Wide diversification of models, types and sorts of higher education.
The contours of national higher education of Kyrgyzstan are already designated in the system of the higher vocational education, which are based on the tendencies of development of system of higher education abroad. Today in republic there are classical universities with fundamental preparation, profile institutes, academies and a conservatory, and also the higher educational institutions combining fundamentality with versatility of preparation of specialists.
With a view of integration into the international educational space joint educational programs with foreign HEIs (within the limits of the international projects) are realized into HEIs of the republic. Thus, for example, the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, Kyrgyz-Turkish University named after Manas, East University named after Kashgari, Academy of Management under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, the International University of Kyrgyzstan, the American University of Central Asia, Institute of Integration of International Educational Programs of the Kyrgyz National University named after J.Balasagyn are realizing individual educational programs, uniting programs of HEIs of foreign countries with the state standards of Kyrgyzstan.
A process of diversification of programs of higher education has taken place. This process occured in two directions: by introduction of multilevel structure of higher education and new specialities, and due to expansion of the academic rights of HEIs on modification in their educational programs. Thus, the structure of educational programs of higher education was generated during last years as harmonous system of cooperating successive programs.
During last years positive tendencies appeared in the system of higher vocational education of Kyrgyzstan by diversification (variety) of curriculums, technologies of education; in many HEIs innovative interactive forms of education are used.
Radical Changes and Renewal of Higher Education.
The structure of higher education of Kyrgyzstan represents a network of higher educational institutions of various kinds and types and various professional-educational programs, which for today reflect needs of social and economic sphere. For last decade a professional education on agricultural and engineering specialities was reduced, but the number of lawyers, economists and programmers has increased. There were such new specialities as marketing, an estimation and management of the property, anti-recessionary management, examination and management of the real e state, the state and municipal management and others, demanded on a labour market.
The majority of HEIs gradually pass to credit system of education of students that allows making active educational process, to increase a role of independent and individual work of students.
Such organization of educational process allows to improve quality of education, and also to enhance the responsibility of students for choice of the future specialization. The role of written works has increased in many HEIs of Kyrgyzstan with transition to modular system of education: if earlier students wrote 1 or 2 written (control) works, with introduction of modular system the quantity of written works has increased in 10 times that has allowed to speed up independent work of students essentially.
Strengthening of communication with the labour market.
Last years preparation of specialists in the system of higher vocational education occurs without participation of employers. Communication between a higher educational institution and a social production sphere is nearly absent. Therefore such phenomenon exists as overproduction of some specialities (lawyers, economists), and shortage of others (repair and service of computer technics, information technologies, the software, innovative technologies, etc.).
Employers do not influence yet upon development of material base of HEIs, their infrastructures, the content of education, procedure of certification and accreditation. Laws, normative-legal base do not stimulate social partnership between higher educational institutions and employers.
Movement from notion "qualification" to the notion "competence".
The state educational standards of the higher vocational education do not yet provide such level of the competence of the specialist, which is necessary for modern life.
In this connection it is necessary to reconsider, first of all, existing state educational standards with a view of their approximation to modern conditions and needs of a labour market.
Thus ways and methods of education of specialists in HEIs demand serious revision. This is one side of a problem. Other, not less important component in preparation of specialists is change of whole structure of higher vocational education. It means mass preparation of the practice-focused specialists for needs of branches of economy, and also elite fundamental preparation - for development of science and technology. Transition to interactive innovative technologies and ways of preparation of specialists is necessary. It is necessary to give such qualification that will allow the graduate of HEI to master different competences of professional work.
Structural model of Higher Education system.
The system of the higher vocational education in Kyrgyzstan in its basis had « the Soviet system ». During last years the certain shifts to changes of structural model of system took place.
Today the HEI allows universities to realize both classical academic and nonconventional professional educational programs. At all existing universities different programs are realized, both on an orientation (scientifically-fundamental and research-applied), and on educational levels (the bachelor, the specialist, the master, the candidate, the doctor). It happened because during last years the HEI survived in market conditions and had to adjust to inquiries of society that vary greatly.
This model is still at a stage of evolvement, and it is difficult still to tell, which form it will get. It is possible to assume that there will be the fragmentary or multifactorial system consisting of polytypic higher educational institutions. In favour of such choice speaks a system of the polytypic educational organizations available in Kyrgyzstan after school education.
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