Two-tier system of higher education: advantages and disadvantages. The education system in Russia as a two-tier school system according to FGOS

Link to cite the article: Druzhilov S.A.Two-tier system of higher education: Western traditions and Russian reality// Pedagogy. 2010. No. 6. S. 51-58.

In Russia, a law has come into force on the introduction of a two-tier system of higher education: a bachelor's degree will correspond to the first level of higher education, and a master's degree - to the second. These levels imply separate state educational standards and independent final certification.

The drafters of the law assume that the first level (bachelor's degree) in 4 years will prepare a student for a job involving executive functions in the production or socio-economic sphere (line managers, sales specialists, administrators, etc.). Preparation at the first level will take place in a small number of basic areas, and in-depth specialization will be carried out in the magistracy. The number of master's programs will be determined based on the staffing needs of the economy and the social sphere. The magistracy will train individuals focused on activities requiring analytical and project skills, as well as research activities. Only a bachelor will be able to enter a budgetary place in a master's program. Education in the magistracy will be considered a second higher education, and in Russia, according to the law, it is only paid. Traditional specialists (graduates specialty) will be prepared only for the needs of the country's security and only by the relevant universities.

Can be distinguished internal and external reasons for Russia's transition to a two-tier system. Internal factors testify, on the one hand, to an increase in the demand for higher education by the population, on the other hand, to the low efficiency of the use of the graduated specialists trained so far in universities. The high demand will be illustrated by the statistical indicators below. Compared to 1991, the number of students in Russian universities increased by more than 2.7 times, reaching 7.3 million. [Klyachko], 15% of them are now studying at non-state universities. The number of universities is also growing. So, if in the 1993/94 academic year in the Russian Federation there were 626 universities, of which 548 were state and municipal, then in the 2005/06 academic year there were already 1,068, of which 655 were state and municipal. Number of students per 10 thousand people the population is also growing: from 176 in the 1993/94 academic year to (according to various authors) 480 or even 495 in 2005/06 (For comparison, the number of higher educational institutions in the United States exceeds 4 thousand. They have about two million teachers teach more than fifteen million students. According to forecasts, in 2010, the graduation of masters in the United States will be 477,000 people, and doctors of philosophy - 49,100 people).

In general, in Russia, over 10 years the number of students per 10 thousand people of the population has increased by 2.8 times, with a greater increase provided by non-state universities (15.2 times, and in state-owned - 2.45 times). The increase in the number of students is 7-15% annually. And the maximum is already close, when almost all school graduates become students.

At the same time, the number of secondary vocational schools and students in them increased slightly (from 2.2 million in the 1991/92 academic year to 2.5 million in the 2005/06 academic year) after a slight decrease in the middle. 90s. The number of institutions of primary vocational education and the admission of students to them has been steadily declining (from 1.2 million people in 1991 to 0.7 million people in 2006). Statistical indicators show that the number of people employed in the economy and having a higher education has increased 2.8 times over the past 10 years. At the same time, the efficiency of using specialists is extremely low. Two-thirds of current graduates either do not work in their specialty, or are forced to retrain at their place of work; on the other hand, the most primitive small and medium-sized business sector - retail trade - employs 10 million people, and half have a university degree. In fact, people who have received a diploma of higher professional education and qualifications of a specialist, occupy positions that do not require such education and qualifications. At the same time, it is noted that “promising employers in modern conditions no longer need in all cases university graduates with fundamental knowledge. ... What is required is something else: the ability to dynamically readjust to other programs, possession of certain basic skills, possession of a general level of culture that does not turn into over-education. " Thus, internal socio-economic reasons call for changes in the higher education system. The two-tier system we are introducing (bachelor's and master's degrees) is considered economically justified in a number of European countries and the United States.

External factor , stimulating the transition to a two-tier system, was the country's entry into the Bologna process. It began with the signing in 1999 in Bologna (Italy) of a declaration, which formulated the main goals leading to the compatibility of higher education systems in Europe. Russia, having joined the Bologna Declaration in 2003, pledged to implement its basic principles by 2010, including the introduction of the same higher education system.

When embarking on the introduction of a new multilevel system of higher education for us, it is useful to understand what it is and how it is built in the countries for which this system is traditional... For Russians, new names of university graduates are unusual, so let's look at their origin and modern use.

Bachelor Is the first academic degree, or the qualification acquired by the student after mastering the basic training program. The term "academic degree" is used in this case to denote adherence to established traditions (academicism) inherent in the European education system.

Noteworthy are two versions explaining the origin of the designation of the specified skill level. According to the first version, the word bachelor is of European origin and is related to the Latin word baccalarius, the initial value of which is vavasour, i.e. subordinate, dependent person, dependent not only on the lord, but also on his vassal. According to the second version, which was put forward by Academician I.M. Steblin-Kamensky, the origin of the word bachelor has Arabic roots and is originally associated with educational process... According to this version, the first universities arose in Muslim countries, and then, in their likeness, universities began to appear in southern Europe - in Italy, Spain, and teaching there was carried out according to Arab models. The teacher "slandered" his science to the students, and they wrote it down in detail. Then the teacher carefully checked what they had learned - and at the end of the manuscript he put his signature (in Arabic): bahakk-ur-aviya, which meant "by right of transfer." If everything was recorded correctly, then the student received right hand over this science further. Thus, a bachelor is someone who, having received the appropriate diploma, received the right teach another.

Master(from lat. magister- mentor, teacher) - second (highest) academic degree, initial scientist postgraduate degree magistracy.

The European Union, carrying out educational reform in the spirit of the Bologna process, seeks to find the maximum number of "points of contact" with US education, focusing at the same time on ensuring its competitiveness in the field of higher education.

The American higher education system is a three-step formation. The first stage ends with a bachelor's degree, the second - a master's (master's), and the third - a doctoral degree (PhD is pronounced as “ pee-hi-di ").

In the United States, there is no clear definition of the term “higher education institution”. In principle, any educational institution providing further training after graduation from high school, the so-called "postsecondary school", can with equal probability be called a "college", "school", "institute" or "university". Although the terms "college" and "university" are not identical, they are often used interchangeably in the United States and Europe. Colleges usually offer a four-year program of study leading to a bachelor's degree. At universities, after receiving a bachelor's degree, you can continue your studies under the master's and doctoral programs.

Colleges can exist independently, offering only first-stage higher education programs, or be part of a university. In the United States, as in most European countries, there is no concept of secondary specialized education. In fact, all post-secondary education is considered higher - "tertiary" ( tertiary) as opposed to the mean ( secondary). For example, the education that a nurse receives at a medical college is usually considered a higher education.

Education for a bachelor's degree is a basic higher education and is carried out in a college. As a rule, it lasts four years, or 8-12 semesters, depending on the number credits(required courses) required for a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree is also a prerequisite for continuing education in the next postgraduate(Postgraduate) educational level by program master's and the doctors... However, for most students, education ends with their bachelor's degree. Only about 15-20% of students continue their studies in the magistracy, and only 5-7% of them go to graduate school, after which they are awarded a PhD (doctor) degree

The main idea of studying for a bachelor's degree is to give the student the minimum of knowledge that he will need to successfully work in the chosen direction. Technically, it looks like a student must collect the required number of credits, or, in other words, listen to a certain number of specific courses, complete all laboratory and written work required within them, and pass the appropriate tests. The lists of compulsory courses developed for each specialty allow the student to plan their learning process. As a rule, the student is offered several courses to choose from. And he can choose according to his interests, his schedule or work schedule, and often focusing on the teacher who reads this or that course.

The college is designed to a certain extent to overcome the limitations of school education and to give the basics of general cultural, general humanitarian training, which the school could not give. Therefore, in the first two years of college, a student usually takes general education courses in English, history, philosophy, literature, foreign language, etc. They are mandatory and are included in the list of courses required to obtain a bachelor's degree in all specialties.

When entering a college, an applicant has the right not to specify the specialty he hopes to master at first. It is enough just to determine the direction or branch of science in which he intends to specialize, such as: humanities, engineering, mathematics and physics, pedagogy, etc. As a rule, it is enough to determine only the faculty to which the applicant enters. At the same time, the subject matter and range of faculties in the United States, as well as the list of specialties they offer, are very wide. Determining the faculty, the student is still far from choosing a specific specialty. Only in the third year of his studies, he chooses a specialty (in some cases, a student, in addition to the main one, receives a second specialty).

A feature of American education for a bachelor's degree is that the vast majority of academic disciplines are taught in the form of survey lectures. The concept of "academic group" does not exist, since everyone learns according to an individual program and attends lectures of their choice. Usually, each student is given a lecture notes before the lecture, which frees the student from taking notes in our understanding. Students listen to the lecturer and make notes in the text handed out to them.

There are several types of bachelor's degrees in the UK, the title of which depends on specializations... The four main degrees are BA in Arts (Bachelor of Arts), Bachelor of Science in BSC (Bachelor of Science), BENG in Engineering (Bachelor of Engineering), LLB in Law (Bachelor of Law). A bachelor's degree is awarded after 3 or 4 years of study in specialized programs in daytime branch university or college (if an industrial practice is also required to obtain a degree, then the total period of study is longer).

The postgraduate level of education in the US and UK starts after the bachelor's degree and leads to the degree master's and the doctors... Unlike a bachelor's degree, a master's degree focuses on specialized activity(business management, technology, pedagogy, jurisprudence, etc.). Persons who already have a bachelor's degree must undergo training for another 1-2 years, study a certain number of courses, mainly within the framework of their specialization, write and defend "theses" - an analytical report or a report of the applicant for a master's degree on his scientific work on the selected topic. Some universities require knowledge of a foreign language.

In England, there are two groups of study programs that allow you to get a Master's degree (Master Degree): 1) programs focused on research activity; 2) programs focused on increasing professional level in one of the specializations. Educational master's programs are organized as follows. After 8 - 9 months of lectures and seminars, exams are taken, and then students within 3 - 4 months make a thesis project. Based on the results of exams and the defense of the thesis, a master's degree is awarded. The holder of a master's degree in research is also called master philosophy M. Phil (Master of Philosophy). To obtain this degree, you need to conduct independent research work under the guidance of the senior teaching staff for 2 years. After receiving a master's degree, students, as a rule, do not complete this education, but continue their research work in order to obtain a degree. the doctors.

The highest stage of preparation highly qualified specialists is a postgraduate study for 3 years according to the program the doctors... Such programs focus on highly specialized training and independent scientific research. Persons with, as a rule, a master's degree are admitted to postgraduate studies, although in some universities a bachelor's degree is sufficient.

In the United States, in contrast to Russia, as well as a number of European countries, there is only one academic degree, called doctoral and denoted by the Latin term Philosophia Doctore (Ph.D). Doctor philosophy- an academic degree awarded in many Western countries, in particular, in the English and German higher education systems. The degree has no practical relation to philosophy (only historical) and is awarded in almost all scientific fields, for example: Doctor of Philosophy in Literature or Doctor of Philosophy in Physics. This degree is essentially the equivalent of our Ph.D. degree and is awarded upon completion of postgraduate studies and the submission of a dissertation.

Protection procedure doctoral thesis fundamentally different from the one adopted in Russia. It rather resembles our diploma defense and takes place in front of a commission consisting of four people: the scientific supervisor of the graduate student and three others. professors of the department, according to the profile of which the work was done. No external feedback is required for the job. However, the results obtained in the dissertation, as a rule, should have already been published in scientific articles and tested in speeches at scientific conferences [Education system in the United States].

There is no doubt that reform education makes significant changes in the way of life of a huge number of people. This means that after a while our society will consist of other people: not just because there is a natural change of generations, but fundamentally different, educated otherwise who have a different way of professional activity and the world in general. By changing the education system, we are changing the nature of society. Inserting into the reform a certain ideal image of the education system and the image-goal of the result at its output (in the form of the graduates' competencies), we, whether we are aware of this or not, are putting into it a certain image of the future society.

Education, from the point of view of sociology, education is inherent in society, at least three functions. Education provides: a) socialization, i.e. passing on the norms and values of society to new generations; b) preparation for professional activity; c) social mobility of members of society (a kind of "social lift").

We have been assigned the direction of reforming education - entering a single educational space. At the same time, Europe declares the US education system as a model. On the other hand, Europe has its own established university traditions.

The purpose of education in continental Europe has traditionally been understood differently than in Anglo-Saxon culture. Briefly, it can be expressed as follows: Europeans are betting on specialists-experts and them special knowledge(especially in Germany, Sweden, etc.), and the Anglo-Saxons rely on free developing personality striving for happiness and success. Thus, if we highlight the dominant accents, we get the following picture. Within the framework of the "European" model of education, the most important thing is to train specialists, and for this to attract interested students in the learning process take away of them the most "promising", preferably those who know how to study independently and very intensively. The rest can leave without completing their studies (with more or less losses for their career and personality). Within the framework of the "Anglo-Saxon" (typical for the United States) educational model, the most important thing is the formation of a well-rounded personality, and if the training results in a specialist as well, that's not bad either.

In addition, as noted by David Harvey, professor of anthropology at City University of New York (CUNY), with a higher professional education in the United States, far from all is well: “... in this country there is a constant shortage of qualified labor. College is very expensive. Therefore, people with higher education have to pay high salaries. The former USSR has a large resource of people with excellent education who are not in demand in their own country. And in the USA they are hired. Likewise, representatives of the technical and scientific elite from China and India. America doesn't care about training its own cadres. "

What is the goal of reforming Russian education, and where are we moving - towards the American or the European model of the graduate? It is known that goal- this is an ideal image of the future result. The goal is determined by objective needs, but motives activities towards the goal, as well as the choice funds can be completely different.

Functions socialization carried out by university education has a very significant role. For a young person, the period of study at a university is a period of building "bridges" between him and society, acquiring new acquaintances, developing communication skills at various levels, establishing contacts that will be useful in the future. An increase in the proportion of this function of education in society is noted.

The second function of education outlined above is preparation for professional activities... This is where significant changes have taken place. If before knowledge, as noted by N.E. Pokrovsky, science relied on the enlightened picture of the world and was considered, basically, as an absolute and boundless value, then from now on the concept of "useful knowledge" prevailed. , those. knowledge that is limited in principle, focused on specifics and focused on results that bring immediate economic benefits. This leads to a "readjustment" of the basic parameters and the entire education system.

The third function of education is a "social lift" that allows university graduates to rise from their social stratum to higher floors. The possibilities of this function are increasingly limited due to the concentration of "elite" universities in the capital cities. The transition to a two-tier system of higher education will lead to the fact that the majority of universities ("provincial") will be allowed to graduate only bachelors.

The new type of economy raises new requirements for university graduates, among which the requirements of systemically organized intellectual, communicative, self-organizing principles, which make it possible to successfully organize activities in wide social, economic, and cultural contexts, are gaining more and more priority. A UNESCO report presented 11 years ago says: “More and more often, entrepreneurs do not need qualifications, which, from their point of view, are too often associated with the ability to carry out certain operations of a material nature, but competence, which is seen as a kind of cocktail of skills inherent in to every individual who combines qualifications in the strict sense of the word ... social behavior, the ability to work in a group, initiative and love of risk. " Employers assess the quality of education of graduates by their level competence.

On the other hand, there really is a problem exceeding necessary level competence... The researchers note that “many American firms refuse to hire graduates of Russian universities because their competence exceeds required level for this vacancy ". It is believed that exceeding the required level of competence reduces the possibility of personal self-realization, which results in a decrease in job satisfaction and an increase in the employee's social pessimism.

Summarizing, we can say that “competence” implies the development in a person of the ability to navigate in a variety of complex and unpredictable work situations, to have an idea of the consequences of their activities, as well as to bear responsibility for them. Understood in this way, the competence-based approach in university education is certainly useful. The possible "pitfalls" on the way of its concrete implementation are alarming. Here, the following two extreme positions are real.

1) Replacing the fundamental nature of knowledge with their utilitarian application. Then the university graduate will have not so much a system of professional knowledge as a set of "competencies" - skills and abilities. The educational system itself brings the student to the situation: “Why understand if you can just be able to? " In other words, the traditional task of education is “ why"Is replaced by the task of education -" how". We will teach higher mathematics using the reference book by I.N. Bronstein, by memorizing a set of standard formulas, and learning a profession - by memorizing a set of standard professional techniques. We will get professional performers of tasks like "knead and chop", as in the famous old cartoon.

2) Substitution of vocational training for general cultural and “near-vocational” education. Raise the cultural level of students, identify and optimally develop their personal abilities, adaptation skills in society. Of course, this in itself is not bad, but someone needs to work - and the tendencies of the complication of technology, orientation towards innovative technologies that require professionalism from university graduates have not been canceled.

The multilevel system of higher education being introduced in Russia is fundamentally different from the one that developed earlier. It is already recognized that a massive and urgent transition to it threatens a serious danger. Much will have to be changed, but something will have to be radically broken and rebuilt. At the same time, there is a potential danger of losing something valuable that has been achieved in the previous history of domestic higher education, including the existing contingent of highly qualified university teachers. It is known that when the bachelor's degree was introduced in Germany, many teachers left to work in US universities and colleges. And what will the downsized teachers of special disciplines of domestic universities do? And this danger is quite real in connection with the cancellation specialty as the level of training of professionals at a technical university. An ill-considered transition to the new system will lead to a decrease in competitive graduates of the university, since the domestic employer does not understand with what level of training a bachelor's degree will come. But the most important thing is that reducing the period of study by 20% cannot increase the quality and efficiency of training for university graduates. Thoughtless implementation of the adopted law by transferring European and American prototypes of education to Russian soil can have devastating (but delayed, which will appear in 10-15 years) consequences for the country's future. But it should be borne in mind that the specific implementation of the upcoming reforms largely depends on the determination by each university of its strategy and its place in the system of training qualified personnel for the city and the region.

LITERATURE

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Beyond the degree the doctors philosophy, in Western countries there are other doctoral degrees of the same rank. This is due to historical traditions: in medieval universities there were faculties of philosophy, jurisprudence, theology and medicine, so doctors are awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine, lawyers - Doctor of Law, theologians - Doctor of Theology, and everyone else - Doctor of Philosophy.

Russia became a member of the Bologna Process in 2003. Because of this, the entire system of higher education had to be changed, which had been built for several decades. The Bologna system, both for students and university teachers, has its pros and cons, which can be discussed for a long time. Nevertheless, in addition to innovations, which are only getting used to, a two-tier system has appeared, which involves training at the "bachelor" and "master" levels. Until a certain moment, this worried the graduates, who had the diplomas of "specialists" in their hands. In fact, Russia has managed to defend the right to issue such diplomas, since training for a bachelor's degree assumes 4 years, and for a master's degree 6 years. A specialist means 5 years of training.

Differences in training bachelors, specialists and masters

In addition to the difference in terms of study and specialization, there are also some differences according to which the Bologna system works. Teaching bachelors involves the formation of specific individual thinking, which, together with the basic knowledge of the specialty, will help not only to adapt in a professional environment, but also to develop independently.

When teaching specialist students, it is important to teach them how to work independently, to form their ability to combine theory and practice, not to neglect their abilities, including creativity. The task of teachers who work with potential "specialists" is to teach students to work in the field of scientific research.

Master students must master everything that both "bachelors" and "specialists", while they need to additionally learn practical points and narrower specializations in the context of the specialty.

Consequences of the transition to a two-tier system

If studying for a bachelor's degree involves a general specialty that needs to be studied for 4 years (perhaps 3, if 12 grades of school were completed), then training in a master's program continues for another 2 years. This is due to the fact that a master's degree is a narrower specialist. Such a system allows the rational use of budgetary funds that come in the form of private and public funding for universities.

In connection with the emergence of this system, applicants in high school should be determined with their future profession. On the plus side, they don't have to take entrance exams. General state exams are enough, or the enrollment can take place at the expense of the results of the Olympiads. Also, this system assumes the ability of Russian students to continue their studies in European countries and the opportunity to stay there for career development.

Advantages and disadvantages of a two-tier system

The main advantages of this system are that the master already at the senior courses has enough knowledge to start working. The number of budget-funded places in the magistracy is constantly growing. The good thing about having a bachelor's degree is that a person has the opportunity to think about the advisability of continuing his studies further. He has the opportunity to change his mind and get a higher education in another field.

As for the obvious shortcomings, the main one is that the system of educational standards in Russia has not yet been developed, which makes it difficult to rank specialties and issue appropriate diplomas to relevant specialists. Particularly acute is the issue of medical students and representatives of creative professions.

Sibay Institute (branch) of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education "Bashkir State University"
Sibay

TRANSITION TO A TWO-LEVEL SYSTEM OF HIGHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IN RUSSIA

In recent years, the higher education community in Russia has been interested in the problems associated with the modernization of Russian higher education. Quite a lot of conferences and seminars devoted to this issue have been held, there are a number of publications, websites are being created that reflect the events of the Bologna process and the transition to a two-level education system. And the future of the whole country depends on how successfully the transition of Russia to a two-tier system of higher education is realized.

The relevance of the topic is determined by the need for Russian universities to switch to a two-tier education system. This transition requires organizational, managerial and substantive changes in the traditional educational process. It is often hampered by the negative attitude of a part of the teaching staff, students to the two-level education system, and a formal approach to its implementation. However, the number of negative assessments of the bachelor's degree has been decreasing lately.

A two-tier education system must be designed simultaneously both in the context of the Bologna process and in the context of modernizing the entire Russian higher education system. The education system should be viewed as a complex modern educational technology that combines pedagogical, socio-psychological, organizational, and economic aspects.

In 2003, the Russian Federation entered the Bologna Process - a single European Higher Education Area. According to the Bologna Declaration, Russian higher education institutions have been teaching on the basis of two levels since September 1, 2011. The first level, the Bachelor's degree, is compulsory for all students. The second level is a master's degree - a higher level of education, those who want to engage in scientific activities will be able to enter it. An important positive aspect of the Bologna system is the possibility of obtaining a diploma supplement, recognizable throughout the European educational space. This application is in demand, especially by those students who intend to continue their education abroad. The Bologna Process is intended to become a triggering mechanism for transformations that would improve the quality of our higher education, and Russia positioned itself as a competitive player in the global educational market.

The two-tier education system will allow us to implement the paradigm - “education throughout life”, which sets the following tasks:

· Development and implementation of fundamental, integrative academic subjects, various educational strategies, teaching methods of self-education, etc.;

· Focus of education on the personality of the student, its all-round development, including emotional and intellectual;

· Preparation for continuing education;

· Orientation towards self-education, motivation to replenish knowledge and the formation of readiness for retraining (retraining), depending on the needs of the labor market.

The advantage of obtaining higher education in a two-tier system is that it gives the student the opportunity to get a two-in-one higher education: complete a bachelor's degree in one direction, and get a master's degree in another way. The student is not limited in his choice of master's degree either by the walls of the university, or by geographic boundaries. The advantage of the bachelor's degree is the close cooperation of Russian and European universities in joint projects. Many universities have been successfully doing this for a long time, their graduates find work in their specialty. One of the ways to help the bachelor's degree to take its rightful place in the higher education system is to “turn to face it” applicants, parents and employers.

In the Russian Federation, many higher educational institutions have begun to train bachelors since the mid-1990s. This decision was independent for each higher educational institution. Today, such a system has become mandatory for almost all Russian universities. In accordance with the law, a person with a bachelor's degree is a qualified specialist with a higher education, capable of occupying certain positions that require higher professional education.

A two-tier system is a more flexible model, and even for teachers themselves it is not so easy to adapt to it. The modern system of higher education requires a lot of labor for the preparation of teaching materials, and this is not reflected in the salary level. Today, the teacher is forced to change the content of his lectures, change educational and methodological complexes, develop new work programs of disciplines and spend a lot on this. at part of their working time, and previously they used the same methodological complexes for ten years.

A bachelor's degree is an academic degree or qualification that is awarded to a student after graduation from a higher education institution of a basic study program. The bachelor studies for four years. Bachelors adapt to the labor market just as well as specialists. The bachelor has the right to continue his studies in the magistracy for free, and then enroll in graduate school. A bachelor's degree is a self-sufficient diploma of higher professional education. Graduates of bachelor's degrees will quickly get into active life and into the Russian economy. The bachelor's degree is aimed at giving the student a certain preparation and teaching them to replenish their knowledge and skills to a greater extent independently.

A Master's degree is the highest academic degree required for those seeking an advanced degree. A master's degree is required for admission to graduate school. The master must be eligible to occupy higher positions and receive a higher salary. A master's degree is still a professional who is able to solve the most difficult problems in his field, who has an analytical mindset and the ability to predict, often a master's student is focused on research and / or teaching work.

One of the main positive aspects of this system is its proximity to European education and mobility. According to the supporters of the law on two-level education, in the future, any bachelor will be able to complete their education, for example, in Germany or the UK. The undergraduate program assumes a whole direction, within which a graduate, after working and finding out what is closer to him, will be able to get a narrow specialty. In addition, the student has the opportunity, already having a higher education, in practice to make sure that he has chosen the right profession.

The standardization of Russian education guarantees applicants, students and graduates of universities, as well as their parents, a certain level of students' knowledge and the quality of education. The difference between the third generation federal state standard and previous standards is that universities are given freedom of choice. If earlier 70% of the study time was occupied by compulsory disciplines, and 30% was given to regional and university components, now this proportion for bachelors is 50 to 50, and in the master's program the university already determines 70% of the content of the curriculum.

Previous state standards were based on a disciplinary principle, the student had to master a certain amount of knowledge in specific scientific disciplines. The new standards are dominated by the competence-based approach. The result of the educational process is described by the complex of competencies of the graduate. The quality of training is determined by the degree of the student's familiarization with the integral sphere of future professional activity. During the training, the student must master certain competencies provided by the state standard. And with the help of which disciplines these abilities and work skills are formed, the ministry has not strictly established.

The peculiarity of FSES HPE is that 20% of classroom lessons should be held in an interactive form, new technologies should be used so that the student's involvement in the didactic process, his activity is higher. The teacher's lectures should make up no more than 40% of the training sessions. The new federal state standard requires more time to devote students to independent work, practical and laboratory classes, which, in turn, must be methodically provided.

The old standards limited the educational process to disciplines, the new standard provides for the presence of didactic modules, interdisciplinary complexes. Students will be given synthetic material requiring knowledge of several disciplines.

In the area of higher education at the European level, special attention is paid to the development of effective systems for ensuring the quality of education. Responsibility for quality assurance lies with each institution in accordance with the principle of institutional autonomy. This is an important condition for the successful formation of national systems for quality assurance in higher education, which should include:

1.defining the responsibilities of the bodies and institutions involved;

3. a system of accreditation, certification and comparable procedures;

4. international partnerships, cooperation and the creation of a network of agencies specialized in the definition of education.

The credit system is an effective mechanism for comparing the quantitative and qualitative indicators of the preparation of the level of students, allowing, based on objective criteria, to establish an individual rating for each student based on the results of training. With a large-scale application in the educational practice of higher education, the credit system has a multipurpose purpose and forms the basis of the organization of the educational process. Its real advantages, combined with innovative educational technologies, are manifested in the activities of higher educational institutions.

The credit system is seen as a tool to improve the quality of education. Its introduction significantly changes the work of teachers, encouraging them to constant self-improvement and self-study, to update the methodological support of the educational process, and to regularly provide individual counseling to students.

The transition to a credit system will have a positive impact on the work of students. The increase in independent studies stimulates students to master various ways of searching and collecting information on the disciplines studied. The formation of individual educational programs by students on the basis of curricula significantly affects personal motivation in learning, and the development of new, effective methods of current control of knowledge contributes to an increase in the quality of mastering of academic subjects.

Thus, the transition to a two-tier education system will make Russian higher education more attractive, flexible, democratic, will increase the efficiency of the use of budget funds, create conditions for the best preparation of students, as well as the possibility of continuing their studies at any university in Europe. A Russian student will have the opportunity to study at foreign universities, accumulate academic credits and use them to obtain a second higher education and, in general, for lifelong learning.

However, at the same time, there are negative aspects to the undergraduate program.

Firstly, the impossibility for a student, disillusioned with the “bachelor's-master's” system, to switch to the usual five-year education system.

Second, the two-tier system will lead to the destruction of the traditional Soviet model of higher education, which has proven itself well;

Third, the labor market is not ready to view bachelors as people with completed higher education, and if Russian diplomas are recognized in the West, this will lead to a "brain drain";

Fourthly, a bachelor's degree is recognized as a higher education diploma, but employers are skeptical and want to see only specialists in their staff.

Thus, legally, the concepts of bachelor and specialist are equivalent and identical. But still, at first, the specialist will have some advantage, since the specialist is more recognizable and familiar to employers. A bachelor's degree is a self-sufficient diploma of higher professional education. Graduates-bachelors will quickly get into the active life of society. We need explanatory work with both students and employers. In connection with the reorganization of many branches of Russian higher education, specialization is becoming a thing of the past and there is no getting away from it. Higher educational institutions are faced with two interrelated problems: the preparation of new teaching materials for bachelor's degree and the development of criteria for assessing the level of training of students.

Literature

1., Tsyb process in questions and answers .. Publishing house of St. Petersburg. un-that, 20s. Bachelor's and Master's Degree: What is More - Pluses or Minuses ?: a conversation with N. Rozina, Director of the Department of State Policy and Legal Regulation in the Sphere of Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation // Education & Career. - 2008. - No. 2. - S. 10-15.

2. Senashenko, V. The quality of higher education and the credit system / V. Senashenko, N. Zhalnina // Higher education in Russia N 5. - P. 14-18

3. Eremina bachelor's degree in the preparation of qualified specialists. // Higher education in Russia. No. С.144-146

4. Vukovich two-level education system in the context of strengthening European integration processes // Modern high technology. - 2008. - No. - С.106-107.

As you know, there are both paid and free (budgetary) places in the magistracy of Russian universities. Who can claim them?
According to the new Law "On Education", which has already entered into force, the magistracy belongs to the first higher education, which means that it is provided free of charge (however, the number of places, of course, is strictly limited). According to the same law, those who received a bachelor's degree in any year or a specialist diploma - before 2012 can apply for free (competitive) places in the master's program.

Since 2012, those who have studied at the university for five years, began to receive a specialist diploma of a new type. For them, a master's degree is already considered a second higher education, which means that education in any case will be paid.

For those who have already graduated from the magistracy and decided to enter it again, education, of course, will also be paid - this is already the second higher.

Who came up with the two-tier system?

It is according to this scheme - first a bachelor's degree, and then, if desired, either a master's degree or employment - students in Western universities have been studying for a long time. When it came to the fact that Russia will enter the Bologna process (and this is necessary in order for the diplomas of our universities to be recognized around the world), they started talking about the need to transfer our educational institutions to a two-level education.

The State Duma deputies legalized this system at the end of 2007. Every year more and more universities are switching to it.

How many years do you have to sit at a desk?

The bachelor's degree program is designed for 4 years. A bachelor's degree is a full-fledged higher education. In the diploma of such a graduate it will be written: "A bachelor's qualification (degree) in such and such a direction has been awarded." Master's degree is another two years at the institute.

Until recently, it was provided for those who want to go into science or become a teacher. But in recent years, master's programs with a clear practical focus have begun to appear in leading Russian universities. The curriculum of such educational programs is built taking into account the practical component, and representatives of business and government agencies are widely involved in teaching.

By the way, in addition to this alignment (11 grades of the school - bachelor's - master's degree), there are others. For example, a young man or girl can first go to college after the 9th grade, and only then apply to a university. At the same time, then you will have to study not four, but only three years for a bachelor's degree. If at a university a young person continues his studies in the same profile as in college.

Will there be enough places in the master's program for everyone?

To enroll in a master's program, you will have to pass exams. It is clear that there will be fewer budget places than in a bachelor's degree. Usually, the larger the university, the more budget places it can “afford”. The undisputed leader in terms of the number of budget-funded places in the magistracy (both in absolute and relative terms) is the National Research University Higher School of Economics. Traditionally, there are many free places at some faculties of Moscow State University, at MIPT and many technical universities.

One way or another, the number of places for masters in all universities will be different. It depends on the quality of training, personnel and material capabilities of the educational institution. The most talented young people will be able to study for a master's degree for free.

Is this a normal education?

The two-tier education system has many opponents. Some are convinced that bachelors are like undergraduate students. Representatives of the leading universities, which switched to a new training system without waiting for the law to appear, do not agree with this. Among the leaders - and the Moscow State Technical University. N.E. Bauman (MSTU named after Bauman), Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN), and Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO).

Today, an increasing number of universities are trying to build their bachelor's programs in order to provide students with the most general fundamental education in the chosen discipline, and master's programs will serve as more specialized, in-depth courses for those who graduated from the bachelor's degree.

What do employers think?

Many dads and mothers of current applicants doubt whether it is worth giving their beloved child to bachelor's degree. Will a young man with such an education then find a prestigious job?
The answer to this question is simple - you can rarely find a job description that would require, for example, a person with a master's degree. In nine cases out of ten, "higher education" is indicated, and this includes a bachelor's degree.

On the other hand, companies value the knowledge and experience of the employee they hire. And sometimes the line "master's degree" can play a decisive role in choosing one of the two applicants.
It also cannot be denied that for many professional fields two years of practical experience are more important than two years of lectures. This situation is unlikely to change any time soon. Although for areas of activity where fundamental knowledge is needed - economics, law, pharmacy, psychology - a master's degree should be a priority.

11SH11YA No. 3.2012 ShShShShShSh

MODERNIZATION OF EDUCATION

TWO-LEVEL SYSTEM OF RUSSIAN EDUCATION: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

O. I. Averina, N. A. Gorbunova

(Mordovia State University named after N.P. Ogarev)

The main advantages and disadvantages of the two-level system of higher education and the problems arising in this area in connection with the transition to educational standards of higher professional education of the third generation are analyzed. The key directions of the development of an innovative model of education in modern conditions are considered.

Key words: harmonization of education; state educational standards; bachelor's degree; magistracy; competence-based approach; postgraduate studies; module; innovative model of education; educational technologies; credit units.

One of the priority directions of the country's development at the present stage is to ensure the high quality and prestige of Russian education.

The achievement of this goal is directly related to the modernization of Russian higher education in the framework of the implementation of the basic principles of the Bologna process.

As you know, it is customary to refer to the process of creating a common educational space by the countries of Europe as Bologna. It began with the signing in 1999 in Bologna (Italy) of the Bologna Declaration, which formulated the main goals leading to the achievement of comparability and ultimately harmonization of national educational systems of higher education in European countries.

Russia joined the Bologna Process in 2003 at the Berlin Conference of Education Ministers of the countries participating in the Bologna Process. The need for Russia to join the Bologna Process was caused, on the one hand, by the country's strong dependence on the external market in both production and consumption, and, on the other hand, by the requirement to increase the competitiveness of Russian education, turning it into a highly profitable business sphere, ensuring the free movement of labor and goods. and capital in the world community.

The Bologna Declaration specifies the following key principles for the harmonization of national educational systems: the introduction of generally understandable, comparable qualifications in higher education, the transition to a two-stage system of higher education (bachelor's - master's), the introduction of an assessment of labor intensity (courses, programs, workload) in terms of credits (credits ) and the reflection of the curriculum in the annex to the diploma, a sample of which was developed by UNESCO, increasing the mobility of students, teachers and administrative and managerial personnel (ideally, each student should spend at least a semester at another university, preferably a foreign one), mutual recognition of qualifications and relevant documents in areas of higher education, ensuring the autonomy of universities.

In addition, the issues of the need to introduce postgraduate studies into the general education system (as a third level) are currently being discussed; increasing the attractiveness, competitiveness and social role of higher education, its accessibility; on the development of the system of additional education ("education throughout life"). In general, the new education system has many positive aspects that should have a positive impact on learning outcomes.

INTEGRATION OF EDUCATION

The advantages of the first level of higher education - bachelor's degree - are the acceptance of this educational qualification by European employers, the possibility of employment abroad and change of profession. A person with a bachelor's degree is a qualified specialist with a higher education who is able to occupy certain positions that require higher professional education. A distinctive feature of the Master's program is the narrower and deeper specialization of the student. Obtaining a master's degree is necessary for those who seek to obtain an academic degree or are oriented towards research and / or teaching work.

Among the advantages of a two-tier system, one should also mention the fact that it gives the student the opportunity to get a two-in-one higher education: complete a bachelor's degree in one direction, and get a master's degree in another. Nevertheless, the transition to a two-level education system in Russian practice is associated with the presence of certain problems caused primarily by the need to preserve the fundamental nature of Russian education, its reasonable conservatism, integration with science, and the presence of original scientific and pedagogical schools. The modern educational paradigm should define learning as a controlled educational and cognitive activity, which leads not only to an increase in the amount of knowledge, abilities and skills, but also to changes in the student's personality in the direction of its fuller self-realization. In higher education as a professional school, the result of the learning process appears in the form of the formation of professionally significant qualities of the student's personality - qualities that will determine his professional competence, skills and mastery.

At present, professional educational programs for the preparation of bachelors, masters are being brought in accordance with the requirements of the federal

Dalnye state educational standards (FSES) of the third generation. Among the features of the FSES, we highlight the following:

1) the standards of the third generation, in contrast to the previous ones, are aimed at providing universities with freedom of choice. If earlier 70% of the study time was occupied by compulsory disciplines, and 30% fell on the regional and university components, now the proportion for bachelors is 50 to 50, and in the magistracy, the university determines 70% of the content of the curriculum. This is due to the need to preserve some of the basic specialties of the Russian education system, which, in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard, represent only a specialized orientation of training. At the same time, the introduction of new standards in the educational process implies a reduction in the number of hours allocated to professional special disciplines: out of 4,860 hours, or 240 credit units, only 52% of the undergraduate program has been allocated for mastering professional competencies. Obviously, it is quite difficult to perfectly master the skills of professional competencies in such conditions, therefore, it is necessary to find additional reserves for more effective use of study time with the use of new styles of training;

2) if the previous state standards were based on the disciplinary principle, according to which a student must master a certain amount of knowledge in specific scientific disciplines, then the competence-based approach is the basic one in FSES. The result of the educational process is described by the complex of competencies of the graduate, and the quality of training is determined by the degree of the student's familiarization with the integral sphere of future professional activity. This means that during the training, the student must master a number of competencies provided by the state standard. At the same time, the Ministry of Education has not strictly established, with the help of

of these disciplines, the student's abilities and work skills should be formed. On the one hand, it is quite difficult for a university to determine which disciplines should correspond to a module that includes several competencies; on the other hand, the university is given the opportunity to create training modules corresponding to one or another profile direction and specialties that exist in it before the transition to a two-level education system;

3) the peculiarity of the Federal State Educational Standard is connected with the fact that at least 20% of the classroom lessons must be held in an interactive form using new technologies, and the lectures of the teacher must not exceed 50% of the classroom load. New standards require that more time be devoted to independent work of students, practical and laboratory classes, which should be provided with appropriate teaching and methodological material (abstracts, essays, portfolio, term papers);

4) new educational standards are focused on the use of a credit system, which is an effective mechanism for comparing quantitative and qualitative indicators of the level of training of students. The use of this system in the educational practice of higher education has a multipurpose purpose and forms the basis of the organization of the educational process. The introduction of credits (credits) changes the work of teachers: on the one hand, it encourages them to continuous self-improvement and self-study, to update the methodological support of the educational process, to regularly provide individual counseling to students; on the other hand, it allows, on the basis of objective criteria, to establish an individual rating for each student based on the results of training, stimulating him to master various methods of searching and collecting information on the disciplines studied. The student's ability to form their own curricula of individual educational programs significantly affects the personal

motivation to learn, and new, effective methods of current control of knowledge help to improve the quality of learning subjects. The main problem of using individual plans is associated with focusing on the ideal student with a certain knowledge potential. For the less capable, the formation of curricula will consist in choosing the easiest disciplines to master, which ultimately will negatively affect the implementation of the curriculum and the level of training of a specialist.

The concept of building new educational standards is associated with the solution of several basic issues.

1. Active introduction of an innovative model of education into the educational process. The purpose of this model is to train specialists with sufficient professional competencies necessary to solve various kinds of problems that arise in practice.

The introduction of an innovative model requires an educational environment, which is a kind of complex that introduces the student into a real system of theoretical structures and practical skills. This is a kind of educational space that comprehensively affects the development of a future specialist, contributing to the professional development of the student. The use of an innovative educational environment can be an optimal approach to the implementation of the unity of theory and practice for full-fledged training. Among the different types of innovations, the greatest relevance is currently received by the techniques related to the organization of the educational process: case studies, interactive practical

INTEGRATION OF EDUCATION

ticums and simulators, electronic textbooks and teaching aids, electronic educational and methodological complexes, virtual computer laboratories, automated laboratory complexes, an automated consulting system, etc. the nature and content of education. Changes in teaching methods and technologies can be presented in the form of new methodological developments for existing academic disciplines, new topics of diploma and term papers, new disciplines as part of the main educational programs of different levels of education, new directions of scientific research, new topics of scientific and practical conferences.

2. Application of a competency-based approach that ensures professional responsibility for the performance of job functions. This approach does not reject the principle of fundamental education, but enhances the depth of its comprehension within a given area of application. A competency-based approach means the highly interdisciplinary nature of the educational content. Since any modern activity is multidimensional in its consequences, professional responsibility involves making decisions and actions that take into account, along with knowledge of the main specialty, the knowledge of others. Mastering knowledge, skills and mastering skills must meet the following requirements:

The list of knowledge, skills and abilities should be as small as possible. The formulated requirement presupposes the determination of the minimum sufficient level of training. Its content should allow a specialist to carry out professional activities as a trainee (which is what actually happens), to complete vocational education later through a system of training and advanced training, to satisfy the needs of consumers as

present moment, and in the future. This level should literally represent the “core” of vocational education;

The list of knowledge, skills and abilities should be really assimilable. This means that within the time constraints on the educational process, knowledge, skills and abilities must be mastered to such an extent that they can be used naturally in the practical activities of a specialist.

Thus, the competence-based approach allows us to consider the educational process as a gradual complication of goals, content, methods, forms, learning outcomes at different levels of education.

Learning based on a competence-based approach significantly changes the role of the teacher. If earlier he acted as an intermediary between the knowledge base and the student, now he has the following role functions: lecturer, teacher, curriculum developer, examiner, mentor, consultant, researcher, coordinator.

3. Development of students' abilities for different learning styles. In European universities in this area, numerous studies have been carried out, as a result of which students were classified according to various criteria: active and reflexive; pragmatists and theorists; adapters and innovators; assimilators and researchers; dependent on the environment and independent; globalists and analysts; assimilators and opportunists; creatively thinking and analytically thinking; inconsistent and consistent; sane and impetuous; proactive and motivated; intuitive thinking and analytic thinking; thinking and feeling; those who think actively with the left hemisphere of the brain and those who think actively with the right hemisphere, etc. Each of these groups of students has its own preferences in the forms of presentation of new knowledge by teachers. If there are inconsistencies between the teaching style chosen by the instructor

the material and the student's teaching style, in which he feels most comfortable, then all sorts of difficulties arise.

We carried out a study among students of the III and IV courses of the full-time form of study under the program "Accounting, analysis, audit". Students were given a questionnaire containing 12 questions, the answers to which made it possible to determine the main learning styles preferred by the students. As a result, it turned out that of the two ways of perceiving information - concrete experience, learning from sensations, personal experience, involvement and abstract conceptualization, learning by thinking - the bulk of students preferred the first. Supporters of the second made up only 11% of the total number of respondents. Quite interesting were the results of a study on student preferences in relation to the methods of processing perceived information. Of the two methods — active experimentation and reflective observation — 70% of students preferred the latter.

Thus, having the results of such a questionnaire, the teacher can greatly facilitate the learning process for students by choosing for them the appropriate didactic techniques and methods of presenting the material.

4. Formation of academic honesty of students. Since personal integrity is the foundation of one's own success and satisfaction in business and in life, academic integrity should be seen as a student's most valuable asset. Unfortunately, cases of academic dishonesty are now widespread. This was confirmed by the results of the study, which was conducted in September 2011. A survey of students showed the following results: 60% of respondents downloaded from the Internet ready-made abstracts, essays, term papers; 43 - paid for other persons to complete term papers, theses, essays, or bought ready-made works; 35 - is

used abstracts, essays, homework, completed by students of this educational institution in previous years; 28 - during the final certification in the studied discipline (test, exam), they used the published answers to exam questions and cheat sheets, as well as materials downloaded to a mobile phone; 25 - studied educational material based on photocopies of lectures and notes of other students; 18 - used a headset (headphones) to pass the exam or test; 15% used other students' cribs for exams.

The results obtained indicate the need for a radical change in the existing mentality of students, the use of tougher penalties for academic dishonesty.

5. Active use of independent work (IWS). Independent work of students is intended not only for mastering each discipline, but also for developing the skills of independent work in general in educational, scientific, professional activities, the ability to take responsibility, independently solve problems, and find constructive solutions. According to the new educational paradigm, regardless of the specialization and nature of work, any novice specialist should have fundamental knowledge, professional skills and abilities in his profile, experience in creative and research activities to solve new problems, experience in social and evaluative activities. The last two components of education are formed precisely in the process of students' independent work. In addition, CDS has an educational value: it forms independence not only as a set of skills and abilities, but also as a character trait that plays a significant role in the personality structure of a modern highly qualified specialist.

The forms of the CDS are varied: working out the current material according to the notes and

The ratio of time allotted for classroom and independent work in world practice is 1: 3.5. This ratio is based on the enormous didactic potential of the CDS. Independent work contributes to the deepening and expansion of knowledge; the formation of interest in cognitive activity; mastering the techniques of the cognition process; development of cognitive abilities.

Independent work is active in nature. The conditions that ensure its successful implementation are the motivation of the study assignment; clear statement of cognitive tasks; algorithm, method of performing work, student's knowledge of ways of doing it; clear definition by the teacher of reporting forms, the amount of work, the timing of its submission; determination of types of consulting assistance; forms of control (workshop, tests, tests, seminar, etc.). For the organization and successful functioning of independent work of students, you need: an integrated approach to the organization of IWS in all forms of classroom work; combination of all levels (type

pov) CPC; ensuring control over the quality of performance (requirements, consultations).

Thus, the transition to a two-level education system implies a radical restructuring of the educational process and makes it possible to increase the efficiency of the use of budgetary funds, create conditions for the best preparation of students, and also provides an opportunity to continue their studies at any European university. The implementation of this process should be inextricably linked with the preservation of the traditions of Russian higher education, the willingness to innovate and educate a new generation of qualified specialists.

LIST OF USED LITERATURE

1. Averina, OI Competence-based approach to accounting education / OI Averina // Improving the system of accounting, analysis and audit in the context of innovative transformations in the regional economy. - Saransk, 2011. - Part 2. - S. 15-20.

2. Bologna Declaration. Joint statement of European ministers of education (Bologna, June 19, 1999) [Electronic resource]. - Access mode: http://www.yojo.ru.

3. Eremina, OV Opportunities for undergraduate studies in the training of qualified specialists / OV Eremina // Higher. education in Russia. - 2010. - No. 12. - S. 144-146.

Received 16.05.12.

UDC 378.014.3

INTEGRATION OF EDUCATION INTO REGIONAL HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SCIENTIFIC AND INNOVATIVE CLUSTERS

I. N. Efimova (Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N. I. Lobachevsky)

The problems of the formation and development of a new model of an innovative economy, education and business - regional scientific and innovative clusters are discussed. The place, role and functions of cluster components are considered: regional authorities, universities, enterprises, business structures, etc. spheres, taking into account the competitive advantages of each region.

Key words: regional cluster; innovation; university; power; enterprises; business structures; networks; politics; national research university.