Methodology for strengthening the practical focus of higher education programs in Russia

The relevance of research in the field of improving the content and technologies of higher education is determined by the contradiction between the increase in the volume of highly qualified workers (including those with the level of basic higher education) required in Russia today, a significant decrease in the demand for graduates of higher education programs who actually do not have applied professional competencies, on the one hand, and gaps in the methodology for strengthening the practical focus of Russian higher education programs, on the other. The methodology is interpreted by the authors as a “doctrine of the organization of activity” and implies consideration of the axiological foundations of modern higher education, the genesis of its skill deficiencies, the characteristics of its subjects and objects, principles of improving the content and technologies, conditions and resources for strengthening the practical focus of higher education programs in our country. The hypothesis of the study was that it is necessary to increase the competence potential of higher education programs in terms of the skill component by integrating secondary vocational education programs into them. The confirmation of this hypothesis presented in the article constitutes the scientific novelty of the work. The practical significance of the article materials lies in the recommendations provided for the implementation of one of the key conditions for strengthening the practical focus of higher education programs: the implementation of secondary vocational education programs within higher education. Particular attention is proposed to be paid to the targeted training of industrial training masters, including for work at a university. These materials may be in demand by researchers of problems of higher education methodology, as well as by representatives of the management and employees of methodological services of higher and secondary vocational education organizations to improve activities in the field of pedagogical design.