Aukštojo mokslo kokybės užtikrinimo teisinio reguliavimo problemos
Problems of Legal Regulation in Higher Education Quality Assurance

Summary/Abstract: Higher education is being criticized for its poor quality, insufficient participation of social partners in the management of universities, too-detailed study programmes, insufficient pedagogical staff and scientific research not society oriented. In the changing political, social and economic surroundings of higher education, the relation between higher education institutions and the state is influenced by changes as well. A common tendency of many countries is the weakening of the state influence and control towards higher education institutions, however the state, while still remaining the main financial source for higher education is interested in optimizing the effectiveness of higher education institutions, sustain a certain quality of higher education, and ensure its focus on the needs of society and market. A state which seeks to implement the mission of higher education, also society which has ambitions to become intellectual, competitive, economically capable in the context of modern political, economical, socio-cultural changes has to create necessary conditions (financial, legal, administrative), that would not conflict with the traditional and modern values of institutions of higher education, and would help universities improve and modernise their activity, become more competitive, and ensure implementation of the needs of the state and society. Higher education in Lithuania and its legal regulations constantly undergo various changes—necessary, timely, quite chaotic and fragmented. It is also important to note that legal regulation of higher education is harmonized and correlates with other means of state regulation—financing, quality (licensing, accreditation, external evaluation), formation and development of political activity strategy. There have recently been a number of reforms implemented in the field of higher education, related to financing of higher education, management, quality control and assurance, transformations of influence of the state institutions. Therefore, scientific research of these processes is relevant, important and timely. The quality assurance system of higher education in Lithuania was and still is one of the essential issues of higher education. The legal regulation of different aspects of quality assurance of higher education is insufficient, and certain dysfunctions and ineffectiveness may be preserved. The object of this research is the system of higher education quality assurance in Lithuania and dysfunctions of its legal regulation. The aim of this research is to analyze the problems of the state regulation in the field of higher education quality assurance. In this research models and ways of ensuring quality of higher education are analyzed, as well as influence of the scope of the autonomy of higher education institutions and state regulation on the quality of higher education in Lithuania.

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