Interaction of Higher Education and Employers As a Competitiveness Factor of a University

Abstract

The labor market constantly demands qualified personnel and increases the requirements for graduates of educational establishments. In order to train a competitive young professional, universities seek modernization of various kinds and implement it in the educational process. Dual form of education is one of these efforts undertaken by educational institutions. The article presents the results of the semantic analysis of the dual education concept, an analysis of the stakeholders’ roles in the system of higher education with a large emphasis on the role of the employer, statistical data collection, and the main advantages and disadvantages of the dual approach to the educational process organization. The aim of the study is to analyze experience of dual education development in Germany, where it is regulated at the legislative level. The main advantages of dual education are identified: establishing practice-oriented training system, involving motivated employers in the training process and educational programs designing, alternating the theoretical and on-the-job training, and reducing the costs associated with personnel selection and adaptation. The study has developed a generalized process model for the implementation of the project ”Introduction of the dual form of education in an educational organization”. According to the proposed model, the first stage includes developing normative acts regulating dual education training, forming a team of mentors, and selecting students. At the second stage, the authors propose to distribute the contact work as follows: 60% for theoretical training and 40% for production-based. The final stage is devoted to the evaluation of the of the dual education system implementation effectiveness. The model was tested for the Novouralsk Institute of Technology — branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. The study presents a stage-by-stage description of the model and examines examples of the education dual form positive effects at the university, as well as considers emerging “noises”.