Shaping Students’ Educational Requests: Economic Factors

Abstract

Background. Present-day challenges necessitate the shaping of a sovereign education system that would provide Russia with highly qualified professionals capable of fulfilling the assigned tasks in ensuring the country’s sustainable economic development and technological sovereignty. In this regard, the activities of universities and the analysis of students’ requests for the education they receive are of importance and require multidimensional studies, the search for new formats in organizing work, updating the content of educational programmes and the shaping of contemporary competencies for future professionals. Study Participants. The sample of the study included 52,919 people. A flow-line sample was applied. Full-time students of Russia’s state and private universities took part in the survey. The sample represents the general population, covering all full-time students at universities in the Russian Federation and amounts to 2%. Statistical adjustments were used based on four criteria: the federal district in which the university is located, level of study, year of study, and gender. Methods. The methodological basis of the study was determined by the complexity and multifaceted nature of the research object, which required the use of an interdisciplinary approach and the use of pedagogical, general sociological, cultural, statistical, demographic concepts and techniques. Results. The analysis of the Russian students’ opinion showed that the organization of the educational process is somewhat lagging behind today’s expectations. This is especially true for a practice-oriented learning model, focusing on the demands of specific sectors in the economy and the preparation of professionals with balanced soft and hard skills and competencies. Based on the analysis and the results obtained, the authors propose practical measures to change approaches to the organization of learning.

Keywords

• higher education
• strategic leadership
• practice orientation
• students
• individual educational trajectories
• educational process
• learning
• flexible skills