LEGAL CHALLENGES AND DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES OF THE AUTONOMY OF UNIVERSITIES IN THE CHANGED CONTEXT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Abstract
This article explores the legal challenges and development prospects of university autonomy in Ukraine within the rapidly changing context of higher education shaped by globalization, digitalization, war, and policy reform. University autonomy comprising academic, organizational, financial, and staffing dimensions is a fundamental principle for ensuring the quality, responsiveness, and resilience of higher education systems. While Ukraine’s 2014 Law on Higher Education formally guarantees wide-ranging in stitutional autonomy, its practical implementation remains inconsistent due to contradictory legal norms, excessive bureaucratic regulation, and the absence of effective safeguards against political interference.
The article offers a multi-theoretical framework grounded in public policy (principal–agent theory), legal constitutionalism, and educational governance (Clark’s triangle of coordination) to analyze the dis crepancy between de jure and de facto autonomy. It also draws on Humboldtian philosophical perspectives to reinforce the ethical imperative of institutional independence. A comparative review of international practices particularly from Germany, the United States, Finland, and Austria reveals actionable strategies that Ukraine can adapt to wartime realities.
The article proposes comprehensive legal and institutional reforms, including the harmonization of normative acts, codification of procedural autonomy, establishment of independent oversight mech anisms, and flexible financial governance through performance-based contracts. Emphasis is placed on the need for adaptive legal frameworks responsive to crisis conditions and regional disparities. The con clusions argue for a multilayered autonomy model that balances institutional freedom with accountability and sustainability. Such a model is essential not only for advancing academic quality and innovation but also for safeguarding democratic values and rebuilding Ukraine’s intellectual infrastructure in the post-war recovery phase.
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References
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