Organisational aspects
The founders and management bodies of the relevant educational institutions provide professional development of academic staff of higher education institutions (HEIs) within the limits of their powers and per the legislation.
Academic staff must continuously improve their qualifications. The goal of improving the qualifications of academic staff is their professional development, according to the state policy in the field of education, and ensuring the quality of education.
Academic staff can improve their qualifications in Ukraine and abroad. The exception is a state recognised by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as an aggressor state or an occupying state.
Academic staff can improve their qualifications in various forms and types. Forms of professional development include institutional, dual, at the workplace, at the place of production, etc. Institutional forms include full-time (daytime, evening), correspondence, distance, online. The employee can combine different forms of professional development.
The main types of professional development are:
- learning under the advanced training programme, including participation in seminars, workshops, trainings, webinars, master classes, etc.;
- practical training.
Academic staff independently choose specific forms, types, directions and entities for providing educational services for professional development.
The volume and duration of advanced training of academic staff is measured in hours and/or credits of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) using the accumulation system. One ECTS credit is 30 hours.
Advanced training for academic staff follows the advanced training plan of the educational institution for a certain year. The institution offering advanced training may organise respective educational activities at the place of its own educational activities and/or at the place of work of academic staff. They can also offer it at other place(s) and/or remotely, if this is provided for by the contract and/or the relevant programme.
The volume and duration of the advanced training programme measure in actual hours, excluding independent (extracurricular) work, or in ECTS credits, including independent (extracurricular) work.
Entities providing advanced training can develop advanced training programmes based on standard advanced training programmes approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU).
Professional development entities ensure the openness and accessibility of information about each of their professional development programmes by publishing it on their websites.
Practical training follows an individual programme developed and approved by the provider of advanced training.
The individual practical training programme should contain information about its scope (duration) and expected learning outcomes. The individual practical training programme may also contain other information related to the training of an academic employee.
Educational institutions, entities, organisations, and enterprises may offer practical training for academic staff.
Practical training of academic staff of HEIs may take place at the educational institution at the employee’s place of work, at another educational institution, or at a scientific institution. The head of the practical training may be an academic or research worker with the provider of advanced training as the main place of work. They must have a scientific degree and/or academic title and at least ten years of experience in the positions of academic or research workers.
One day of practical training equals 6 hours or 0.2 ECTS credits.
Based on the results of advanced training, academic staff receive a document on professional development.
Academic staff of HEIs improve their qualifications at least once every five years. The attestation of teaching staff of HEIs takes into account the results of professional development. Those results are important during the selection for a position through a competition or while signing an employment contract with the academic staff of such institutions.
The volume of advanced training of academic staff of HEIs over five years must amount to at least six ECTS credits.
Incentives for participation in continuing professional development activities
Sources of funding for advanced training of academic staff are funds from state and local budgets, funds from individuals and/or legal entities, other own revenues of the educational institution and/or its founder, and other sources not prohibited by law.
During the period of advanced training by an academic staff following the approved plan, while off-job to the extent determined by legislation, the academic employee retains his/her position and gets the average salary. Expenses for advanced training are reimbursed per the procedure established by law.
An act on the provision of advanced training services confirms the fact of advanced training of academic staff. The act follows the form required by law. The head of the educational institution or a person authorised by him/her and the provider of advanced training sign the act. This act is the basis for payment for the services of the training provider by the concluded training agreement.