Challenges in the Development of Ukrainian Higher Education Exports
The challenges facing the export of Ukrainian higher education can be divided into two groups.
1. Organizational and legal challenges in the development of higher education exports
Ukraine has a complex and bureaucratic system for issuing initial invitations to foreign students to study. For example, the visa application process for Indian students takes 2–3 months. By comparison, in countries interested in exporting higher education, processing entry documents takes a maximum of two weeks. According to estimates by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, in just one year, the state’s lost revenue due to unresolved issues with obtaining entry visas to Ukraine amounts to approximately 70 million U.S. dollars.
The network of overseas recruitment centers for Ukrainian universities is underdeveloped, which has led to a flourishing intermediary business. Ukrainian legislation forces foreigners to seek assistance from consulting firms, which in turn causes a sharp increase in costs for international applicants. For example, according to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Iraq to Ukraine, a visa that costs $70 ends up costing a student from Iraq more than $1,000. Problems frequently arise with the State Migration Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. International students report that these agencies treat them like criminals, which spreads negative information about Ukraine.
The issue of university admission based on academic achievements earned by foreign citizens while studying abroad remains unresolved. Ukrainian universities are required to admit a student who has completed three years of undergraduate study in another country only to the first year. In contrast, most universities in other countries admit such students to the third year.
There are also complications with the recognition of Ukrainian diplomas abroad. The issue of remuneration for foreign faculty members remains unregulated, which limits the ability to attract highly qualified lecturers from other countries. Foreign students are not permitted to work while studying, which prevents students from low-income families from improving their financial situation. The high level of corruption in dealings with foreign students is also a major cause for concern.
2. Issues Regarding the Quality of Education and the Introduction of Modern Forms of Instruction
There is a lack of new curricula and courses that meet international standards and ensure graduates are prepared to work in a global economy. The implementation of dual-degree programs is hindered by insufficient regulatory support and problems with harmonizing the scope and content of instruction.
The educational process suffers from a lack of a research component, which is the foundation of the learning process, particularly at research universities (the inadequate state of material and laboratory resources for teaching, educational services, classroom equipment, etc.). Ukrainian universities offer few programs taught in English, and the quality of English-language instruction is sometimes quite low. In contrast, in many countries that export education, the proportion of English-language courses is increasing, which attracts interest from international students. Postgraduate education for foreign nationals is developing slowly (in leading countries, it accounts for up to 30% of the total volume of training for international students).
In Ukraine, distance learning technologies and e-learning have not yet been widely adopted, and no virtual (online) or cross-border universities have been established. It is important to note that implementing export-oriented educational programs based on modern technologies requires fewer funds, as it does not necessitate the construction of facilities or the provision of infrastructure to support students’ daily needs.
Ukrainian higher education institutions hardly participate in the creation and activities of international educational consortia and networks, which would enable them to engage more actively in the exchange of educational and scientific developments, new programs, and teaching methods, as well as to conduct research.
Conclusions. The profitability of the international higher education market is leading to intensified competition; therefore, increasing the export of educational services will be very difficult. In this regard, to boost efforts to attract international students, it is necessary to identify the advantages and priority areas that can ensure Ukrainian universities’ success in the competition for students.