Development of partnerships with enterprises
During the last five years PSTU has been continuously involved in implementing the initiatives aimed at providing interaction between the 3 interested sides in the knowledge triangle defined as University – Students – Enterprises. This work is carried out in line with the overall strategy of modernization of higher education.
In 2006-2007 PSTU signed and successfully realized the direct agreements on Strategic Partnership with the largest industrial enterprises in Ukraine and Europe, namely: OJSC Azovstal Iron & Steel Works, OJSC Illyich Iron & Steel Works of Mariupol, OJSC Azovmash and other companies. Joint activities were focused on introducing improvements into bachelors’ and masters’ academic programmes, developing cooperation in science and culture. As the result, direct three-lateral agreements were concluded between general secondary schools №14 and №40, PSTU and OJSC Azovstal Iron & Steel Works, Lingva-XXI Century private school, PSTU and Azovinpeks Civil Construction Company Ltd. In total more than 40 agreements were concluded, Pryazovie Educational–Scientific-Industrial Complex was set up under patronage of PSTU with participation of the large industrial enterprises and educational institutions of Pryazovskyi region of Ukraine.
The innovation educational projects Training of highly-qualified specialists to the enterprise demand (2 projects) & School – University – Enterprise (3 projects) were elaborated and successfully realized. They allowed to pool the efforts of general education schools, university and enterprises towards modernization of the input of higher education into business, improvement of the quality of undergraduates’ education, and socially-guaranteed career growth.
The projects include modernization and innovation of curricula of targeted academic programmes and wide use of modern interactive and deductive teaching methods which enhance students’ motivation. Among them are interactive and problem-oriented lectures, business games and simulation of non-standard situations, trainings, internships at the enterprises, practical training periods at the potential places of work during vacation, implementation of course and diploma projects on the essential problems of enterprises.
Labour Resource Management Center was established at PSTU. It takes care of signing and implementation of the direct agreements within the University – Students – Enterprises knowledge triangle, developing targeted academic programmes on innovation educational projects, holding jobs fairs and career days at the enterprises, training of future specialists on studying and mastering methods of doing business, ensuring their career growth, etc.
The outcomes of the projects under implementation have been reported and approved at the international conferences in Varna (Bulgaria, 2007, 2010), Riga (Latvia, 2008), Egypt (2009), international exhibitions. School – University – Enterprise innovation educational project was introduced by Metinvest Holding of the System capital management Corporation as the most successful business case-study at the international forum on Development of Reliable Leadership in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Lviv, 2010) and was recommended to be included into the portfolio of case-studies for institutions of higher learning and business-schools of Ukraine and Europe.
In 2009 Business-incubator’ was established and is successfully operating. Students, postgraduates and young teachers determine the details and methods of doing business using the principles of student self-governance.
Beginning with 2011 PSTU is planning to update into the core curriculum of engineering and business students and introduce new academic programmes on business activation, investment-innovations projects, economy and economical production management, quality and environmental management, energy resource saving technologies.
Business relations were established and agreements were concluded with Mariupol Employment City Center aimed at ensuring work placements for PSTU graduates, re-training, and internship for staff, creating the data base of vacancies.
PSTU has initiated the development of innovation educational business project called “Innovation educational projects on individual training of engineering staff to the enterprises demand” to be adopted in Donetsk region of Ukraine within the framework of realization Life-Long Learning Principle for 2011-2015.
In 2004 PSTU renewed and launched the movement of student labour brigades (SLB) to ensure work placement for 300-400 of students at the enterprises during their holidays and help them to acquire professional and communicative skills and competence.
The system of acquiring training in additional specialities which are in demand (including business competences) was set up to make the graduates more competitive at the labour markets and provide for their career growth at the enterprises and companies. Training students on 18 additional specialities relevant to the labour market is already being realized.
In 2011 PSTU is planning to set up the Career Center to centralize and develop effective cooperation with employers of small and big business, to create the data base on the vacancies and opportunities in the labour market.
So, PSTU is successfully working towards modernization and enhancing quality in higher education, expanding effective cooperation with economical and social partners, including prospective employers. These activities are in line with the TEMPUS programme priorities under “Higher Education and Society” building block: “Development of partnerships with enterprises”, “Development of lifelong learning and society at large”.
Professor Oleksandr P. Cheylyakh DSc (Engineering)
Vice-Rector of PSTU for Science and Pedagogics,
Tel. +38 0629 446630, Tel.-Fax +38 0629 333416
e-mail: cheylyakh_o_p@pstu.edu