Implementation of the Educational Program of Training of Border Guards in the specialty “State Border Security” in Ukraine

The article presents the results of implementation of the educational program of training of bachelors in state border security in Ukraine. The purpose of the study is to analyze key points of the program, determine their compliance with national education legislation and European standards and recommendations for the border guards’ training and coast guard officers. The obtained results demonstrate the current state of implementation of the program in the educational process of the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine named after B. Khmelnytskyi (NASBGSU) and determine ways of the educational program quality improvement, as well as contribute to the integration of the National Academy to the European Higher Education Area. The results of the study showed that the program as a whole corresponds to the educational activities of the National Academy, European standards and recommendations for the training of border guards, corresponds to the standard of the first (Bachelor) level of higher education in the specialty “State Border Security”, allows to achieve the declared results of studies, is self-sufficient and meets the needs and interests of internal and external stakeholders and society. Educational program has a clear structure; the educational components included in it constitute a logical interconnected system and allow to achieve the stated objectives and expected learning outcomes. The program focuses on practical training that allows students to consolidate theoretical knowledge in practice. Despite the sufficient level of training of border guard officers in Ukraine in recent years, the educational process needs to be continuously developed and improved. This is due to the current challenges and threats to the state's national security at the state border, the processes of further development and development of the NASBGSU, the modernization of the state border guard system, the growing requirements to the border guard officers both from the state and from the international community. For further improvement of the educational program, it is necessary to take into account the higher education institutions experience in the EU.