Challenges of the Dual Studies Management: The Case of Ukraine

Abstract

The shift to the knowledge-based economy and fast technological development put pressure on higher educational institutions with regard to the modernization of curricula, providing possibilities to overcome the skill gap and finding new tools for ensuring the quality of education services that correspond with the labor market needs. The purpose of the paper is to present the analysis of challenges and results of a currently piloted tool – dual studies – based on best German applied education practices. Authors investigate formal and informal obstacles for the introduction of this innovation in the national context, as well as solutions and potential benefits. The latter are social (decreasing the graduates’ unemployment level), economic (providing the labor market with well-educated labor force equipped with relevant qualifications) and individual (image improvement of companies, advancement of higher educational institution competitiveness and financial support of students, as well as smoothening the shift to the world of work) both short- and long-term. However, despite clear positive socio-economic effects, the dynamics of dual studies introduction as an innovation by stakeholders is far from optimistic due to the unfinished process of the formation of approaches to the dual studies management, which undermines the development of cooperation networks of the three key stakeholders – a higher educational establishment, a company and a student. There is also a current need in updating teaching methodologies, development of new relevant educational programs, curricula, modernization of the content of pre-tertiary and tertiary professional education based on an integrated approach and dual education principles. With regard to the above-listed tasks to be solved and despite a number of structural obstacles, the dual form of education is being implemented in Ukraine, which adds up to building social partnerships between educational institutions, students and employers.