With reference to the examination of sources as a system of information media, it is suggested to divide them into groups according to quintessential common denominators: a) works devoted exclusively to the problem of the professional training of specialists in public relations in institutions of higher education; b) works referring the problem context, connected with the state and development of PR as a social institution and scientific field in Ukraine, and also researches dedicated to foreign countries’ experience in the professional training of specialists in public relations; c) statutory and regulatory, organizational and methodical sources related to the tertiary education and professional training of specialists in conditions of higher education modernization in Ukraine at the present stage.
The two groups of factors are identified, which influence the professional training of PR-specialists. The first group consists of internal factors: the content of educational plans and methodological complexes, their subject-matter, methodological frameworks and the qualification level of academic staff, implementation of new professional standards and the level of advanced educational technologies, material and technical resources, ergonomic aspects of the educational process, etc. The second group consists of external factors: formation and functioning of the information environment, communication reality, PR-culture and market, scientific and technological advance, social and economic dynamics of the country, ethical and legal issues, orders of employers and demands of the society, communication totality and a new digital reality, etc.
It is investigated, that the modern state of the PR-education in Ukraine isn’t free of foreign models borrowings and certain eclecticism, but it isn’t referred to the mechanical transference, it can be rather called the innovative forms implementation. The overwhelming dominancy of Russian factor during arranging of various PR-exercises is established. Security interests impel to the development of a national system of PR-education taking into account the modern tendencies and with the foundation of Ukrainian cultural and national principles.
It is defined, that public relations as a social institution are still in their infancy, it is evidenced by the absence of founded “scientific schools”, a scattered network of societies and associations. The consistency is absent in the educational field, a low level of division of PR-education models and methods, teaching technologies, a lack of comprehensive and qualitative, logical and structural educational plans, practice-oriented reference-books and textbooks, undeveloped and unapproved educational standards are noticed. The periodization of the PR-education in Ukraine is specified. Four stages are designated: a preliminary stage (1993-2006), an early stage (2006-2010), a basic stage (2010-2014) and a modern stage (since 2014).
The dual model of the PR-education is suggested and substantiated: founded on the competency-based and integrative approach, what presupposes a fundamental professional training of future specialists according to academic principles; the coordinated interconnection between the educational system and a real sector serves as a foundation. This coherence is based on the consistency and interaction of three methodological platforms: a) competency-based, b) interactive, c) technological.
The recommendations regarding development and implementation of the higher education standards into the professional training of specialists in public relations are sug-gested. The primary focus is on substantiation of the section «General characteristics», where «Social Communications» (06) rather than «Journalism» must stand in the heading «the field of expertise». The notion of social communications has broader scope and is more comprehensive that journalism, comprising it together with advertising (062) and PR (063). The standard must consist of those competencies, which define the specificity of the professional training of specialists in the specialization 063 «Public Relations» and educational outcomes, which indicate clearly what a graduate must know, understand and perform.
The thesis concerning an influential role of the research and scientific work in the process of development and approval of the higher education standard in the field of public relations for undergraduate and postgraduate students and of involvement of experts and specialists of the PR real sector, who, in accordance with the dual-oriented model of education, must help educationists to develop criterions of qualitative educational services in this field.
Key words: social communications, professional training of specialists, public relations, higher education, institution of higher education in Ukraine, dual model of PR-education, competency-based and integrative approach, professional standard.
