DVORACEK, Jaroslav
VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic, jaroslav.dvoracek@vsb.cz
Abstract: The contribution deals with economics teaching on the Faculty of Mining and Geology of VSB-Technical University of Ostrava. These problems are taught in the form of economic subjects in technical branches of faculty and in the form of independent branch called Economics and Management in the Field of Raw Materials.
Economic education is evaluated from the point of view of graduates success on the labour market. The development in the past changes after 1989 year are described. Further more the contribution shows the possibilities of future economic education on technical faculty of VSB- Technical University of Ostrava with the aim to increase the graduates success on labour market. To the most important changes belongs:
Economic education changes ought to ensure the closer connection of technical and economic branches with the possibility of future achievement of better results of enterprises.
These results are basic prerequisites of enterprise existence in the condition of market economy.
Keywords: economics, changes, education, university
Teaching of economic disciplines, in conditions of universities in the Czech Republic, is being realised at separate economic faculties, at university with economic orientation or in the framework of economic subjects at universities with technical orientation, respectively. The graduates of the first group of universities find their jobs in enterprises, state administration, financial institutions, economic research etc., while the graduates of so called branch economics, in the past, entered especially the enterprises in the framework of corresponding specialisation.
After the year 1989 the considerable growth of interest in economic study can be registered, and namely, most of all, for the following reasons:
Universities, res. high-schools have reacted on this interest with the offer of the whole series of new or innovated study specialisation and with rise of new faculties and departments oriented on economic problems as well. High number of graduates of economic faculties and branches, however, can't still find jobs without problems as shortly after the year 1989. Nearly 10 years of education in new socially-economic conditions represent the time period sufficiently long for experience assessment and for considerations concerning the orientation of economic education at technical universities.
Teaching of economic disciplines at Mining and Geological Faculty of Mining College-Technical University Ostrava had its place in the past and its importance has increased through the last years. It is necessary to emphasise that favourable economic results important for industrial enterprises' development but also for their mere survival don't arise of their own accord, independently, they are also the reflection of initial technical solution. It can be presupposed that the economic results are being decided both in the phase of projection and production preparation and in the course of its managing.
It means that technical solution must be considered also from the economic point of view and, that's why, the graduates of technical branches have corresponding economic knowledge. For this reason each specialisation at Mining and Geological Faculty has 1 - 2 economic subjects.
In addition, the economic problems are being taught in the framework of independent branch Economics and Management in the Sphere of Raw Materials which has existed at Mining and Geological Faculty since the 50s. It is the question of typical branch economics adjusted with the respect of changes after the year 1989 including mining industry attenuation.
Previous branch Economics and Mining Management contained besides economic disciplines also substantial part of technological subjects oriented on mining industry. The advantage for the graduates of that time was the possibility of taking up the economic and also the technical positions in mining enterprises, res. organisations of mining administration.
The changes of national economy orientation reducing the importance and extent of mining industry has meant also the reduction of working opportunities for our graduates in mining industry. Following mines' closing confirmed this assumption. For this reason the branch Economics and Management in the Sphere of Raw Materials was newly drafted.
Compared with the previous branch there came to:
In this way the possibilities of graduates of this branch have been extended - in addition to mining organisations there were industrial enterprises and "economic institutions" - banks, financial authorities, tax consulting agencies etc. The extended possibilities of finding jobs, however, are limited by competition of graduates from other economic branches and economic faculties. It is evident that the greater possibilities of working opportunities for our graduates can be presupposed
It can be presupposed that there exists the relation between the students' interest in certain branch and working opportunities of this branch's graduates in practice. Therefore, it is necessary to consider how the economic education at technical university should develop in the future, in this case at Mining and Geological Faculty. The possibilities of working opportunities for graduates of the branch, res. faculty in practice must be the criterion for the future educational plans modifications.
Rise of the extensive private sector makes possible the entrepreneurial activity for the whole series of graduates of technical branches at Mining and Geological Faculty. This activity, however, requires inevitably corresponding economic knowledge and performance of certain economic functions. Some of them can be ensured by specialised external co-workers [accountancy, taxes], in some cases these professions are not accessible or are too expensive [e.g. marketing] so that the entrepreneurs have to rely on themselves.
There exists the possibility to obtain this knowledge during the study at the university or after its finishing in the form of courses and other forms of education [e.g. book-keeping course]. However, it is the question of relatively expensive forms, res. forms demanding on time. For this reason, students of technical branches with the interest in independent entrepreneurial activity want to gain corresponding knowledge during study but one economic subject in the framework of obligatory subjects is not sufficient. Credit system of the study applied at Mining and Geological Faculty enables theoretically the passing out the other subjects of economic character but the necessity of previous subjects study [so called prerequisites] represents the substantial complication. This situation can be solved by the offer of optional economic subjects for technical branches without limiting prerequisites which would be linked up to 1 - 2 obligatory economic subjects included in existing teaching plans.
As to the branch Economics and Management in the Sphere of Raw Materials itself is concerned, it will be the question of possible modifications on the basis of experience and knowledge gained by pedagogues until now concerning the self- assertion of the graduates of this branch and finding their place in practice.
In next years the following changes of economic education in conditions of Mining and Geological Faculty at Mining College-Technical University Ostrava can be presupposed:
These above mentioned changes of educational plans and other changes following from economic development and social demand makes possible the closer interconnection between technical and economic branches what will lead to the possibility so that
The result should be represented by more favourable economic results of enterprises which are the basic preconditions of their existence in market economy conditions.
This contribution has been prepared on the basis of grant promotion from FRVS No. 0528/1998.