Since the beginning of the year, Novosibirsk State Technical University NETI has launched seven new digitally-oriented professional retraining programs. The training has a part-time format and is designed for one academic year of about 250 hours.
In 2022, the university accepted 1,107 fourth-year students of bachelor's degree programs and master's degree programs for professional retraining programs. Within the strategic development program "Priority 2030" the university has launched the "Digital Departments" project aimed at acquiring digital competences in creating algorithms and programs suitable for practical application or mastering skills of using and learning digital technologies necessary for new professions. The project is aimed at developing digital competencies in students from all areas of training and specialties. The programs will be especially useful for students in non-digital areas. who are quite numerous at the university.
In May 2020, the Deputy Prime Minister Dmitriy Chernyshenko announced the opening of "digital departments" in 115 Russian universities with 300 educational programs. The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the "digital departments" were launched within the federal project "Human Resources Development in the IT Industry" (of the national program "Digital Economy") that was developed on the basis of the strategic initiative approved by the Prime Minister.
Sergey Chernov, vice rector for academic affairs at Novosribirsk State Technical University NETI, stated that professional retraining programs had been launched at the university since 2021, but the "Digital Departments" programs enabled the creation of seven new educational programs from the ground up with the participation of real IT-sector representatives from companies such as "Sberbank," "Rosgosstrah," "Sovkombank," "Levoberezhny bank," and others.
"The project "Digital Departments" deals with issues related to the development of digital competencies. On the one hand, there is a severe shortage of such specialists; on the other hand, there is a current need for all specialists to develop basic IT skills. Businessmen are directly involved in the design of programs and also act as teachers in certain disciplines. It is important that there be as little theory as possible in the professional retraining programs, so that the program is as practice-oriented as possible and that students receive exactly the knowledge and skills that are in demand in the market today," said Sergey Chernov.
This year, university students can study for free in a range of additional vocational education for professional training: data analytics, business analytics in the digital economy, content management, digital marketing technologies, industrial design and prototyping, economics and management in the IT sphere, IT management, and technology entrepreneurship.
The vice rector said that students are mostly interested in programs related to data analytics, which guarantee the development of cross-cutting competencies that will be in demand among the basic NSTU educational programs.
The university's programs were subjected to formal evaluation by Innopolis University, as well as expert analysis by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education's and Ministry of Digital Development's expert councils, an autonomous non-commercial organization (ANO) called "Russia is the Land of Opportunity," and experts from relevant enterprises and organizations.
During the training, students will have to undergo a comprehensive assessment of their digital competence. For this purpose, the assessment center has been established on the basis of Innopolis University. Students will be offered tests and cases in accordance with the topics of their professional retraining program. The results evaluate the dynamics of students' digital competencies development after finishing their education in the "digital departments."
Sergey Chernov said that there would be three assessments during the academic year: at the beginning of studying, in the middle, and at the end: "Experts will give their independent assessment on how students grow in developing their competencies."
The vice rector added that next year, NSTU NETI will take this year's experience into consideration and provide students with improved professional training programs. He specified that the university is considering expanding the list of educational programs available to students.