EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STATE HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY REFORMS IN UKRAINE UNDER SOCIOCULTURAL CHALLENGES: INTERNATIONAL RANKINGS AS DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS

Abstract

The role of international university rankings as diagnostic tools for assessing the effectiveness of state policy in higher education reform under conditions of global sociocultural challenges is analyzed. The dynamics of European and Asian universities' representation in leading international rankings (QS, THE, ARWU, CWTS) is examined, revealing significant shifts in global higher education competitiveness. Methodological approaches of ranking agencies to comprehensive assessment of university activities are systematically analyzed, including research quality, educational environment, international cooperation, and institutional reputation. It is demonstrated that despite Bologna reforms and significant investments in quality improvement, European universities are systematically losing positions in global rankings, while Asian universities demonstrate rapid progress. For Ukraine's higher education system, international rankings serve as objective indicators of reform effectiveness and strategic development guidelines. It is substantiated that ranking diagnostic approaches provide possibilities for policy correction and strategic planning in higher education management under conditions of complex sociocultural transformations.