"EDUCATION" AND "HIGHER EDUCATION" TERMS AND THEIR MEANINGS

This paper examines the essence and meaning of the concepts of education and higher education, their social significance, and their terminological features from a scientific perspective. The study analyzes the origin of the term “education,” its semantic development, and its interdisciplinary scope of application. In addition, the main goals, objectives, and functions of education are revealed, and their role in social development is substantiated. Higher education is interpreted as the highest stage of the education system, and its scientific-pedagogical and normative-legal aspects are highlighted. The paper also justifies the interrelation between the concepts of education and higher education, their role within the system of lifelong education, and their importance in the intellectual and economic development of society. The results of the study contribute to the deepening of theoretical knowledge in the field of education.