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HIGHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM
DEVELOPMENTAL TENDENCIES
IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SYSTEM’S CONTINUITY
A. E. Suleymankadieva Аф. E. Suleymankadieva
Implementation of the lifelong education concept has imposed requirements on higher educational institutions to play the role of a “driving machine” for the purpose of stable economic development. That is why they have begun to develop and implement more lifelong education programs, and to offer educational programs for those who upgrade their level of qualification, undergo retraining, and receive additional education. Being an intermediary junction in the pattern of “Scientific Paradigm” (hereinafter “SP”) - System of Lifelong Education (hereinafter “SLE”) - System of Realistic Economy (hereinafter “SRE”), higher educational institutions facilitate the process of selection, accumulation, transformation of knowledge and their transfer to the users (trainees, students, etc.), to those who will be implementing them in the real sector. Thus, higher educational institutions, on the one hand, play the role of a transfer member, i.e. a member that accepts, accumulates, and transforms knowledge from the point of view of the lifelong education concept, while on the other hand they are the place where education process takes place, the place of direct transfer (or translation) of knowledge to users (trainees, students).
It should be noted that the policy of lifelong education (first of all, higher professional education) must be focused on the concept of its continuity. The new approach to organization of higher professional education activities (hereinafter -“HPE”) in the context of its continuity shall: (a) be based on the need of development of partnership between the educational system and the labor market and industry; (b) be based on the concept of stable development, and universities shall become scientific and educational innovation centers. Thus, according to N.A. Lobanov, the scientific system, which in its essence shall ensure the innovative and proactive character of economic development, is not able to achieve this goal using the efforts of only the academic school. That is why it is important to switch to a new model of organization of science, where part of the fundamental and industry-based scientific research will be fulfilled at universities and higher educational institutions [1, p. 26-27]. Consequently, higher education, is first of all a center for preparation of high-qualified specialists who continuously develop their skills, and, secondly, is an intermediate member in the triplet “SP” -“SLE” - “SRE”, and is involved in selection, transformation and passing of high-quality labor market demanded new knowledge from the scientific system, where knowledge is being developed, to the real economy sector, where knowledge is used and transformed into finished goods and services.
During our analysis of tendencies and prospects of scientific and innovative development of the higher educational system in different countries, we’ve analyzed main indicators that ensure long-term economic growth. These include: financing and return on education; results of operations of educational
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establishments and the impact of education; financial and human resources invested into education; availability of education to everybody, participation and moving forward along the path of education; the level of innovation development in the process of education, etc. The level of financing of HPE in different countries is very differentiated. OECD countries spend approximately 6.2% of GDP on education, however, this index varies from 4.5% and less in Russia, Slovakia and Italy, up to 7% and more in Denmark, Israel, Iceland and the USA. We would like to stress the role of governmental financing in OECD countries, where state participation in other areas is characterized as relatively low, yet financing of education is a priority. On average aggregate state expenses on education in OECD countries are 13.3%. This index varies from 10% and less in Czech Republic, Italy and Japan up to 22% in Mexico.
It should be noted that state expenses invested into higher professional education have considerable return, for example: (1) they are returned in the form of tax deductions (on average in OECD countries a person who receives higher education pays a personal income tax and social contributions to the amount of USD 119,000 more during their whole period of labor activities than a person who receives just complete secondary education. Furthermore, if we calculate the difference between payments of an educated person and expenses of the government for this person’s education, this difference will be 86 thousand US dollars, which is three times more than the expenses of the government for education of a person in the system of higher professional education; (2) the more continuous period of labor activity of an educated person will make it possible to remain employed for a longer period of time, and consequently the return to the government will be greater; (3) the labor of an educated person is more qualified than the labor of an uneducated person. Consequently, the results of the work of such a person will be more efficient than the work results of an uneducated person.
Considerable changes have occurred over the last 30 years in the level of education. For example, in OECD countries the number of people aged 25-34 who received intermediate vocational education and higher vocational education surpasses the age group of 55-64 years by 22% [2]. In Russia the number of graduates over the period from 2000 until 2008 increased more than 2 times1 [3]. This is evidence that presently the working-age population is becoming more educated as compared to the population 30 years ago. Thus, in 2010, as compared to 1998, the turn-out of specialists by higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation increased 3.78 times or by 36% as compared to 2007. This is evidence that the young generation is willing to receive higher education. In general, the population became more well-educated during the latest decade as compared to the nineties of the last century.
During the period from 1970 until 2011 the ratio of students trained within the system of higher and intermediate vocational education changed considerably: in the system of HPE the number of students increased more than 2.6 times, however, the number of students that receive intermediate vocational education is decreasing, i.e. there is a tendency towards a decrease, which is evidence that higher professional education is becoming in greater demand. This can be
1 calculated according to rosstat data for 2008.
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explained by the fact that: (a) the persons that have higher professional education have more chances to get employed more successfully and receive a well-paid job than those who do not have higher professional education; (b) persons with higher professional education are more competitive in comparison with those who only have intermediate education from the point of view of requirements of employers to employed workers, which are continuously increasing. This is also true in the context of the fact that the offer of the more qualified working force surpasses demand. Furthermore, education will isn’t finished once a diploma on tertiary education is received. Many persons continue to receive education within the framework of advanced training programs and retraining during their whole professional labor activities. In many OECD countries more than 40% of the adult population receives annual training within the framework of such programs [2]. In Russia the ratio of the persons that continue their post-graduate education, according to the information of 2010, was 0.2% [4]. Education within the framework of retraining and advanced training programs helps adult people to get employed. In particular, experts say that after finishing the short-term training courses, during the next three months employment increases up to 90%.
The government is a main source of financing of higher professional education in many countries. In OECD countries state financing mainly covers initial and intermediary education for 90% [2]. Private financing is mainly connected to tertiary education, which varies from 5% (in Denmark, Finland and Norway) up to 75% (in Chili and South Korea). In Russia a relatively small part of governmental expenses covers the field of education (according to 2010 information, less than 2.0% of the total amount of investments). Thus, the HPE system is a driving force of science-based production systems. Continuity of HPE means that HPE is double-sided: it is a center of ongoing preparation/retraining of personnel and specialists, and also an innovation center.
Bibliography
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