Description
The aim of this study is to analyse the effectiveness of Ukrainian educational programmes for training fire safety specialists by comparing them with programmes in countries with advanced education systems (Germany, Poland, the USA, Japan). The study is focused on identifying structural shortcomings and assessing the impact of state funding on the quality of specialist training within the context of the Ukrainian education system. The research was based on an empirical methodology, which included: an online survey of 150 students and 25 teaching staff at Dragomanov Ukrainian State University; analysis of a cybersecurity training module and subsequent testing; and statistical analysis of the data obtained. Additionally, content analysis of curricula from leading universities was conducted for comparative evaluation. Results revealed that the proportion of practical sessions in Ukrainian institutions’ safety‐related courses amounted to 25% versus 44-65% at foreign universities; and access to virtual reality (VR) technologies stood at 10% compared to 65-85%. The reduction in state funding by 70% (from 2015 to 2024) correlated with a decline in teaching quality (Pearson’s correlation coefficient r=0.82, significance level p<0.05). The practical significance of this study lies in substantiating the need to increase the share of practical training in these topics to 40-50 %, to employ free simulators to compensate for limited funding, to reinstate state‐funded places for the speciality, and to integrate international experience (for example, VR evacuation drills modelled after the Japanese approach).
Keywords: Innovative technologies, life safety, occupational safety, educational training programme, state funding impact
