Accreditation Expertise as a Mechanism for Improving Educational Programs: A Practical Dimension

As part of the activities of the School of Guarantors, a working meeting was held dedicated to the analysis and discussion of the recommendations provided by the Sectoral Expert Council and the expert panel following the accreditation of educational programs. The event was conducted by Olha Hurenko, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Social Work and Inclusive Education, First Vice-Rector. During the meeting, the experience of accrediting the educational programs “Choreography” (Bachelor’s level) and “Secondary Education (Physics and Astronomy)” (Master’s level) was reviewed, which made it possible to analyze approaches to the design of educational programs, organization of their content, and documentary support.

Participants focused not on the formal list of remarks but on the content of the recommendations and their practical significance for the development of educational programs. During the discussion, it was determined how expert recommendations can be used to improve the logic of the educational program, align goals with learning outcomes, optimize the structure of educational components, and strengthen the evidence of achieving learning outcomes. Particular attention was also paid to strengthening the role of stakeholders, updating the content of educational components in accordance with labor market needs, improving practical training of students, and systematic monitoring of the quality of the educational process.

The conducted analysis enabled participants to understand the mechanisms for interpreting the recommendations of expert bodies as a development tool rather than merely an evaluation procedure. The acquired experience will contribute to the adjustment and further improvement of educational programs, enhancement of the quality of student training, and formation of an effective internal quality assurance system. The meeting became a practice-oriented platform for the professional development of educational program guarantors and facilitated the development of unified approaches to using accreditation expertise results in further educational activities.