EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: ESSENCE AND CLASSIFICATION

Topicality. In today's conditions of globalization, digital transformation and rapid changes in society, education is becoming a key tool for ensuring sustainable development and competitiveness of the state. Educational innovations are the basis of the transformation of traditional approaches to education and upbringing, contributing to the creation of conditions for the comprehensive development of the individual, the formation of critical thinking, creative abilities and social responsibility. Innovative approaches in education help not only to improve the content of education, but also to change the ways of organizing pedagogical interaction, using modern technologies and interactive methods. The implementation of the latest methods, digital tools and interdisciplinary approaches is gaining particular importance in order to ensure the integration of Ukrainian education into the world educational space and its qualitative renewal. However, despite the importance of innovations in education, their concepts and classification remain debatable in the scientific literature, which complicates their effective implementation in practice. Studying the essence of the category "innovativeness", "innovations", "educational innovations" and their classification allows not only to theoretically substantiate these concepts, but also to effectively implement them in the educational process. Thus, the study of educational innovations is not only relevant, but also strategically important for ensuring the competitiveness of education and its compliance with today's challenges. Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article there is a definition of the essential content of the category "educational innovations" in higher education and theirclassification according to various characteristics.The realization of the set goal made it necessary to perform the following tasks: to carry out a content analysis of the categories "innovation", "innovations", "educational innovations" and to provide an author's definition of the essence of the category "innovation in higher education"; determine the classification features of the grouping of innovations in higher education and provide varieties of their classifications in the process of providing educational services. Materials and methods. Modern scientific approaches and methods aimed at ensuring the objectivity of the obtained results were used as part of the research into the categories "innovativeness", "innovations", "educational innovations" and their classification. Research materials that served as the basis for the analysis: scientific works of Ukrainian and foreign scientists, devoted to theoretical and practical aspects of innovations in the field of higher education; analytical reports, statistical data and methodical materials characterizing the development of educational innovations in higher education institutions; legislative and regulatory acts that regulate the functioning of the higher education system and the introduction of innovations. Research methods that were used during the study:analysis and synthesis (for consideration of existing approaches to the definition of the concept of "innovation" and the formation of a systematized idea of the classification of educational innovations); abstraction and generalization (to determine the essential characteristics of innovations in higher education); a systematic approach (to identify the interrelationships between the elements of innovative development of higher education institutions) and a comprehensive approach to the use of research methods provided an opportunity to obtain deep and well-founded conclusions regarding innovativeness as a category and classification of educational innovations in the higher education system. Research results. In the course of the research, the author developed a conceptual and categorical apparatus of innovative activity in terms of defining such concepts as: "innovativeness" and "educational innovations". The classification of educational innovations has been improved according to the following characteristics:frequency of implementation, source of funding, expected results, level of implementation, content of implementation, object of implementation, source of implementation, rates of implementation, types of implementation, role of implementation, creation and targeting of innovations. Conclusion. Summarizing the results of the research, it can be argued that the category "innovativeness" is a key characteristic of the educational process aimed at meeting the modern needs of society. Innovation in education involves the integration of the latest methods, technologies and approaches, which allows to ensure its quality, adaptability and compliance with the dynamic conditions of the modern world. The application of innovations in higher education has a comprehensive impact on all aspects of the functioning of educational institutions, contributing to their competitiveness, sustainable development and compliance with modern requirements of the labor market. At the same time, the successful implementation of innovations requires a systematic approach, which involves providing the appropriate technical infrastructure, training pedagogical personnel, creating flexible educational programs and active interaction with all interested parties. The classification of educational innovations contributes to their better understanding, organization and implementation in practice. Educational innovations can be divided according to various criteria, which allow a reasoned approach to their development, adaptation and application in different educational contexts. Thus, the study of educational innovations in higher education and their classification create a basis for further improvement of educational processes, stimulation of creative activity of scientific and pedagogical workers and students of education, as well as development of innovative culture in society. In the future, it is important to focus on the development of practical recommendations for integrating innovations into the educational system and monitoring their effectiveness.