BELIKOV, Sergei
64, Zhukovskogo st., Zaporozhya, 330063, Ukraine, Zaporozhya State Technical, University, rektor@zstu.zaporizhzhe.ua
Abstract:
Engineering education had occupied leading positions in new technologies development,
creation of modern production means and technological processes' managing methods,
thus ensuring production cost and quality, its place in world competition, and, finally, define countries place in world community.
Ukraine, as one of the largest new independent country,
plays increasing part in European and world community problems decision, thus the modernization of Ukrainian high education system in the direction to all-Europe integration with particularities of countries' transition to market economy appeared to be continuous process with exact emphasis on the role of technical universities in it.
From this respect the development of engineering education in Ukraine much depends on solving the problems of its humanization and humanitarisation with final goals of educational ideology formation on its humanistic-oriented grounds.
In Zaporozhya State Technical University we consider it really necessary to combine the efforts of engineering profile chairs
(mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, radio engineering, material science etc.) and economical profile chairs
(management, marketing, international economical relations, finances etc.) for specialists training.
Thus we enrich our possibilities to meet the needs of industry and prepare the new generation of specialists,
who know the laws of modern market, posses economical knowledges and gain the understanding of variety of materials,
technologies and equipment that they propose for application.
Good possibilities for thorough progress of special and humanitarian training of technical high school students appear with their studies in specialized groups of "Engineering mechanics" and "Electrotechnics" where universal disciplines (mathematics, chemistry, physics, mechanics, strength of materials, materialscience, technology of metals, electrotechnical materials, philosophy, economics etc.) are taught in English with further individual training during semester works and diploma projects fulfillment.
Keywords: humanization, humanitarization, education, university, integration
Rapid development of natural sciences and science-based technologies move the accents of leading countries competition into scientifical and educational field, thus requiring considerable changes in educational aims shifting contents and methods of teaching. Engineering education had occupied leading positions in new technologies development, creation of modern production means and technological processes` managing methods, thus ensuring production cost and quality, its place in world competition, and, finally, define countries place in world community.
Ukraine, as one of the largest new independent country, plays increasing part in European and world community problems decision, thus the modernisation of Ukrainian high education system in the direction to all-Europe integration with particularities of countries' transition to market economy appeared to be continuous process with exact emphasis on the role of technical universities in it. From this respect the development of engineering education in Ukraine much depends on solving the problems of its humanisation and humanitarisation with final goals of educational ideology formation on its humanistic-oriented grounds.
The life story of the oldest and largest University in Zaporozhya goes back to 1900 when in a provincial town of Alexandrovsk a seven-year Mechanical Vocational School that trained mechanics and technicians was established. Since that time the educational establishment changed its names and status several times until 1994 became Zaporozhya State Technical University.
Historically our basic faculties were of machineconstruction, metallurgical and electrotechnical engineering. Scientific schools in these fields were created in 40s-early 50s under the leadership of academician Y.Shulte, doctors of Science B.Natapov, B.Borisov, professor P.Michailov ensured high standards of engineering education for largest in ex-USSR and Europe metallurgical ("Zaporozhsteel", "Dnieprospecialsteel", "Ferrrousalloysplant" etc.), machineconstruction (automobile plant "Kommunar", tool plant) and electrotecnic (transformer plant, hydroelectric station ) enterprises.
Later in 60s-70s rapid development of radioelectronics in our city required sufficient guaranty with engineers specialized in radiodevices, microelectronics that resulted in foundation of radiofaculty in ZSTU with 3 basic specialty. Thus more than 45000 engineers were trained and graduated from ZSTU in previous years being sent to industrial enterprises of all regions of ex-USSR, and as for Zaporozhya and region engineering staff of largest plants consists mainly of our graduates, not to say of teaching staff in our University itself where more than 80% lecturers in basic, fundamental and special chairs gained their diplomas and academic degrees in ZSTU. Our University has great experience in working with foreign students. Within last 20 years more than 1000 qualified specialists were prepared for many countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
Still very rapid changes that took place in 90s accompanied with Ukrainian independence being proclaimed in 1991 and creation of CIS, new ideas were needed that ensure correspondent answer of engineering training to the requirements of market economy together with structural changes due to proclamation of non-military doctrine of Ukrainian policy. That created a burst of interest to economical specialties, so in 1994 faculty of economy and management was created where specialists in finances, management and international economical relations are being trained. In 1994-1997 such economical faculties were opened in majority of state high schools as well as a lot of private high schools received licenses mostly for economical students training. One can forecast the situation of oversaturation of labor market with specialists in economics in the nearest future, even in 1999 we felt it difficulty to propose jobs for our graduates in management and finances.
Taking into consideration the abovemenshioned, in Zaporozhya State Technical University we consider it really necessary to combine the efforts of engineering profile chairs (mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, radio engineering, material science etc.) and economical profile chairs (management, marketing, international economical relations, finances etc.) for specialists' training in such fields as:
Thus we enrich our possibilities to meet the needs of industry and prepare the new generation of specialists, who know the laws of modern market, posses economical knowledge's and gain the understanding of variety of materials, technologies and equipment that they propose for application. Economics faculty students need to widen their knowledge's in technology, that's why for managers of industrial sphere- as specialists whose successful activities are not possible without untraditional thinking, without brand-new ideas - there exists special discipline "Modern industrial technologies". It is usually taught by most experienced professors, and in every basic section they give students real prehistory of different technological processes with analysis of their modern state, generalization of experience and achievements in different countries and discussion of possible perspectives of further development. Such presentation rises student's interest towards studied materials and arose their original research activities (with further participation in conferences, preparation of referates etc.)
Today it's really impossible to imagine high school progress without complex information of whole system, taking into consideration not only supply of TU with modern means of information and calculation techniques together with program equipment, but mostly solving the problem of computer nets creation for university and interuniversity communication together with new information technologies introduction to education and science.
We consider as main lines in education informatization:
Thus the realization of the above-mentioned lines requires the implementation and development of such information technologies as:
If in previous years (till 1996/97 year) the lack of centralized ideas in computerization of our TU resulted in purchasing of comparatively large number of electronic- calculating machines that weren't connected between each other, and frequently it was impossible to organize any net because all machines were of different classes (as cheap things are not really good ones) not combined to IBM-type computers.
For achievement of quick progress in informatization level in ZSTU during recent 1.5 years we have solved the problem of installation of highest modern level computers (more than 300 computers ensuring the rate of 13 students per 1 modern computer as recommended for TU level ) and for every faculty specialized computer classes were made being integrated into local nets and joined to all-university net. All classes have entrance to Internet. Now majority of lecturers are engaged to development and introduction of new computerized educational programs, active means of computerized support of education such as electronic books, imitation and modeling programs, multimedia systems. E.g. such systems of computer modelling was installed at the special class for aviation gas turbines ensuring the possibility of graphic design of different engine systems together with strength analysis of engine elements.
During the same time modern computers were installed at every dean service, administration staff(rector, professors, chief specialists etc.), scientific departments, financial and economic services with the introduction of special programs.
The development of engineering education in any TU is based on natural-scientific, engineering-technical, social-economic and humanitarian grounds. It's clear that formation and development of Ukrainian state to a great extent depends on solution of problem of education humanitarization, having as final goal the formation of human world outlook based on humanistic valuables. That's why in ZSTU as in majority of Ukrainian high schools men work in the name of creation such conditions that help to develop high standards of thinking, mental and physical abilities, mastering the moral values and as a result - to restore mental potential of Ukraine. For this purpose we work in the following directions:
All these were fixed in new status of ZSTU, that was passed in 1997, after prolonged democratic discussions at the Conference of ZSTU that serves as the highest representative forum of our University.
Good possibilities for thorough progress of special and humanitarian training of technical high school students appear with their studies in specialized groups of "Engineering mechanics" and "Electrotechnics" where universal disciplines (mathematics, chemistry, physics, mechanics, strength of materials, materialscience, technology of metals, electrotechnical materials, philosophy, economics etc.) are taught in English with further individual training during coarse and diploma projects fulfillment. As we have experience with groups of English language training, we understand the nesessity of further experiments with German and French-speaking groups. The existance of such training ensures better possibilities for Ukrainian students, that gain good language and computer knowledge together with strong special training, for employment in foreign-economical departments of Ukrainian enterprises and joint ventures as marketing engineers, managers of sales etc., and also creates possibilities for foreign students to come and study in Ukrainian universities without primary learning of Ukrainian or Russian languages.
In general, for current situation of Ukrainian growing international relations in science and industry the task of ensuring high practical level of foreign language knowledge for technical university graduates appears to be of great importance. That's why special video-classes at foreign-languages chair equipped with video-twins and personal computers were created, giving the possibility to provide new intensive technologies of language studies.
In modern difficult economical situation in Ukraine we have insufficient financial support from the government, that's why we strengthen direct ties with industrial enterprises irrespective to their state or private nature. So, in 1998 our university had signed multicomponent agreement with joint stock company "Motor Sich" that is widely known as manufacturer of highly-effective gas turbine engines for aeroplanes, helicopters and stationary power units. Leading specialists of "Motor Sich" company take part in educational process, special laboratories are equipped with engine models and computer technics from the plant, our students have their practical training at plant's shops and departments, and after graduating from the university they are employed as engineers at "Motor Sich". In 1998 multicomponent agreement between ZSTU and "Motor Sich" was signed, where all sides of cooperation were fixed, including organisation of special chair of "Technology of Aviation Engines" headed by Director-General of "Motor Sich" company V.Boguslaev. The same agreement is prepared with joint venture automobile company "AutoZAZ- DAEWOO". Such cooperation between industrial enterprises and technical university ensures further development of collaboration ties in engineering education.
Zaporozhye State Technical University (previously Zaporozhye Machineconstruction Institute) progressed from purely technical high school oriented on traditional industrial branches of metallurgical region to polytechnic high institution gaining the level of TU in 1994 thus emphasizing on:
Modern problems of engineering staff training. Zaporozhya: State Technical University, 1997, 224 s. (in Ukrainian).
KOVAL, A. & BELIKOV, S. Some questions of Ukrainian science and techniques terminology formation in material science branch. In Problem of Ukrainian science and techniques terminology. Lvov: Technical University, 1993, p. 81-82.