Authors of the research aim to bring public attention to the communication issue of Ukrainian universities’ with entrants and students, as well as to encourage HEIs to implement more effective and transparent information policy, in particular on their official websites.
Target audience of this study consists of university representatives (first of all administration), journalists, entrants, and their parents.
Diversity. We are fully aware of universities’ diversity and we support uniqueness of their information policy. Simultaneously, the diversity of chosen universities does not influence transparency requirements for their activities. It is worth noting that Ranking does not include institutions under the regulation of security government agencies because of the specific mode of access to the information about them.
Sources of information. Ranking uses websites of HEIs as the main source of information and evaluates the fact of presence or absence of certain information on them. The fact of satisfaction or unsatisfaction of public information request was also considered as source of information.
Monitoring has covered all state and public HEIs, except for those that are on the occupied territories and have not been moved to secure territory, as well as those of security bodies mentioned above. The monitoring also did not include branches campuses of universities (campuses in other cities).
In total 186 HEIs are represented in Ranking.
Ranking is based on 6 indicators:
Financial transparency (10 points)
Administrative transparency (24 points)
Presence of a strategic development plan (10 points)
Information on HEI’s website about the content of a study program (40 points)
Information on HEI’s website on employment opportunities (8 points)
Information on HEI’s website about academic mobility programs (8 points)
Indicators are divided into 45 parameters. For fulfillment of each universities received certain points.
Financial transparency (10%)
The indicator mainly demonstrates to which extent universities meet certain requirements of Act on Higher Education and Act on Access to Public Information about the publication of their financial documents in open access or on demand.
Information that should be present on HEI’s website:
- Personnel arrangements (staff list with salaries for each type of position) for 2015 and/or for 2016 – 4 points (summarized staff list – 2 points)
- Information on amount of tuition fee for the overall term of studies and/or for one year of studies in 2015/2016 and/or 2016/2017 academic year:
- in Ukrainian – 2 points (only for Bachelor level – 1 point), if the year is not stated the half of the maximum possible score is given
- in English – 2 points (only for Bachelor level – 1 point), if the year is not stated the half of the maximum possible score is given
- Information on amount of fee for dormitory and additional paid services: dormitory payment in 2015/2016 academic year – 1 point, if the year is not stated the half of the maximum possible score is given; payment for preparation courses and/or courses of post-graduate courses in 2015/2016 academic year – 1 point, if the year is not stated the half of the maximum possible score is given.
The monitoring for this indicator was conducted during January, 2016. If university’s website contained mentioned information, HEI was given corresponding points.
Administrative transparency (24%)
The indicator demonstrates to which extent universities meet the requirements of Act on Higher Education about the access to theses, main regulatory documents of HEIs, information about their governing bodies, as well as to which extent universities comply with transparency in their personnel policy, in particular when announcing vacancies.
Information that should be present on HEI’s website:
- Abstract of theses in e-version, defenses of which were announced in October, November and December 2015 issues of “Education of Ukraine” special editions (newspaper for theses defense announcements) – 2 points
- Official opponents’ reviews on theses in e-version, defenses of which were announced in October, November and December 2015 issues of “Education of Ukraine” special editions – 2 points
- Copies of theses in e-version, defenses of which were announced in October, November and December 2015 issues of “Education of Ukraine” special editions – 4 points
- Statute of university – 4 points
- Decree on academic council – 2 points
- Decree which regulates education process – 2 points
- List of members of academic council – 2 points
- Annual rector’s report for 2015 or 2014/2015 academic year – 2 points
- Vacancy announcement for research and educational personnel on HEI’s website if such vacancies appeared during monitoring period – 3 points
- Satisfaction of public information request about the presence/absence of vacancies – 1 point
The monitoring of websites for this indicator was conducted from January till April of 2016. If during this period the mentioned information was found on HEI’s website, the university received corresponding points.
Points for vacancy announcement depended on whether HEIs responded on CEDOS’ request about their presence. If a university did not have any vacancies during stated period, it received a maximum possible score with adjustment factor of ratio between total scored points and maximum possible points for all other parameters (except for the presence of theses, theses’ abstracts and reviews). If the university did not satisfy the request and the announcements were not placed on website – the HEI received 0 points for the parameter.
The amount of published documents was taken into account during the monitoring of presence on websites of theses, theses’ abstracts and reviews in e-versions. Each maximum point we divided in accordance with the number of theses, theses’ abstracts and reviews that should have been placed on HEI’s website. For example, if 4 theses were supposed to be published in e-version on university’s website, the presence of each of them would grant the HEI: 4 maximum points/4 theses=1 point.
If HEI did not have rights to hold theses defense or during December 2015 – April 2016 the specialized academic councils did not conduct any defenses, the maximum 8 points with adjustment factor were assigned for the publication of theses, theses’ abstracts and reviews. The points were given with adjustment factor of ratio between scored points and maximum possible points for the indicator Administrative transparency.
Presence of a strategic development plan (10%)
The indicator demonstrates whether the university conducts strategic planning and illustrates the presence of main components in a strategy.
Coverage of such topics in a strategic development plan:
- Education quality assurance – 1 point
- Research activity – 1 point
- Fundraising and budgeting – 1 point
- Personnel development, in particular support of young faculty members’ carrier development – 1 point
- International activity – 1 point
- Infrastructure development – 1 point
The presence of following components in a strategic plan:
- Strategic goals – 1 point
- Projects and/or activities, and/or operational goals which will contribute to the achievement of strategic goals – 1 point
- Key performance indicators which will conclude the achievement of strategic goals – 1 point
The monitoring of HEIs’ websites for this indicator was conducted during February 2016. If university’s website contained mentioned information, HEI was given corresponding points. The score also depended on whether the published strategic plan was relevant for 2016.
Information on HEI’s website about the content of a study program (40%)
The indicator demonstrates to which extent universities use their websites to inform about the content of their study programs, teachers capacity and evaluation system.
Information that should be present on HEI’s website:
- Description of a study program, particularly:
- list of academic disciplines – 7 points
- short description of discipline’s objective, knowledge and skills it helps to gain – 3 points
- information about the number of hours or the number of ECTS credits within information about academic discipline – 3 points
- types of work within information about academic discipline – 4 points
- points distribution within academic discipline — 4 points
- who is teaching each academic discipline – 5 points.
- Presence of information about opportunities for internships (practicums) – 4 points (for university or faculty in general) or 6 points (for each department/program).
- ECTS information package – 3 points (for university or faculty in general) or 5 points (for each department/program).
- English version of ECTS information package – 2 points (for university or faculty in general) or 3 points (for each department/program).
The monitoring of HEI’s websites for this indicator have been conducted during February to June 2016. If during this period the mentioned information was found on HEI’s website, the university received corresponding points.
The monitoring covered full time undergraduate programs, an exception was National Academy of Management, Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine (postgraduate programs). 14 medical institutions were excluded from monitoring due to the specificity of their structure.
Evaluation of programs’ descriptions was carried out for each department/program. First the maximum score for each parameter was divided by the number of departments (sometimes – of programs) at each faculty. The result was multiplied by the number of departments (programs) that have fulfilled the parameter that is evaluated. The same procedure was repeated for each parameter.
Afterwards all points gained by the faculty were summed up. Then scores of each faculty were added and divided by the number of faculties.
The same principle was applied to calculate points for parameters on information about internships (practicums). However, there was a difference: the maximum score for parameter was reduced if the information was published for the entire faculty or university.
If websites of art institutions missed information about internships (practicums), they received a maximum possible score with adjustment factor of ratio between total scored points and maximum possible points for parameter on description of a study program.
Monitoring also did not include departments of so called obligatory for each program disciplines, and military departments, branch campuses and departments for foreign students (except for English versions of ECTS information packages). The departments which provided obligatory discipline only for one faculty were considered during monitoring.
If university published the monitored information only for the HEI’s intranet (access through login and password), it was not taken into account as interested applicants did not have access to it.
If ECTS information package contained monitored information about study program, it was considered as it was published at faculty’s or department’s page.
Information about internships (practicums) was taken into account only if specific enterprises and institutions for its basis were mentioned.
ECTS information package was taken into account provided that it (or university website) contained at least 60% of the following information:
- general description of university (including type and status)
- list of offered programs
- general registration and enrollment procedures
- information on advisory help for students
- cost of living
- accommodation
- food
- health care
- opportunities for students with special needs
- insurance/financial resources (support) for students
- department of student affairs
- learning conditions
- international and exchanged programs
- practical information for mobile students
- language courses
- internships (practicums)
- conditions for sports and leisure
- student organizations
Information on HEI’s website on employment opportunities (8%)
The indicator demonstrates whether university is ready to assist its students in acquirement of practical skills and further employment.
Information that should be present on HEI’s website:
- Information about career fairs and/or meetings with employers – 1 point
- Information for students on CV and/or cover letter writing, and/or interview training – 2 points
- Information about vacancies for students – 2 points
- Information about companies and/or enterprises with which university collaborates with – 1 point
- Separate website and/or page at HEI official website, and/or social media page for promotion of information about employment opportunities.
- HEI received corresponding points if mentioned information was relevant for 2014/2015 or 2015/2016 academic year.
The monitoring for this indicator was conducted during February, 2016. If university’s website contained mentioned information, HEI was given corresponding points.
Information on HEI’s website about academic mobility programs (8%)
The indicator illustrates to which extent university assists its students in academic mobility.
Information that should be present on HEI’s website:
- Information on current international exchange programs – 1 point
- Information about required application documents to participate in exchange programs and/or summer schools, and/or internships, and/or other forms of international academic mobility – 1 point
- Information about application deadlines for programs of international academic mobility – 1 point
- Links to application forms for participation in international academic mobility programs – 1 point
- Information about language of studying for various international academic mobility programs – 1 points
- Information about degree or completed years of studies needed to be eligible to apply for programs of international academic mobility – 1 point
- Separate website and/or page at HEI official website, and/or social media page for promotion of information about international exchange opportunities – 2 points.
- HEI received corresponding points if mentioned information was relevant for 2014/2015 or 2015/2016 academic year.
- The monitoring for this indicator was conducted during February, 2016. If university’s website contained mentioned information, HEI was given corresponding points