DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION UNDER CONDITIONS OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL-ECONOMIC CRISIS

Abstract

The article deals with the peculiarities of the global financial-economic crisis of 2008–2009 influence on the development of national, sub-regional and European systems of higher education. The comparative characteristics of changes of the amount of state funding of higher education systems and student contingents are defined. The peculiarities of the crisis influence on the financial support of educational and research activities, university’s material infrastructure, human resources and tuition fees are found out. The tendencies of development of higher education in the European region in the context of the research problem are determined. The main tendencies under consideration are: the growing differences between the level of funding of higher education in various European countries that threatens the existence the European Higher Education Area as a unity; becoming a norm limiting state funding of higher education in Southern and Eastern Europe; stabilization and growth of financing of higher education in Scandinavia, Western and Central Europe; growth of student contingents in most European countries; updating of state investment in the infrastructure of higher education; further regionalization (Europeanization) of competitive research funding in universities as a part of the program “Horizon 2020”; fundamental rethinking and restructuring of all areas of activities and aspects of the Higher School of European countries in order to optimize financial expenses and to diversify funding sources. The peculiarities of the development and strategy of reforming higher education in Ukraine are identified in the context of the research problem. The conclusion concerning the principles of transforming financing of European higher education: competitiveness, autonomy, responsibility and diversification is drawn.