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Higher education is being criticized for its poor quality, insufficient participation of social partners in the management of universities, too-detailed study programmes, insufficient pedagogical staff and scientific research not society oriented. In the changing political, social and economic surroundings of higher education, the relation between higher education institutions and the state is influenced by changes as well. A common tendency of many countries is the weakening of the state influence and control towards higher education institutions, however the state, while still remaining the main financial source for higher education is interested in optimizing the effectiveness of higher education institutions, sustain a certain quality of higher education, and ensure its focus on the needs of society and market. A state which seeks to implement the mission of higher education, also society which has ambitions to become intellectual, competitive, economically capable in the context of modern political, economical, socio-cultural changes has to create necessary conditions (financial, legal, administrative), that would not conflict with the traditional and modern values of institutions of higher education, and would help universities improve and modernise their activity, become more competitive, and ensure implementation of the needs of the state and society. Higher education in Lithuania and its legal regulations constantly undergo various changes—necessary, timely, quite chaotic and fragmented. It is also important to note that legal regulation of higher education is harmonized and correlates with other means of state regulation—financing, quality (licensing, accreditation, external evaluation), formation and development of political activity strategy. There have recently been a number of reforms implemented in the field of higher education, related to financing of higher education, management, quality control and assurance, transformations of influence of the state institutions. Therefore, scientific research of these processes is relevant, important and timely. The quality assurance system of higher education in Lithuania was and still is one of the essential issues of higher education. The legal regulation of different aspects of quality assurance of higher education is insufficient, and certain dysfunctions and ineffectiveness may be preserved. The object of this research is the system of higher education quality assurance in Lithuania and dysfunctions of its legal regulation. The aim of this research is to analyze the problems of the state regulation in the field of higher education quality assurance. In this research models and ways of ensuring quality of higher education are analyzed, as well as influence of the scope of the autonomy of higher education institutions and state regulation on the quality of higher education in Lithuania. Lietuvos aukštojo mokslo kokybės užtikrinimo sistemos kūrimas buvo ir yra vienas iš aktualiausių aukštojo mokslo klausimų. Lietuvos aukštąjį mokslą reglamentavusiuose teisės aktuose kokybės užtikrinimas buvo nepakankamai reglamentuojamas, tam tikrų teisinio reglamentavimo disfunkcijų bei neveiksmingumo pastebima ir šiuo metu galiojančiuose teisės aktuose. Todėl tyrime analizuojama Lietuvos aukštojo mokslo kokybės užtikrinimo sistema ir jos teisinio reguliavimo disfunkcijos, nagrinėjami aukštojo mokslo kokybės užtikrinimo būdai ir modeliai, tiriama aukštojo mokslo institucijų autonomijos ir valstybinio reguliavimo apimties įtaka Lietuvos aukštojo mokslo kokybės užtikrinimui.

Straipsnyje, remiantis Lietuvos Respublikos aukštojo mokslo įstatymu, atskleidžiama šiuolaikinei Lietuvos akademinei bendruomenei nepalanki teisinė padėtis, rodanti, jog akademinės bendruomenės galimybės nulemti atvirų diskusijų su plačiąja visuomene, o tiksliau – su jai atstovaujančia valstybe, rezultatus, sietinus su universitetinio ugdymo pagrindais, yra mažesnės nei visuomenės. Straipsnyje siekiama pagrįsti nešališkus atvirųjų diskusijų, o kartu ir universitetinio ugdymo pagrindų praktinių reikšmių formavimo kriterijus, kuriais būtų įmanoma vadovautis siekiant, jog atvirų diskusijų rezultatai neprasilenktų su socialinės lygybės principu. Šio tikslo siekiama taikant įvairių požiūrių analizės ir fenomenologinės įžvalgos metodus bei vadovaujantis teiginių dermės teorija. Straipsnyje aprašoma profesinių sambūrių istorija, pateikiamas atskleidžiamos veiklos kombinacijų apibrėžimas, profesinės bendruomenės veiklos bruožų teoriją ir profesinės bendruomenės veiklos charakteristikų teoriją atspindinčios esminės idėjos. Tai leido išryškinti apibendrintą požiūrį į universitetinio ugdymo pagrindus, kuriuos, remiantis mūsų nuosekliomis studijomis, sudaro racionaliai grindžiamos pamatinės profesinių bendruomenių vertybės: moksliškumas, institucinis kooperatyvumas ir institucinė autonomija. As revealed by analysis of documents Lithuanian academic community has been still experiencing inferior position in the decision making process upon the pillars of university education. This inferior position has been maintained for the state’s legal right to regulate and control the organisational life of academics. Therefore the article aims at finding such impartial pillars of university education which may assure that the voices of academics would be heard despite their non-equal position in the open dialogue with the state. Reviewing the history of a profession and analysing various views on the fundamental values of professional communities the article tries to argue that the very pillars of university education should be based on science, co-operation and autonomy of institutions. Because these categories may be viewed as the fundamental values of all institutions in a democratic society it means that they may be considered as impartial criteria for the development of open dialogue among professional institutions as well as for trying to establish such practical meanings of the pillars of university education that correspond to the academic interests of professional communities.