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Wider Objective:
Perfection of higher education system of Ukraine on the basis of
EU countries Universities' experience and know-how.
Specific Objective:
Elaboration of MBA program with concentration in Information Technology,
corresponding to European standards, and its introduction into Ukrainian
higher educational institutions from 2005/2006 Academic year
Type of Joint European Project - Curriculum Development
Project duration - 3 years
Background of the Project
In 1991 after the breakdown of the Soviet Union Ukraine became independent.
The liquidation of command-administrative system and gradual transition
to the market economy has led to the long lasting crisis of economy.
The volume of industrial production of Ukraine decreased for 50,9%
in comparison with 1990. Starting from 1991, the Gross National
Product has been constantly decreasing, as well as the level of
living of population (average salary at present time is about ˆ
50 per month). And though presently a certain stability of economical
indexes and even their growth was reached, for overcoming the consequences
of economical crisis (mass unemployment, poverty of population and
so on) the years and efforts of all population of Ukraine are necessary.
The main compounds of the crisis in Ukraine are:
1. The crisis of administrative system caused by the absence of
highly trained administrative personnel at all levels. This factor
is particularly painful for the state enterprises because of the
absence of managers familiar with up-to-date methods and technologies
of management.
2. Economical crisis caused by the decrease of production which
was directed towards military production, the severance of ties
among NIS countries that previously were the members of former Soviet
Union, budgetary deficit, slowing-up of the development of SME's,
continuous expenses for liquidation of consequences of Chernobyl
accident and expenses for maintenance of unprofitable industrial
sector of coal extraction.
3. Crisis of energy sector caused by the use of outdated equipment
and technologies in industry and agriculture, and non-economical
consumption of energy resources in all spheres of management.
One of the main problems of Ukraine is the absence of professional
managers able to work in variable and non-standard conditions of
market economy. The main positions in governmental and local administrative
structures, as well as ones in the state enterprises, are still
occupied by personnel trained in conditions of so-called "planned"
economy. At that time everything was assigned from the top administrators
- what to do and how to do, and any initiative was not encouraged
and even sometimes punished.
That's why one of the main tasks of Ukrainian schools of higher
education is training new generation of highly qualified economists
and managers, other specialists closely familiar with the most up-to-date
business technologies of XXI "informatics" century.
In all countries of EU the scientific degree (qualification) Master
of Business Administration (MBA) is one of the most widespread.
MBA degree is the opportunity of career development, guarantee of
job placement at prestige positions at state service and at private
companies. The trend of introducing such program as Master of Business
Administration with Concentration in Information Technology is traced
through the last decades. The programs of the Theseus International
Management Institute, Institut National des Telecommunications of
Evry, Bordeaux School of Management - France, Henly Management College
- UK and many others can serve as an example. Such programs of MBA
are aimed at High Technology Management and Entrepreneurship. As
Prof. Francis Bidault, Dean of the MBA program of the Theseus International
Management Institute says: "Our International MBA program focuses
on the synergy between information technology and management. We
prepare enterprising individuals to be successful leaders in the
New Economy".
Unfortunately the qualification of MBA didn't get wide spreading
in Ukraine. Some of higher educational institutions (mostly private)
teach the specialists of this profile within the specialty "Management
of Organizations". But the significant drawback of Ukrainian
higher educational institutions' alumni at this and other specialties
of such training directions, as "Management", "Economics
and Entrepreneurship" is that they are shortly familiar with
modern information and communication technologies and are not able
to fluently use foreign languages, including languages of the European
Community.
Considering that Ukraine has done its' European choice and stated
about unwavering purpose of integrity into the EU, the Higher School
of Ukraine is faced with urgent task to reform and to train specialist
within the EU standards, those who are able to work in the united
European economic space. As a result of above mentioned, the main
goal of the project is training the professionals in the field of
business administration with deep knowledge in information, communicative
technologies and EU languages (especially English).
Progressive economic thought supported by modern computer-based
information technologies will help to increase effectiveness, promote
competitiveness and achieve growth of Ukrainian economy.
The Coordinator of the Project is Zhytomyr State Technological University.
It is one of those state higher educational institutions, which
are dynamically developing, inheriting the best traditions and achievements
of the oldest Ukrainian higher educational institution the National
Technical University of Ukraine "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute".
From 1960 till 1994 ZSTU was its branch. Over 5 thousand students
in 13 specialties of engineering, economical and management profiles
study at the Institute's four faculties, among them "Computer
Informational Technologies" and "Economics and Management".
Institute graduates students at Bachelor, Specialist (Engineer,
Economist, Manager) and Master levels. In ZSTU there are 23 Doctors
of Sciences and Professors, more than 100 Candidates of Sciences
and Associate Professors. In 1998 - 2002 ZSTU was a beneficiary
institution of the Joint European Project JEP - 10435-98 "Environmental
Sciences in Relation to the Implication of Radiation Exposure in
Healthcare" under the EU Tempus Tacis Program. All the Ukrainian
partner Universities (in Donetsk, Kyiv, Zaporizhya) take the leading
place in region ratings. The Donetsk State Academy of Management
was founded in 1992. It is a leading center for training and retraining
of management personal in Donbas region, the highly industrial developed
part of Ukraine. The EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY was established in 1991,
and is one of the first private and one of the biggest private universities
with 24 branches and 24 000 students in all regions of Ukraine.
Zaporizhya State University was founded in 1930. About 8500 students
in 31 specialties study now at 14 faculties of the University. EU
partner Universities have a great experience in different fields
of Economical and Management Education as well as in distance learning
and participation in Tempus Tacis Projects.
University of Stuttgart, the contractor of the project has a great
experience in training MBA.
INT (Evry) is a European leader in development and implementation
of information and computer educational technologies and creation
of distance education systems. It has a unique INT Management Program,
curriculum of which combines an advanced education in Management
and thorough education in information and education technologies.
University of Sunderland is a very experienced not only in International
Tempus projects but also in training of specialists of MBA via distance
education system.
Universidad de Politechnica de Catalunya is a leading one in Spain
and EU in training MBA.
Higher school of Management in Legnica (Poland) was founded in 1997.
The main specialities are: Management and Marketing, Information
and Computer Techniques, Economics. It is the biggest higher education
institution in the region with more than 2100 students.
Methodology proposed
It is planned to create MBA&IT Program on the basis of existent
in Evry (France) INT Management Program.
The proposed to elaborate within the Project concept of training
MBA has wide range of peculiarities. It is planned:
1.To include into the curriculum of MBA training in addition to
the classic topics such as "Finance", "Human Resource
Management", "Personal Development Skills", and others
list of selective courses such as "Business Data Analysis",
"High-Tech Marketing and Advertisement", "E-commerce",
"Management Information Systems", "Banking Information
Systems", "Enterprise Information Systems", "Logistics",
"Accounting Information Systems". Every single student
studying according to this program will have to choose two or three
courses from this list, to do practical work at company or at organization,
those which use information and communications technologies, and
to dedicate his qualification work to theoretic development and
practical usage of one of these fields of study.
2. To organize for students of MBA program intensive course of studying
English and second European language and teaching of some disciplines
in English.
3.To create author's groups including professors and lecturers of
Ukrainian and European Universities, able to prepare manuals on
Information Technologies in Ukrainian and English languages, to
publish those manuals in both traditional paper and electronic variants.
4.To create the Academic Network of Participants - Universities
(Ukrainian and European), to include into this network The Higher
School of Management from Legnica, Poland (its membership fee is
not from the Project funding).
5. To elaborate organizational structure, methods and technology
of distance education within this MBA program. Realization of distance
education will force students to practically assimilate information
and computer-based technologies of studying. Thus the Information
Technology is not only the objective of studying but also the technology
of training within the Project.
6.To elaborate ranges of networking business games within the Academic
Network, for example on the course "E-commerce", training
students of international teamwork, organize work of international
virtual club of teachers and students.
7.To attract leading professors and lecturers of European partner
Universities in teaching at Ukrainian Universities, as well through
the videoconferences (videotapes) of their lectures and through
other types of classes.
8.To create opportunity for students willing to write and defend
their qualification works in English.
The proposed program of MBA&IT is interdisciplinary and developed
first of all for the people that have outlines in business and career.
Such people need further career development, quality education in
business administration. Training on the Program of MBA&IT will
be available in four universities, which are located in different
regions of Ukraine. Studying will be conducted using both traditional
teaching technologies (full-time and by corresponding) and by technology
of distance learning. It makes a good opportunity for working specialists
to improve the qualification not being away from business. Legnica
Higher School of Management (Poland) takes part in the Project on
the basis of self-financing. Elaboration and introduction of new
MBA program is the stage of all Ukrainian higher educational institutions
development, which belong to Consortium. It is considered in the
strategic plans of development of these universities. Even now these
higher educational institutions have the highest level of accreditation
by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and are teaching
Bachelors, Specialists (Managers, Economists) and Masters in the
directions "Management" and "Economics and Entrepreneurship",
"Computer Sciences".
As follows from the project background one of urgent goals of Ukrainian
Universities is training of MBA&IT on the basis of EU Universities'
experience and know how. So the specific objective of the
Project aims elaboration of MBA program with concentration on information
technology, corresponding to the European standards, and its introduction
into Ukrainian higher education institutions from 2005/2006 Academic
year. The first part of the project specific objective - elaboration
of MBA&IT program - will be achieved mainly in the first project
year via realization of the Outcome 1 "MBA&IT curriculum
and syllabi of courses are developed". Outcomes 2, 3 and 4
create in Ukrainian and Polish Universities all necessary conditions
for postgraduate students training on the Program of MBA&IT.
Realization of Outcome 2 "Ukrainian and Polish academic staff
for teaching of MBA&IT and technical staff for hardware and
software support of distance education are trained" will acquaint
the academic staff with methodic of teaching and course content
of MBA, using distance learning technology; technical staff will
receive knowledge about equipment and software of distance education
system and peculiarities of its exploitation. To extent the number
of specialists that are acquainted with advanced European experience
it is planned to organize three specialized two-weeks schools in
Ukrainian Universities in January, July 2005 and July 2006 leading
by professors from EU partner Universities. Outcome 3 "Textbooks
and other teaching materials of MBA&IT courses are developed
and published" will provide development and publishing of handbooks
and other teaching materials in traditional paper form as well as
in electronic versions. Outcome 4 "Academic Network for MBA&IT
training is created" will provide the creation of technical
base of MBA training via Distance Education technology, preparation
and installation of necessary software, creation of some business
games and virtual club of teachers and students, development of
an electronic library.
Outcome 5 "MBA&IT in Ukrainian and Polish Universities
are graduated" realizes the second part of the specific objective
"introduction of MBA&IT Program into Ukrainian Higher Educational
Institution from 2005-2006 academic year". Pilot studying of
postgraduate students under the MBA&IT Program contains the
theoretical study, probation, preparation of Master thesis and its
defense. It is planned to organize one-month probation of postgraduate
students in laboratories, departments and firms of EU partner Universities.
After project completion it is supposed that probation of Ukrainian
and Polish students will be held either in EU countries or on the
basis of bilateral students exchange between Ukrainian and Polish
Universities. Master thesis defense will be done at the State Commissions
with representatives of EU and Polish Universities in Ukrainian
Universities and Ukrainian representatives in Polish University.
Zhytomyr Institute of Engineering and Technology and Higher School
of Management from Legnica have a bilateral agreement and participation
of Polish University in the Project increases its sustainability.
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