The Ministry of Education and Science developed and approved the Concept of English Language Development in Universities. The document provides for the organization of language courses and intensives, knowledge of the English language at a level of at least B1 will be a mandatory condition for admission, B2 - for graduation, it is proposed to make part of specialized disciplines English-language and conduct regular "knowledge screenings", in particular, introduce mandatory Examination in a foreign language after the bachelor's degree. The Minister of Education and Science, Liliya Hrynevych, said this.

"The fact is that all studies show that the economic development of countries depends very much on the knowledge of the English language by citizens. In this modern global world, which is connected by economic relations, scientific relations in different fields, who speak English among themselves in different countries. The importance of knowledge of the English language for all specialists is increasing. And today, when we look at Ukraine, out of the 32 non-English-speaking countries in Europe, we are in 28th place out of 32 in terms of knowledge of the English language. And this shows that we are losing our potential a lot due to the fact that our specialists do not know English. That's why we approved the Concept of English Language Development in Universities in the Ministry of Education and Science together with our partners, we were helped by the British Council in Ukraine, representatives of higher education institutions, public organizations," noted Liliya Hrynevych.

One of the main problems of English in universities, the Minister said, is the level with which entrants enter universities - it is extremely different. This harms both groups at the same time - students with a low level who do not keep up with the program and cannot learn it properly, and strong students who suffer from the policy of "targeting the weaker".

There is only one solution - to ensure that all students enter at the B1 level at the beginning of their studies. The goal is that by 2023, all students should master the language at an appropriate level.

For this, the concept assumes that by 2023, the level of English proficiency at the B1 level will be mandatory when entering a bachelor's degree. This involves:

– Passing a mandatory "screening" test in English by all applicants (for example, external examinations or standardized foreign tests) in order to establish the level of language proficiency.

- If the applicant's level is below B1, this does not deprive him of the right to participate in the competition for admission to higher education in the normal mode, but such applicants must undergo a language intensive before the beginning of the academic year (by September 1 or by October 1) to reach the B1 level.

Equal access to this language intensive is provided to achieve level B1 (face-to-face, remote).

Through the standards of the higher school, a requirement will be written that a bachelor's student, regardless of specialty, must master a foreign language at the B1+ level if he wants to receive a diploma. For senior levels – masters and doctors of philosophy with an academic component – level B2 will be mandatory.

To encourage universities to teach and students to study English during undergraduate studies, the concept involves increasing hours and changing the content of language disciplines. It is planned that in the future, exams will be widely used to confirm the level of knowledge of the English language at the B2 level. If we talk about specific steps, it involves:

In the short-term perspective, extend the Unified Entrance Examination (UEI) – i.e. the “examination for master’s degree” in a foreign language – to all master’s majors to confirm the B2 level.

In order to influence the content of the English language and the competences taught at the bachelor's level, detailed specifications of the EVI will be developed and a specific syllabus and structure of the exam content will be defined. The purpose of these changes is to stimulate the development of the full range of language competence and influence the study of English during undergraduate studies.

In the medium term (5-7 years), it is planned to replace the EVI exam with a mandatory standardized final (qualification) exam in English for all undergraduate students.

In addition, in order to create lively incentives for universities and students to maintain students' B2 level of English during their master's degree, the concept proposes:

– to introduce the assessment of English as a component of the unified state qualification exam for most specialties, in the "passed/failed" mode;

- for specialties for which the EDKI is not provided, to recommend universities to conduct an assessment of English language proficiency during the attestation of master's degrees.

The concept also recommends universities to include the evaluation of the quality of English language teaching as a separate item in their system of internal quality assurance of the institution's education, and NAMELY to make this criterion a mandatory part of the external quality assurance system.

The document also provides that the development of free online courses for self-study by pupils and students of the English language will be encouraged. This format should be a supplement to regular language learning at school and university, as well as for different levels of students. These courses will help students who wish to enter bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs and who need to achieve a certain level of English.

The key is to stimulate the teaching of professional disciplines in English by institutions of higher education. In order to maintain a level of language proficiency, constant practice is required. The university is the only place where a student can immerse himself in the English-speaking environment thanks to such programs.

"Together with the British Council and other partners, we have also developed recommendations for higher education institutions regarding the teaching of English in higher education institutions in Ukraine and the teaching of professional disciplines in English," said Liliya Hrynevych.