HIGHER EDUCATION (ACADEMIC DEGREES) DOCUMENTS

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Published on Tuesday, 26 July 2016 12:21

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The main stages of changes in the design of educational documents

Before 1993, educational documents were made by printing according to templates approved in the Soviet Union.

In 1993-1997, educational documents were printed using forms that were uniform across the country.

(!) Before 1997, Ukrainian higher education institutions could issue educational documents using forms with both Soviet and Ukrainian emblems.

From 1997 to 2015, diplomas were made using computer technology (for plastic documents) according to a single template for the whole country. The identification of issued educational documents was carried out through an automated system for recording issued documents. Supplements to these educational documents were issued using forms that were approved and uniform across the country.

(!) Before 2000, Ukrainian higher education institutions could issue diplomas in both paper and plastic form.

(!) Graduates of education institutions who were sent to work on maritime transport were issued diplomas in Ukrainian and English using forms made by printing.

(!) Foreign citizens were issued documents on higher education in Ukrainian and English using forms made by printing.

From 2014 to 2019, higher education institutions had the right to issue diplomas of the state-approved template under accredited educational programs and diplomas of their own template under non-accredited educational programs.

Upon successful completion of a non-accredited educational program, a graduate was issued a document using the template of the higher education institution approved by the academic council of that higher education institution.

The list of accredited and non-accredited educational programs for which admission to each higher education institution was carried out was specified in the Rules for Admission to Studies at that higher education institution. The accreditation of educational programs during this period was confirmed by a certificate of accreditation of the relevant specialties and fields of study.

Foreign citizens and stateless persons were admitted to accredited educational programs only.

Since 2015, educational documents of the state-approved template have been issued using the forms of higher education institutions. The document reflects the list of information approved at the legislative level. Documents of the state-approved template shall be executed in accordance with the approved requirements for document execution. Diplomas of the state-approved template are registered in the Unified State Electronic Database on Education (USEDE).

Since 2020, higher education institutions have been issuing higher education documents only upon completion of accredited educational programs. The name of the accreditation body is indicated in the diploma, and the supplement to it contains information on the relevant accreditation certificates and decisions.

(!) The appearance (design, placement of information, printing, paper parameters, etc.) of the diploma of the state-approved template of one higher education institution may differ from the diploma of another.

(!) Information about graduates of higher military education institutions, higher education institutions with specific conditions of studies and military training subdivisions of higher education institutions who have received education on the terms of a state order, contained in documents on higher education (academic degree) and supplements to them, is stored in such education institutions and is not available in the Unified State Electronic Database on Education.

Since January 2022, the Unified State Electronic Database on Education has been registering Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Arts diplomas and diploma supplements of the European standard.

Types of documents on higher education (academic degree)

The Ukrainian higher education system provides for the following types of documents on higher education or academic degrees:

• Junior Specialist’s Diploma;
• Bachelor’s Diploma;
• Master’s Diploma;
• Doctor of Philosophy/Doctor of Arts Diploma;
• Doctor of Sciences Diploma.

(!) The Doctor of Sciences diploma is issued by the Ministry of Education and Science after approval of the decision of the Specialized Academic Council by the Attestation Board of the Ministry of Education and Science.

(!) Starting in 2014:

• Junior Specialist’s educational and qualification level (initial higher education) is equated with Junior Bachelor’s educational and professional degree;
• Specialist’s educational and qualification level (complete higher education) is equated with higher education under Master’s degree;
• Candidate of Sciences degree is equated with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Joint (Double) Diploma

If a student receives higher education under educational programs agreed between higher education institutions, including foreign ones, higher education institutions have the right to issue a joint (double) diploma, the template of which is determined by a joint decision of the academic councils of such higher education institutions.

Diploma of a Special Template

In the case of obtaining higher education in more than one specialty, a higher education institution has the right to issue a document on higher education according to a special template determined by the academic council of the higher education institution.

Diploma Supplement of the European Standard

Starting from the 2014/2015 academic year, diploma supplement of the European standard is an integral part of higher education diplomas. In Ukraine, this form of diploma supplement was introduced on an experimental basis in 2010. Diploma supplement of the European standard could be issued in parallel with the diploma supplement of the Ukrainian state-approved template.

Diploma supplement of the European standard contains information about the qualification of the graduate, a list of all subjects passed, academic results in the form of points/grades and the number of ECTS credits, as well as information about the national higher education system of Ukraine.

Updated: November 2024

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This information has been produced with the financial support of the Council of Europe. The views expressed by the author can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the Council of Europe.