The International Competitive Potential of Ukrainian Research Universities

The article is concerned with the issues of diagnostics of the status and identification of tendencies in the development of the international competitive potential of research universities of Ukraine. The dynamics of rating positions of the higher education institutions of Ukraine in the international rating system QS World University Rankings 2012–2019 is researched. It is determined that among seven national research universities present in the global rating for 2019 the undisputed leader is V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. An analytical assessment of the international competitive potential of research universities in Ukraine has identified significant disparities in: the overall contingent of Ukrainian students; the proportion of the number of Ukrainian students as to the education and qualification levels (EQL) of «Bachelor» and «Master»; the general contingent of foreign students; the proportion of the number of foreign students as to the EQL of «Bachelor» and «Master»; the total number of Ukrainian scientific and pedagogical workers; the proportion of Ukrainian and foreign scientific and pedagogical workers. The analysis of the number of institutions of higher education in Ukraine of the III.–IV. accreditation levels allowed to identify a tendency towards their reduction, which in turn will lead to higher quality education at those universities. The author presents fourteen Ukrainian higher education institutions with significant research potential, with the status of a research university in the period of 2009–2014. These institutions should become objects of a promising development, in order to increase their international competitive potential. It is necessary to develop clear criteria for obtaining and verification of the status of research university in Ukraine. It is important that these requirements correlate with the requirements of the world-class universities that are leaders at the international level. After that, work should begin on the formation and implementation of a strategic program for the development of international competitive potential of research universities in Ukraine.