology must occupy a special place in this culture;
historical culture which engulfs not only history of people and ideas, natural history and technique, art and beliefs, but also structures of everyday life during historical time;
political culture, which determines civil position of personality and destiny of civil society in the country, forms personal responsibility for the freedom;
philological culture with its linguistic literary constituents;
mathematical culture which determines the character of modern science as a whole;
ecological culture which consists in a noospheric world view, in integral and systematic vision of the world and human in it;
anthropological culture which perceives a man as a product of its own activity.
Taurida University together with all higher educational establishments of Ukraine must search the ways for self-realization, taking into account principles of Bologna Declaration, accepted in June, 1999, which defined basic directions of integration of universities in single European space.
The mission of the University in these terms consists in the following:
to give high-quality university education, which is built on principles of humanization and tolerance, democratization, practicality and pragmatism, continuity and variability, adaptability and optimality;
to educate a harmoniously developed personality, patriot of the Ukrainian state as a component part of world association;
to form a socially active tolerant man with high spiritual qualities, able to self-development and self-perfection;
to provide high functionality of young people in the conditions when ideas, knowledge and technologies change far more quickly, than generation of people;
to produce in students a capacity for the conscious and effective functioning in the globalized, informative society, increasing communicativeness of life and informative saturation of environment, to teach students to study during all their life;
to provide preparation of highly skilled specialists for public authorities, production, education, science and culture, capable to study constantly during their life;
to develop fundamental and applied scientific researches;
to integrate gradually into world educational space, keeping the best traditions of the domestic system of education.
The regional mission of the University consists in its leading center of culture, science and education in Crimea, permanent dialog of multinational cultures, it shall be the University of peace and friendship between people.
The social mission of the University consists in forming progressive, democratic, humanistic, socio-political idea.
Strategy of development of the University provides for development a number of the separate programs: development of science, distance education, system of lifelong education, development of scientific library, marketing of educational services, multicultural education. In addition, it is necessary to develop the program of informatization of the University, which includes informatization of process of studying and teaching, process of University management, informatization of activity of all subdivisions and functioning environment of the University.
The policy of informatization of the University must be carried out according to the followings principles:
purposefulness which includes unity of professional aims and tasks of all participants of academic process, of different subdivisions regardless of level of their informatization at the moment;
systematic viewpoint, which requires balancing of informatization process and its certain sequence;
modularity, which includes creation of the informative systems of different complication, self-sufficiency, and degree of computerization;
technological effectiveness, which takes into account the real possibilities of the University due to the declared level of informatization;
dynamism which provides for accordance of informatization level of academic process to changing informational needs and technological possibilities.
Realization of the University informatization program will provide the quality increase of educational services and increase of the University management efficiency.
Strategy of the University activity consists in implementation of the national program of education development in Ukraine in which the tasks of modernization of higher education in Ukraine are determined. A major contribution to its realization is Decree of the President of Ukraine of February, 17, 2004 and Government program of development of higher education in 2005-2007, which is ratified by the decision of Cabinet Of Ministers of Ukraine of September, 8, 2004. At the same time, the University must participate actively in realization of principles and tasks of the Bologna process, aspire to wide integration in European and world educational space.
The University adheres to the strategic course on comprehensive development of self-government according to the Decree of the President of Ukraine of August, 26, 1999 that gives status of self-governing (autonomous) state higher educational establishment, democratization in all spheres of the University activity, expansion of plenary powers and strengthening of responsibility of all structural subdivisions and their leaders within the limits of their official plenary powers and jurisdiction.
Strategy of activity of the University consists also:
in area of professional preparation – in providing unity of general theoretic and special education; orientations of specialists preparation after the requirements of particular establishments of their employment taking into account the features of socio-economic development of Crimea and other regions of Ukraine; resort to achievements of domestic and foreign science and technology in the educational process; introduction of the professionally directed special educational courses, newest technical developments, technological decisions, informational methods and forms of distance teaching; consolidation of students knowledge, abilities and skills during acquaintance and work practices and internships;
in area of research work – in organization of scientific researches of humanitarian, social, economic, natural, technical issues of the Ukrainian state and Crimean region; creation and development of fundamental scientific schools for national economy of the country and state building in scientific development in different aspects, first of all connected with regional features; introduction of own and involved results of scientific researches in educational process; training of high-professional scientific and pedagogical personnel using the institution of postgraduate study and doctoral candidacy; development of students research work; generalization of advanced experience in scientific and pedagogical work of other universities;
in area of development of international relations – in reaching close contacts with scientific centers and educational establishments of foreign countries on problems of co-ordination of research work and optimization of personnel training in the direction of its universality, identity of educational descriptions of graduating students with the world qualifying standards of bachelor and master's degree; exchange of scientific achievements and experience of organization of educational process with related foreign educational establishments, participating in intergovernmental exchange of specialists; collaboration with international funds which finance educational and scientific programs.
The University renders assistance to citizens of Ukraine in widening opportunities of higher education, in creation of equal terms of availability of higher education; in providing balanced structure and volumes of preparation of specialists due to the proper budgets, physical and legal persons, taking into account the needs of particular man, and also interests of the Ukrainian state, Crimean autonomy and its territorial societies; in granting privileges and social guarantees to the students, according to current legislation.
2. New quality of education is in the context of European integration
In the modern world, development of Ukraine is determined in the general context of European integration which engulfs cultural, educational, scientific and technical directions of development of Ukrainian society. This integration process consists of introduction of the European norms and standards in education, science and technologies, distribution of own cultural, scientific and technical achievements. Joining Ukraine to the Bologna process will let promote education quality, render assistance to mobility of students and teachers, to the increase of specialists’ professional training.
In this connection it is necessary:
to carry out constant modernization of the University education according to the requirements of times and integration in European educational space;
to perfect stage-by-stage education, realize the European system of academic Bachelor/Master's degree taking into account the necessities of labour-market and every personality;
to carry out modernization of new educational technologies;
to provide introduction of state, branch and university standards of preparation of specialists taking into account the European level of requirements to higher education quality;
to modernize curricula, providing their approximation with curricula of European and other universities of the world;
to provide introduction of the European credit-modular system of educational process, to assist students’ mobility of different universities in European space;
to implement the standardized methods of quantitative and high-quality evaluation of students’ knowledge, develop methods and conduct approbation of evaluation criteria of quality of professional and practical preparation of graduating students in the format “Knowledge – ability – skills”;
to render assistance to introduction of compatible Appendix to the diploma, which follows a model the developed European commission and simplifying procedure of confession of qualifications in the European region;
to develop conceptions of the continuous use of information technologies in the educational process for every speciality;
to provide possibility to work on a real-time basis for students and teachers, using achievements of science in current educational materials;
to perfect the computer network of the University, provide wide access of students and teachers to the Internet global informative network, including URAN computer network for establishments of science and education;
to fill up constantly the server of the University with educational, scientific and methodical materials, to provide access to it from all structural subdivisions;
to use possibilities of the Internet for organization of distance teaching on the basis of telecommunications, multimedia equipment, and also creation of educational courses on the basis of the Internet, Internet-lectures retroactive with students;
to carry out further modernization of scientific fundamental library, provide access to the electronic bases of these different information generators, to increase purchase of necessary educational and scientific literature;
to carry out modernization of educational process, by diminishing of audience work and increasing of students’ independent work under the direction of teachers, to transfer the best students to the individual plans of teaching;
to open new perspective specialities and specializations according to the requirements of market of educational services, extend the nomenclature of specialities of extra-mural and distance education;
to form students’ practical skills on the chosen speciality, to perfect maintenance, forms and efficiency of educational and work practices, to unite harmoniously theoretical knowledge with practical abilities; to form base enterprises and organizations for practical preparation of students;
to create possibilities for lifelong education, develop Institute of Advanced Studies;
to render assistance to the gradual transition of educational process into official language, to provide study of business Ukrainian for all specialities;
to implement gradually the credit-modular system of educational process at all faculties of the University and provide introduction of this system at all faculties up to 2010 year.
3. Faculty members and students
The main resource and capital of the University is its human potential. Taking care of its constant enrichment it is necessary:
to provide timely and high-quality preparation of the young scientific and pedagogical personnel by effective work of postgraduate study and doctoral candidacy. To provide considerable increase of doctors of science, create the effective system of assistance in their preparation, increase of status of professor as a primary figure in the University;
to promote requirement to permanent educational and scientific work of all teachers, providing that a teacher is not a unique information generator in modern conditions. He must be the transmitter of knowledge and wisdom. It is his own scientific practice that makes him such a teacher;
all of academic work of teachers must be based on electronic facilities of creating, circulating and presentation of academic document to the students;
to consider the duty of every teacher to conduct educational work among students, to form values and ideals of civil, multicultural society, of Ukrainian political nation. To develop the institute of counsels of student groups, and also counsels of individual, independent educational work of students;
to promote qualification of teaching stuff in the context of lifelong education, to render assistance in systematic and periodic internship in leading higher educational establishments and scientific establishments both in the country and abroad;
to take measures in preparation and retraining of teachers and auxiliary personnel in the sphere of modern information technologies;
to promote requirement to attestation of scientific and pedagogical personnel, to implement the contract system of employment;
to implement the various forms of encouragement of employees of the University depending on their job performance, taking into account efficiency of academic work, effectiveness of scientific researches, application of modern technologies in the educational process;
to implement the system of rating of educational and scientific work of departments and all the teachers;
to increase the amount of applicants to the rank of the honoured professor and associate professor, their moral and financial encouragement.
To consider a student a basic object and subject of educational process. Taking care of high-quality preparation of highly skilled and spiritual and intellectual personalities, it is necessary:
to provide a student with freedom of studying, free choice of specialization, themes for course and diploma papers, free attendance of lectures, parallel study on the second speciality, right to have individual curriculum, etc.;
to promote the role of student independent work and consultations of teachers – managers of educational process. To make teaching more individualized, directed at the particular student, more actual, maximally close to the real needs of society, more deep and pragmatic;
to provide teaching process with informatization which will be instrumental in quality growth of educational services and growth of competitiveness of the University;
to develop conception and system of educational work with students, to enter positions of deputies of deans on educational work, to activate work of counsels of student youth;
to create favourable conditions for study of official language, as well as foreign languages, students, for defense of course and diploma papers in foreign languages;
when introducing the credit-modular system of educational process to determine the individual educational rating of every student according to the results of his/her educational work during a semester, year and for all period of study at the University;
to bring over students to the advanced study, to provide effective co-operation of academic and student associations, organize a permanent selection and training of young personnel in scientific activity by means of postgraduate study and doctoral candidacy;
to render assistance to development of student self-government at the University, faculties and in dormitories, to attract the leaders of student representative organs to Scientific Councils of the University and faculties;
to form high moral and professional qualities in student youth, create wide possibilities for their going in for sports, arts, to develop their creative capabilities;
to introduce modern technologies of enrolment testing, to take part in organization of enrolment to the University by results of national testing;
to create the laboratory of professional orientation for the graduating students of secondary school;
to develop the system of assistance of employment of graduating students of the University, create the regional center of employment monitoring, preparation and employment of graduating students.
4. Research work
The source of power of the University is science and scientific achievements of its employees.
The advanced study at the University must be priority direction of its cultural mission, closely connected with the educational process and training of scientific and pedagogical personnel. It is necessary in this connection:
to support thoroughly the applied researches, related to the regional problems and fundamental researches;
to create active inter-department, inter-faculty and inter-university scientific collectives, able to fulfill complex scientific developments;
to develop co-operation with the scientific institutes of the National Academy of Sciences, particular branch research institutes;
to take active part in international scientific projects, directed at the solving of global scientific and technological problems;
to support scientific schools, formed at the University, render assistance to new research structures;
to promote actively inventor and innovative work, support creation at the University of scientific and manufacturing firms, innovative laboratories, design department, directed at practical introduction of achievements of the University scientists;
to provide systematic edition of the “Proceedings of the TNU”, specialized journals and periodic collections;
to take part in creation of services of the geophysical and ecological monitoring of Crimea, necessary for acceptance of proper state decisions;
to provide effective work of center of sustainable development, botanical garden, center of humanitarian researches;
to create modern publishing house of the University.
The concept of development of Taurida National V. I. Vernadsky University was ratified by Academic Council of the University on January, 27, 2005. |