Development of the Higher Education System in Ukraine: Quantitative and Financial Aspects

Abstract

According to the objective, the study evaluates the trends in the development of higher education in Ukraine based on the analysis of quantitative indicators. The research uses data from the Register of Subjects of Educational Activity of the State Electronic Database on Education.

The analysis showed that the number of higher education institutions (HEIs) offering bachelor's, master's, and PhD programs decreased during 2020–2022, but began to grow again from 2023. At the same time, the number of students showed an increasing trend during 2020–2023. Since 2024, there has been a decrease in the number of students. The analysis of student enrollment in higher education by education level revealed that, starting from 2023, statistical data began to include information on the number of students at the Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Science levels. Against the context of a decrease in the number of bachelor's and master's degree holders due to the introduction of a requirement to obtain a higher level of education than previously attained, the number of applicants did not experience a sharp decline, mainly due to postgraduate students. When comparing the distribution of students among institutions by size in 2020 and projected for 2025, it is clear that the most significant changes have occurred in state-owned HEIs. The number of very large institutions (with over 20,000 students) and their enrollment have increased, as has the number of large (10,000–20,000 students) and medium-sized (5,000–10,000 students) HEIs. A decrease is observed in the number of small institutions (1,000–5,000 students). At the same time, the number of very small HEIs (up to 1,000 students) has doubled.

The analysis of the distribution of state-funded places among HEIs of different forms of ownership revealed that the number of state-funded places in municipally owned institutions remained relatively stable during the analyzed period. A significant reduction in state-funded places was observed in state universities. Although private HEIs still have significantly fewer state-funded places compared to public ones, the number of such places in private institutions has doubled each year.