Contemporality & Supercontemporality – Criteria of Quality of Higher Education

Abstract

The article, based on the information essence and mission purpose of higher education, substantiates the key criterion of the quality of the latter one – the contemporality and supercontemporality of the information being taught and studied and leads to the formation of competencies (qualifications). The sign «contemporaneous» and «supercontemporaneous» is interpreted as the relevance of information for the present and the future. According to the duration of the relevance of the information its characteristic is proposed - "shelf life", as well as the negative influence of inappropriate for consumption (non-contemporaneous) information - the concept of "negative value added" in the formation of human capital. It is proved that contemporaneous and supercontemporaneous information can be supplied from the past, present and future. Information on the future state of the subject of teaching and study is provided by research prognosis and prediction and on this basis, the innovative design (creation) of the future. It is argued that university leaders and leadership training at universities are based on contemporaneous and especially supercontemporaneous information. The system of measures for consolidation and concentration of shredded and dispersed higher education institutions of Ukraine was outlined with the aim of achieving their competitive potential, the ability to provide high-quality (contemporaneous and supercontemporaneous) higher education, to be leaders and to form leaders of progress. That system developed on the base of analysis of the parameters of the 31 extra-class universities, which rank at 1-30 places by the Shanghai Rating (ARWU) in 2018 and serve as an exemplary future for Ukrainian universities. These measures include the following. First, the introduction of a national university ranking of general and sectoral versions to identify the best, medium and backward higher education institutions, their further optimization (priority strengthening of the first, improvement of second, removal or rehabilitation of the third), as well as the formation of a culture of competitive leadership. Secondly, the creation of a leadership Association of Ukrainian Universities, such as the Association of American Universities, in order to determine the strategy and policy of modernizing the national university network, supporting the formation and further development of universities on the basis of leadership. Thirdly, the consolidation of institutions of higher education in order to create the necessary educational, research and innovative organizational, personnel, resource, infrastructure capacity, the ability to produce and offer contemporaneous and supercontemporaneous information for teaching and learning, the formation of appropriate competencies (qualifications) for its consumers (competitors). Fourthly, the consolidation and concentration of higher education institutions by combining them with the most experienced time-tested universities, while reviving the profile adequacy of the facilities available to them in their competitive professional capacities. Fifthly, the maintenance of the modernization of institutions of higher education through their consolidation and concentration by the obligatory creation of conditions for the implementation of the dual teaching and research function of teachers by reducing the training load, increasing wages, developing educational and research infrastructure, resource support.