Development of the network of higher education institutions in the era of Ukrainian statehood of 1917-1920.

Abstract

The problem of ensuring viability and further development of higher education in the extreme conditions of war, economic crisis, and political instability is very relevant. The dynamics of development of the network of higher education institutions during the period of the national statehood of 1917–1920, which was distinguished by the special intensity during the reign of Hetman Pavlo Skoropadsky, has been revealed. The basic principles (democracy, accessibility, professionalism, cultural correspondence), expansion of geography of higher education beyond the limits of traditional university cities and consequences of structural improvement of higher education institutions are found out. The contribution of initiators-representatives of the Ukrainian state leadership, non-governmental organizations and scientific societies, bodies of urban and rural self-government, prominent scholars, teachers, public figures in the formation of the Kyiv, Kamianets-Podilsky and Poltava state Ukrainian universities, Katerynoslav and Taurian universities, dozens of higher schools and national universities has been revealed. The attempt of transformation of the Nizhyn institute of history and philology named after A. Bezborodko is highlighted. It is argued that a number of higher schools emerged as a result of the reorganization of existing education institutions. According to the problem-chronological criterion a range of newly created higher schools of university and specialized types (pedagogical, aesthetic, agricultural, technical, diplomatic profile, etc.) is presented. Attention has been paid to the issue of the foundation of a higher education institution for representatives of the national minorities of Ukraine during the specified period. It has been emphasized that formation of the teacher of a new generation, development of talents, disclosure of identity of the native culture was promoted by the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences and the Ukrainian Academy of Arts. Considerable attention has been paid to the national economy sector, in particular opening of the agricultural and polytechnic institutes. In order to strengthen the authority of Ukraine in the international arena and to ensure the defense capabilities of the young state, training of domestic international specialists was started and the foundation for the formation of a high-ranking officer’s staff was laid.