On 18 June, 2024, an online presentation of the Strategy for Implementing the Council of Europe Programme HELP (Human Rights Education for Lawyers) Course into the Educational Process of Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions was held. At the invitation of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, more than 350 representatives of higher education institutions took part in the presentation, during which they got acquainted with the Strategy and, based on its recommendations, will implement HELP online courses in the educational process as well as facilitate the dissemination of information about available online courses among teachers and students, including law students.
Higher education institutions and teachers of legal disciplines are already actively using HELP courses as an additional tool to complement educational programmes for students, especially those majoring in law. The strategy aims to provide proposals for further development and improvement of the process of integrating HELP courses into the educational process of higher education institutions in Ukraine. The document contains a description of HELP courses and regulatory framework in the field of non-formal education, as well as an overview of existing practices of implementing relevant courses by law teachers and the practice of recognising learning outcomes obtained through non-formal and/or informal education in higher education.
A Candidate of Juridical Sciences, scientist of the Educational and Research Institute of Finance, Economics, Management and Law, Associate Professor of the Department of Public Administration, Management and Law of the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” Olena Skrylnyk joined the large-scale event and took part in the discussions on the relevant topics.
Participation in the presentation provided an opportunity for the event’s representatives to learn about the methods and approaches to integrating European human rights standards into the educational process. According to the organisers and participants, the event is important for higher education institutions, as improving the quality of education and raising awareness of those receiving higher education about European human rights standards are key aspects in the process of Ukraine’s European integration.
During the event, the European Human Rights Training Programme for Legal Professionals, its purpose, objectives, and Project partners were discussed in detail. The new Council of Europe HELP course “International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights” was also presented, and an important part of the event was the presentation of the Strategy for the implementation of HELP courses in the educational process of Ukrainian higher education institutions, in particular, the participants were given proposals for further development and improvement of the process of integrating courses into the educational process.
Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Mykhailo Vynnytskyi stressed the importance of introducing HELP courses into the educational process and noted that the recently adopted law on individual educational trajectories forms the basis for recognising HELP courses and credits obtained outside the educational programme.
Head of the Subcommittee on Higher Education of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science and Innovation, President of the NGO “Commission on Legal Education and Awareness” Yuliia Hryshyna addressed the participants of the presentation with a request to support this initiative and actively participate in the implementation of HELP courses in their educational institutions.
During the presentation, Acting Head of the Justice and Human Rights Training Division of the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe, Ana-Maria Telbis, said that the mandate of the HELP Programme is based on the 2004 and 2019 recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which called on the Council of Europe member states to provide the necessary framework for relevant education on the Convention and the ECHR case law to be included in university degree courses, as well as in the in-service training of judges, prosecutors and lawyers.
International Project Manager Olha Kostenko presented the methodology of the Council of Europe HELP Programme and the results of the HELP for Ukraine Project’s work on cooperation with leading Ukrainian universities.
It should be noted that the Strategy for Implementation of HELP Courses in the Educational Process of Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions was developed by the HELP (Human Rights Education for Lawyers) for Ukraine, including in Time of War Project and the NGO “Commission on Legal Education and Awareness”.
The authors of the Strategy – Oleksandr Pyzhov, Chairman of the Senate of the NGO “Commission on Legal Education and Awareness” and Serhii Mudruk, member of the Senate of the NGO “Commission on Legal Education and Awareness” – presented the document and the main tools for implementing HELP courses at universities.
The strategy provides specific recommendations for further development and improvement of the process of integrating HELP courses into the educational process. The document contains a description of HELP courses and regulatory framework in the field of non-formal education, as well as an overview of existing practices of implementing HELP courses by law professors and the practice of recognising learning outcomes obtained through non-formal and/or informal education in higher education.
The Strategy contains proposals for further development and improvement of the process of integrating HELP courses into the educational process, in particular:
- inclusion of these courses as compulsory or elective educational components;
- integration of HELP courses into educational programmes;
- development of special modules to be integrated into existing ones;
- organisation of specialised curricula, trainings and workshops to complement the main courses and promote a deeper understanding of the material.
Raising awareness and engaging students in HELP courses is also key to implementing the courses through the use of social media and university websites to disseminate information about the courses, creating student groups or clubs focused on human rights and HELP courses, as well as conducting interactive events such as case studies, discussion clubs, summer and winter schools.
During the event, Krystyna Khokhlova, Project Coordinator of the Council of Europe HELP Programme, presented the experience and results of HELP courses at universities around the world.
Experienced teachers and active tutors of HELP – Alla Fedorova, Candidate of Juridical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Comparative and European Law of the Educational and Research Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Andrii Medvid, Doctor of Juridical Sciences, Professor, Professor of the Department of Theory of State and Law of Lviv University of Trade and Economics, and Olena Makieieva, Candidate of Juridical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Theory and History of State and Law of the National University of Lviv, shared their experience of active implementation of courses at their universities.
It should be recalled that earlier the scientist of the ERI FEML took part in a round table meeting dedicated to the training of public servants in the context of Ukraine’s European integration.
Recently, the Polytechnic scientist took part in the Forum of the Association of Legal Clinics of Ukraine.
Media Center of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
