The new academic year in NTUU "KPI" begins on a positive note. The authoritative weekly "Mirror of the Week" in its issue number 24 of June 19 this year and the magazine "Campus" released the last ranking of the universities in Ukraine. According this ranking our University is the first on all indicators - ahead of the previous leader – KNU of Shevchenko.. As you know, in this ranking - and indeed in all international rankings of this kind - a very significant indicator is the so-called scientific work of teachers. Every employee must be attracted to this kind of an activity - from professor to assistant. In other words, the teacher of any university, and especially research universities, which for several years has been the KPI, except lectures and seminars should “make” a scientific production - articles, monographs, textbooks and others. And it takes into account only articles in international publications.
However, it is easy to notice that in the national scheme of higher education there is no institutionalized place for scientific work (as, indeed, there is in fact a place for compulsory teaching in the structure of the labor researchers National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine). Teachers write curricula and programs, perform the necessary amounts of various loads of the methodical and educational work - all these things are accountable and inevitable, but the science for them, so to speak, is to a certain extent optional and almost voluntary activity (similar to, again, teaching for the staff NAS – it is not obligatory for them). In this sense, educational and academic state systems are "antisymmetric" or "dual". From this fact it is directly clear why all Ukrainian universities lose much to NAS in the number and quality of publications, citations, h-index, that is, those generally accepted in the world of performance that we have previously virtually ignored. I should add that the same situation in Russia, where the data on this issue are continuously published.
This situation is not accidental and has roots because, as far as I can judge, in Soviet times it happened that participate in the research university professors were allowed to in their spare - training - work time. At the same time the member of the NAS of Ukraine should carry out only research. To teach or not – it is up to his will, and everyone decides this question depending on one or another of its features. It is necessary take into attention that the teaching practice requires a lot of effort. So, it is difficult to wait from the teachers not formal scientific research.Sure, professors, associate professors and senior lecturers and assistants know very well: after 2-3 pairs of teaching the physical condition is not good for research activity. There are also so many things to be done - preparation for the next lesson, curriculum renewal, verification of graduation (master) or exchange (undergraduate) projects, consultations and the like.
One can long and emotionally debate on the scientific work of university staff, citing examples of the successful combination of both types - academic and scientific - works, but it is impossible not to recognize that in relation to science, compared with employees Academy teachers are in a losing position, although the level of required scientific activity is the same. A serious scientific activity, of course, takes time - no "residual" but planned and legal. If not, then en masse teachers should relate to scientific activities as an additional burden, distracting them from their main job. At the same time, we know that the exaggeration of classroom hours and underestimation of time purely research entails the degradation of the scientific level of universities in general.
Being in the universities of Europe and America, I was interested in the practical load of the workers who, like ours, are considered first of all teachers, but have enough time to print each year in prestigious scientific journals 1-2 (and sometimes more) of articles and take part in several conferences. Is their load less then ours? It turned out that, as a rule, no. My colleagues - professors at the University of Vienna, Madrid, Paris, Geneva, Toronto, Kaiserslautern, Porto have an average of 18-20 teaching hours per week, that is engaged in no less than at least our docents. But this burden occurs only during one (!) Semester, and during the second - they are completely exempt from classroom and should only lead research. The students - bachelors (as assistants and technicians), Masters and PhD (first in a relatively lesser extent) are actively included in the research.
So my basic assertion is: as long as the distribution (in percent) of working time teachers KPI for teaching and research activities from the present ratio of 100-0 will be not changed to 50-50 (or at least 60-40), on the research of the competitive level comparable, for example, with the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, it can be forgotten. I will say more: unfair to require from a person who holds the lion's share of work in the educational dialogue with students (as it is known, is now very "nervous and expensive"), the same impact at your desk or in a research laboratory.
My suggestion comes from the fact that, firstly, the KPI has become a research university and, secondly, there is, as evidenced by the above-mentioned ratings leader of education in our country. The proposal is as follows: to gradually move to Western standards of work in which the teaching and science will be officially recognized as equal to the load types. .I understand that such a transition is not easy for all positions, including financial. But KPI can be the first in this matter. Or let’s take the initiative, it is time to stop to consider the scientific work in universities "occupation after work", or hobby. Therefore it is necessary to put (before MES or even the society) the question of whether to radically change the situation which led to an obvious imbalance in the work of such a large contingent of professionals, as teachers of a university. It is important they solve the problem for the country's future - education of creative individuals. It is impossible without their own creativity.
Thus, it is proposed for a certain part of successful science researchers to allocate at least a semester. During this semester the professor / associate professor can read professional journals, to investigate the new trends in science and technology, to form their own school, lead, eventually, full-fledged research not between lectures, but all the time. Meeting with students should also be regular, but in the research laboratories to discuss current results. Inside the university one can stimulate scientific work of assistants and senior lecturers by the library days, an authorization to participate in seminars NAS institutions, which usually take place in school hours. Then the requirements in terms of assessing the scientific work of teachers at the level of international will be justified and natural.
I am well aware that a major condition ( proven in the West)of scientific work at the university is the principle of the distribution of educational and scientific load ratio "fifty-fifty". In our conditions, it depends on the MES. But we've got to start somewhere. We joined the Bologna Declaration, although not all of its provisions fully accept. Why not introduce other Western standards, which eventually, of course, could lead to a new innovative Ukrainian takeoff, which we all are waiting for. I'd love to think that the KPI will become the first and certainly the most successful!
Editor's note: In our opinion, V.M. Loktev raised a very important question about the conditions of scientific activities for teachers NTUU "KPI". We would like to hear the views of readers that decision raised the problem depends on the teacher from high school, and from the state. We invite you to the discussion.