Basic Chairs at ASU: Department of Business & Economy
08.10.2014
The Ministry of Education & Science of the Russian Federation has specified the top-priority direction of developing cooperation between universities and enterprises; it appeals to emphasize the notion of professional orientation within the whole educational process. That is why many Russian top universities have opened basic chairs. Professor Oksana Mineva, Dean of Astrakhan State University’s Department of Business & Economy, has told us about the gained experience of launching such units.
In accordance with changes in the Federal Law “About Education” introduced since Sept. 01, 2013, chairs based on external organizations must be opened at universities to realize the practice-oriented approach. The Department of Business & Economy has signed cooperation agreements with 8 state and public institutions. Such educational sites meet the prime goal of their launch: to train specialists who have competencies that meet the needs of the modern society.
Five basic chairs have been launched at the Department: Human Resources Technologies, Bank Activities, Public Administration, State Audit, and Management in Education. Our students can learn about the best practices of their mentors – top branch specialists, ministers, and deputy ministers – during their extracurricular time on a volunteer basis. About twice a month, our lecturers (they would better be named “business coaches”) deliver seminars and master classes; they suggest that future specialists discuss problem situations and study cases.
The Basic Chairs “State Audit” has been operating at the Department of Business & Economy on the base of the Ministry of Finances of Astrakhan Region since August 2013; it is headed by Mr. Vitaliy Shvedov, Minister of Finances of Astrakhan Region. The Chair delivers programs of management in the field of state finances. Now three students covering the master specialization bearing the same name write their theses to resolve various issues in Astrakhan Region’s economy.
To increase competitiveness of our graduates, one of Astrakhan’s largest HR agencies has become a base for another basic chair – Human Resources Technologies. It is headed by Ms. Anna Varzhina, General Manager of the Elisey HR Agency. “Our students are involved in the Annual HR Week; they learn how to make up a professional CV; they can take part in trainings delivered by top specialists from Moscow and St.-Petersburg without paying any money”, Professor Mineva says. “Besides, this Basic Chair helps our students, who specialize in HR management, get a professional certification”.
Students covering the specialty “Public Administration” have been to the Administration of Astrakhan Region numerous times for the last year. The Regional Ministry of Economic Development is the base for the Chair “Public Administration”; the Basic Chair is headed by Mr. Konstantin Markelov, Chairperson of the Regional Government. Our students can attend classes to discuss the most crucial applied issues of Astrakhan Region. Mr. Markelov is now supervising diploma projects of two our students.
As for the Basic Chair “Management in Education”, which is headed by Dr. Vitaliy Gutman, Regional Minister of Education & Science, twelve undergraduates of the specialty “Public Administration” are preparing their diploma projects to meet a special order of the Ministry. “Astrakhan Region has a special commission to introduce efficient contracts into regional and municipal authorities. Our students are involved in such work by creating their own projects in this field. Such results have been achieved during 7 coach sessions: our young specialists have learnt about specifics of regional educational authorities, about features of realizing national educational projects in our Region, and so on”, Prof. Mineva explains.
Another active basic chair that demonstrates impressive performance and a real output is the Chair “Bank Activities”. It is headed by Mr. Askar Kabikeev, Manager of the Astrakhan Branch of Gazprombank. One of Astrakhan Region’s top banks is interested in graduates of our programs “Finances & Credit” and “Public Administration”, as it funds a considerable number of state target programs. According to Prof. Mineva, “We launched a pilot project together with Gazprombank last year. It aimed to prepare our students to pass an independent professional communication. As a result, our students got two professional certificates each: one after completing the cycle “Work with Bank Clients”, and another one after covering the one-year program “Bank Activities”. Despite the fact that the labor market has numerous specialists with work experience in the bank sphere that spans over 10 years, our undergraduate students and our graduates have a comparative advantage thanks to their studies at the Basic Chair “Bank Activities” and to their practical training at Gazprombank. For example, four our undergraduates have become staff members of this bank, after passing an interview and after an examination of their portfolios”.
All in all, what do the participants of such trilateral cooperation get? Our students can contact top business coaches face-to-face; they can make their own business contacts with reps of various industries of Astrakhan Region; they can enhance their professional qualifications. As for the Region itself, it obtains high-class young specialists, who have all the necessary professional skills. And Astrakhan State University fulfils an essential task: it enhances the quality of its educational process and helps its students adapt to the tough requirements the labor market.
Five basic chairs have been launched at the Department: Human Resources Technologies, Bank Activities, Public Administration, State Audit, and Management in Education. Our students can learn about the best practices of their mentors – top branch specialists, ministers, and deputy ministers – during their extracurricular time on a volunteer basis. About twice a month, our lecturers (they would better be named “business coaches”) deliver seminars and master classes; they suggest that future specialists discuss problem situations and study cases.
The Basic Chairs “State Audit” has been operating at the Department of Business & Economy on the base of the Ministry of Finances of Astrakhan Region since August 2013; it is headed by Mr. Vitaliy Shvedov, Minister of Finances of Astrakhan Region. The Chair delivers programs of management in the field of state finances. Now three students covering the master specialization bearing the same name write their theses to resolve various issues in Astrakhan Region’s economy.
To increase competitiveness of our graduates, one of Astrakhan’s largest HR agencies has become a base for another basic chair – Human Resources Technologies. It is headed by Ms. Anna Varzhina, General Manager of the Elisey HR Agency. “Our students are involved in the Annual HR Week; they learn how to make up a professional CV; they can take part in trainings delivered by top specialists from Moscow and St.-Petersburg without paying any money”, Professor Mineva says. “Besides, this Basic Chair helps our students, who specialize in HR management, get a professional certification”.
Students covering the specialty “Public Administration” have been to the Administration of Astrakhan Region numerous times for the last year. The Regional Ministry of Economic Development is the base for the Chair “Public Administration”; the Basic Chair is headed by Mr. Konstantin Markelov, Chairperson of the Regional Government. Our students can attend classes to discuss the most crucial applied issues of Astrakhan Region. Mr. Markelov is now supervising diploma projects of two our students.
As for the Basic Chair “Management in Education”, which is headed by Dr. Vitaliy Gutman, Regional Minister of Education & Science, twelve undergraduates of the specialty “Public Administration” are preparing their diploma projects to meet a special order of the Ministry. “Astrakhan Region has a special commission to introduce efficient contracts into regional and municipal authorities. Our students are involved in such work by creating their own projects in this field. Such results have been achieved during 7 coach sessions: our young specialists have learnt about specifics of regional educational authorities, about features of realizing national educational projects in our Region, and so on”, Prof. Mineva explains.
Another active basic chair that demonstrates impressive performance and a real output is the Chair “Bank Activities”. It is headed by Mr. Askar Kabikeev, Manager of the Astrakhan Branch of Gazprombank. One of Astrakhan Region’s top banks is interested in graduates of our programs “Finances & Credit” and “Public Administration”, as it funds a considerable number of state target programs. According to Prof. Mineva, “We launched a pilot project together with Gazprombank last year. It aimed to prepare our students to pass an independent professional communication. As a result, our students got two professional certificates each: one after completing the cycle “Work with Bank Clients”, and another one after covering the one-year program “Bank Activities”. Despite the fact that the labor market has numerous specialists with work experience in the bank sphere that spans over 10 years, our undergraduate students and our graduates have a comparative advantage thanks to their studies at the Basic Chair “Bank Activities” and to their practical training at Gazprombank. For example, four our undergraduates have become staff members of this bank, after passing an interview and after an examination of their portfolios”.
All in all, what do the participants of such trilateral cooperation get? Our students can contact top business coaches face-to-face; they can make their own business contacts with reps of various industries of Astrakhan Region; they can enhance their professional qualifications. As for the Region itself, it obtains high-class young specialists, who have all the necessary professional skills. And Astrakhan State University fulfils an essential task: it enhances the quality of its educational process and helps its students adapt to the tough requirements the labor market.
Interviewed by N.I. Kirillova (the Innovative Laboratory of Information Linguistics of ASU)
