Modernization of STEM education in Russia: traditions and modern innovations

Analysis of the state educational policy in STEM education in the USSR, during the transformation period and in modern Russia was conducted due to new objectives connected with the country's transition to innovative development and import substitution. The purpose of the research was evaluation of measures aimed at modernization of STEM education that combine advantages of traditional and modern organizational and methodological approaches to restructuring a network of technical universities and models of engineering personnel training. In Soviet state-controlled economy the system of STEM education successfully solved the problem of staffing by satisfying employers' demands and obligatory allocation of graduates to workplaces, involving enterprises into students' vocational training and conducting research and development projects. During the transition period in the 1990s, due to the economic crisis, the state educational policy was focused on the tasks of preserving the system of higher education and implemented measures were of organizational and economic character. Starting from 2006, due to Russia's transition to innovate development, the priority national project "Education", several large-scale programs and projects on engineering staff development and technical HEIs research and innovative structure development have been implemented. As the result of these initiatives high-tech centres were created at leading universities. This enables the state to train highly skilled personnel and generate research and technological innovations. The effectiveness of these transformations was guaranteed by implementing new models of training, increasing their research and innovative potential through infrastructure development, innovativeness of the personnel, enhancing management systems and developing a strategic partnership with industry. Alongside this, the problem of large-scale personnel training for high tech industry and development of advanced technology has not been solved. That is why it is considered relevant to modernize the system of mass STEM education through practice-driven training of specialists and engaging employers in the delivery of education programs that meet the priorities of industry scientific and technological development. In 2016 the new state priority project "HEIs as centres for innovations development" has started. More than 100 university innovation development centres will have been created by 2025 within this project. New modern educational programs will be implemented in these centres jointly with industry enterprises and engineering centres, and this will promote implementation of promising innovative developments.

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