The purpose of the publication is to study the essence and consequences of the downscaling reform of higher education agricultural institutions on the example of Kharkiv National Agrarian University named after V. V. Dokuchayev. The transformation of state views on training for agriculture and forestry, which took place in accordance with the radical doctrines of the Soviet leadership at the turn of the 20-30s of the twentieth century. It is shown that in the disaggregation process the principles of educational and research work developed by the head of the educational institution Professor V. V. Dokuchayev in the first half of the 90s of the XIX century are violated. It is generalized that the results of downscaling turned out to be destructive for the Kharkiv Agricultural Institute as a center of agricultural education and scientific innovations. It is proved that the reform of agricultural higher education institutions resulted in: change of organizational structure, elimination of multidisciplinary institutions and universality of education, repressions against scientific and pedagogical staff, destruction of formed scientific schools, lack of scientific and pedagogical staff, loss of education quality, weakness of material base. It is concluded that radical reforms may not always give the expected impetus to the development of education, science and the system of higher education institutions in general. Especially if the reorganization is accompanied by intimidation or repression against research and teaching staff. In such cases, the reform may result in the destruction of scientific schools and traditions decades that also take a long time to restore.

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