The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, participated in the Ukrainian Quality Assurance Forum (UQAF-2024), a national event that brought together representatives of higher education institutions.
At the beginning of the forum, the Speaker of the Parliament emphasized that many educators and researchers have chosen the path of defenders and are now fighting to protect Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity. Many of them have perished in the full-scale war. To honor these heroes, participants observed a moment of silence to pay tribute to those who gave their lives so that each of us can continue working towards our shared victory.
In his address, Ruslan Stefanchuk noted that we face challenges in harmonizing Ukraine's legislation with that of the EU in the field of education and science. These changes are crucial for Ukraine, as education is vital for its future.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada also focused on several key priorities.
First and foremost is the return to in-person learning and the creation of safe conditions for the educational process, as well as addressing mental health issues, professional burnout among educators, and post-traumatic disorders in both students and teachers.
"Special attention must also be payed to fair wages for education workers, which, despite the state’s priority on defense, remains an important issue," Ruslan Stefanchuk emphasized.
He highlighted the importance of connecting education and science with business and employers: “Our educational institutions should graduate professionals whose skills are in demand in the labor market. Accreditation is another critical issue. My message is simple: only the content, not volumes of paperwork, should be the measure of quality,” the Chairman stressed.
Ruslan Stefanchuk also underlined the need for the competitiveness of Ukrainian higher education institutions on a global scale: “The Ukrainian Parliament has adopted the Law On the Use of English in Ukraine is a must-have for each of us. I urge educational institutions to take advantage of this chance for intellectual transformation."
Finally, Ruslan Stefanchuk underlined the role of AI in education and how artificial intelligence can assist in improving the quality of education.
