CHALLENGES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC CRISIS IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article analyzes the basic demographic indicators of the crisis in Ukraine, reveals signs of the accumulated problems of the nationʼs aging and natural population decline, which allow to assess the situation in Ukraine as a depopulation. A significant deterioration of the demographic background and a qualitative change in the population structure of Ukraine after February 24, 2022 were recorded: irreversible human losses, emigration, reduction of the average birth rate, etc.A correlation was found between the number of children born in the corresponding year and the dynamics of the capacity of educational services. It was found that higher education in Ukraine will face the biggest demographic challenges in 17+ years. Challenges for higher education in Ukraine have been identified: a systematic reduction in the capacity of educational services and the need to significantly optimize educational offers on the market and the number of domestic higher education institutions; brain-drain and a weakening intellectual capital of the Ukrainian nation; a decrease in the export of Ukrainian higher education and the attraction of foreigners to the economy of Ukraine; devaluation of higher education in Ukraine.In the context of the strategic reconstruction of the state and restoration of the human capital of Ukraine, it is suggested that higher education can be considered and used as an effective tool of state policy in the cycle: obtaining national higher education ‒ demand on the labor market and involvement in the national economy ‒ financial security, an active civic position and loyalty to the state ‒ improving demographic indicators and overcoming the demographic crisis. Keywords: depopulation; aging of the nation; human capital; higher education of Ukraine; export of higher education; capacity of educational services; demographic crisis.