TRANSFORMATION OF UKRAINIAN PEDAGOGICAL COLLEGES IN THE CONTEXT OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION MODERNIZATION

Abstract

The article provides a theoretical and analytical examination of the transformation of Ukrainian pedagogical colleges in the context of the modernization of professional education. The relevance of the study is determined by structural changes in the professional education system, the adoption of the Law of Ukraine «On Professional Education» (2025), the integration of professional pre-higher education into the lifelong learning model, and the need to ensure the quality of teacher training under crisis-related socioeconomic conditions.
Based on the analysis of regulatory documents and contemporary scholarly approaches, the key directions of the institutional transformation of pedagogical colleges are identified. These include the reorientation of educational programs toward a competence-based model, the development of dual education, the introduction of micro-qualifications, the digital modernization of the educational environment, and the strengthening of internal quality assurance systems. The study also outlines the impact of martial law, demographic shifts, and resource constraints on institutional functioning and examines the risks associated with network optimization, the loss of academic staff, and the excessive unification of training content.
The article substantiates the need to develop partnership-based cooperation with employers and territorial communities, enhance the professional development of teaching staff, and foster digital competence as a factor of institutional competitiveness. It concludes that the effective transformation of pedagogical colleges requires the systematic modernization of educational content, strategic risk management, and the preservation of regional accessibility to teacher training. Prospects for further research include the empirical evaluation of the effectiveness of dual and hybrid learning models, as well as forecasting the development of the pedagogical college network in the context of demographic change.

Received: November 10, 2025
Accepted: December 05, 2025
Published: January 16, 2026