Higher education modernization new instruments: «Startup as a Diploma» program implementation

This study continues a series of articles on modern tools for the modernization of higher education, which was developed at the Nizhny Novgorod state technical university n. a. R. E. Alekseev (NSTU). The article substantiates the relevance of introducing the program «Startup as a Diploma» as a new tool for modernizing university education in Russia. An overview of the best practices for the implementation of the program by universities is given. The limitations and problems of the program implementation are analyzed. Among them: technical difficulties with the defense of the WRC, low motivation of teachers and students, problems of interstructural interaction of participants, lack of time to develop a full-fledged project, lack of generally accepted standards, insufficient competence of teachers. Criteria are proposed to be met by the «Startup as a Diploma» projects for bachelor's and master's degree graduates. The concept of the project «Startup as a Diploma» was developed, which includes a description of the problem the project is aimed at solving; description of the proposed ways to solve the problem; purpose and objectives of the project; market and competitor analysis; analysis of target consumer segments; business model of the project; roadmap, financial model. An exemplary project template is proposed, including sections on business idea justification, description of the organization of work with the project, design, product description, analysis of the target market, economics, finance, risk assessment. Criteria for evaluating the WRC in the form of a startup have been developed. Various models of «Startup as a Diploma» are presented, successfully tested at NSTU. R.E. Alekseev as part of the implementation of the Priority 2030 program and allowing to remove many of the problems that arise in the process of its implementation. The models differ in the number of participants, the distribution of their roles, the involvement of one or more graduating departments and institutes, which served as the basis for developing a typology of Startup as a Diploma projects. The developed results can be successfully replicated in the universities of the country.

Keywords: modernization of higher education, student entrepreneurship, Startup as a Diploma project, best practices, project typology

References

  1. G. A. Reznik. Student Entrepreneurship at the University: Problems and Prospects of Development//Problemy sovremennoy ekonomiki [Problems of Modern Economics]. 2010. № 3 (35). P. 411-413. https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=15511345.
  2. P. A. Ambarova, N. V. Filippova. Student entrepreneurship as a resource for the development of the educational community of students in the metropolis//Vestnik Surgutskogo gos-udarstvennogo pedagogicheskogo universiteta [Bulletin of the Surgut State Pedagogical University]. 2017. № 5 (50). P. 195-204. https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=36709353.
  3. T. A. Golovina, P. A. Merkulov, A. V. Polyanin. State support of youth entrepreneurship in Russia//Ekonomicheskaya politika [Economic policy]. 2017. Vol. 12. № 5. P. 42-61. doi: 10.18288/1994-5124-2017-5-03.
  4. E. V. Ioda, E. Yu. Kuznetsova. Small innovative enterprises based on universities as a tool for the development of an innovative economy//Sotsial'no-ekonomicheskiye yavleniya i protsessy [Socio-economic phenomena and processes]. 2015. Vol. 10. № 11. P. 29-33. https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=25462224.
  5. Z. Kh. Shadova, Z. R. Koshieva, H. Talaat. Stimulation of student entrepreneurship and the creation of spin-off companies//Aktual'nyye problemy gumanitarnykh i yestestvennykh nauk [Actual problems of the humanities and natural sciences]. 2015. № 5-1. P. 231-235. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=23560786.
  6. O. A. Khairetdinova. The value of student entrepreneurship at the present stage of Russia's development//Science Time. 2014. № 5. P. 225-233. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?edn=sfdhyh.
  7. I. S. Bessonov. Strategic prospects for the development of student entrepreneurship in Russia//Ekonomika i upravleniye: analiz tendentsiy i perspektiv razvitiya [Economics and management: analysis of trends and development prospects]. 2016. № 31-1. P. 157-163. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=27717032.
  8. V. K. Kholodny, M. E. Vasilenko. Student entrepreneurship in Primorsky Krai//EKO [ECO]. 2016. № 1 (499). P. 170-175. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=25471326.
  9. S. B. Smirnova, S. V. Bogomolov. The role of universities in developing the entrepreneurial potential of student youth//Vestnik Astrakhanskogo gosudarstvennogo tekhnicheskogo universiteta. Seriya: «Ekonomika» [Bulletin of the Astrakhan State Technical University. Series: «Economy»]. 2022. № 4. P. 117-122. doi: 10.24143/2073-5537-2022-4-117-122.
  10. A. B. Aleshina, D. B. Chkonia. Factors in the implementation of entrepreneurial intentions of students//Nauchnyye issledovaniya ekonomicheskogo fakul'teta. Elektronnyy zhurnal [Scientific research of the Faculty of Economics. Electronic journal]. 2022. Vol. 14. № 3 (45). P. 81-99. doi: 10.38050/2078-3809-2022-14-3-81-99.
  11. K. E. Grishin, M. R. Bogatyreva. On some aspects of students' attitude to entrepreneurial activity//Ekonomika i upravleniye: nauchno-prakticheskiy zhurnal [Economics and Management: Scientific and Practical Journal]. 2022. № 5 (167). P. 78-83. doi 10.34773/EU.2022.5.15.
  12. D. M. Stazharova, E. V. Burdina. Dynamics of development of student startups on the basis of the innovation infrastructure of the university//Nauchnyy zhurnal NIU ITMO. Seriya: «Ekonomika i ekologicheskiy menedzhment» [Scientific journal NRU ITMO. Series: «Economics and environmental management»]. 2022. № 3. P. 3-12. doi 10.17586/2310-1172-2022-17-3-3-12.
  13. O. Yu. Andreeva, D. G. Shishkin. Development of entrepreneurial competencies at a technical university: experience and successful practices//Sovremennaya konkurentsiya [Modern competition]. 2017. Vol. 11. № 4 (64). P. 5-17. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=30548594.
  14. D. A. Pyataev. Student entrepreneurship in Russia//Chelovek. Sotsium. Obshchestvo [Man. Society. Society]. 2023. № 3. P. 201-204. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=50380039.
  15. M. S. Guseva, E. G. Repina. The program «startup as a diploma» in universities of socio-economic profile: conditions and specifics of implementation//Vestnik Chechenskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta im. A. A. Kadyrova [Bulletin of the Chechen State University A. A. Kadyrov]. 2022. № 3 (47). P. 27-38. doi 10.36684/chesu-2022-47-3-27-38.
  16. N. E. Gotnaya. Diploma as a start-up: master's program for training personnel for NTI//Nauka Rossii — budushcheye strany: sbornik statey Vserossiyskoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii [Science of Russia — the future of the country: collection of articles of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference]. Penza: Science and Education, 2022. P. 85-89. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=48016986.
  17. A. M. Petrov. Student startups in Russian universities: the current situation//Ekonomicheskiye nauki [Economic Sciences]. 2021. № 201. P. 61-66. doi 10.14451/1.201.61.
  18. D. A. Shtykhno, R. A. Iskandaryan. Student startups as a tool for developing entrepreneurial skills//Ekonomika: vchera, segodnya, zavtra [Economics: yesterday, today and tomorrow]. 2019. Vol. 9. № 2-1. P. 252-262. doi 10.25799/AR.2019.91.2.022.
  19. E. G. Shershneva, A. A. Parkhaeva. Innovative format «Startup as a diploma» in Russian universities (on the example of the Ural Federal University)//Sovremennyye nauchnyye issledovaniya i innovatsi [Modern scientific research and innovation]. 2021. № 12 (128). https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?edn=lozzec.
  20. Yu. V. Unterwald, M. V. Kozak. Startup as a Diploma: A New Format of Graduate Qualifications in Higher Education Institutions//Pedagogicheskaya nauka i obrazovaniye v dialoge so vremenem: Materialy VI Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii, posvyashchonnoy pamyati V. A. Pyatina [Pedagogical Science and Education in Dialogue with Time: Proceedings of the VI International Scientific and Practical Conference Dedicated to the Memory of V. A. Pyatin]. Astrakhan: Astrakhan State University, 2021. P. 80-86. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=46649135.
  21. V. G. Tyutyukov, S. V. Galitsyn, D. V. Chiligin et al. Educational project «Startup as a diploma» at the university of physical culture//Uchenyye zapiski universiteta im. P. F. Lesgafta. 2021. № 2 (192). P. 326-337. doi 10.34835/issn.2308-1961.2021.2.p326-337.
  22. M. S. Kruglova, I. B. Shuvanov, V. P. Shuvanova, L. E. Kruglova. Features of managing the preparation of a bachelor's final qualification work in the form of a start-up//Sovremennoye obrazovaniye [Contemporary Education]. 2022. № 4. P. 10-17. doi 10.25136/2409-8736.2022.4.39394.
  23. I. B. Shuvanov, V. P. Shuvanova, M. S. Kruglova, L. E. Kruglova. A study of the readiness of students to develop a final qualification work in the form of a start-up//Gumanizatsiya obrazovaniya [Humanization of education]. 2022. № 4. P. 22-34. doi 10.24412/1029-3388-2022-4-22-34.
  24. I. L. Vorotnikov, E. A. Morenova, M. Sh. Gutuev. Educational and methodological features of the implementation of the program «startup as a diploma»//Agrarnaya nauka i obrazovaniye: problemy i perspektivy: Sbornik statey Natsional'noy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii [Agrarian science and education: problems and prospects: Collection of articles of the National Scientific and Practical Conference]. Saratov, 2022. P. 71-76. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?edn=xscomr.
  25. T. I. Ermakova, S. N. Mityakov, N. A. Murashova. A new model for the implementation of the «startup as a diploma» program at NSTU//Innovatsionnyye tekhnologii v obrazovatel'noy deyatel'nosti: Materialy XXV Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-metodicheskoy konferentsii [Innovative technologies in educational activities: Proceedings of the XXV International Scientific and Methodological Conference]. Nizhny Novgorod: Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n. a. R. E. Alekseev, 2023. P. 212-216. doi 10.46960/intech_2022_212.
  26. A. M. Labaev, S. N. Mityakov. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the digital transformation of the Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n. a. R. E. Alekseev// Aktual'nyye voprosy ekonomiki, menedzhmenta i innovatsiy: Materialy Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii [Actual issues of economics, management and innovation: Proceedings of the International Scientific and Practical Conference]. Nizhny Novgorod: Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n. a. R. E. Alekseev, 2022. P. 121-123.
  27. In Russia they propose to create a digital platform for students participating in the «Startup as a Diploma» program. https://ug.ru/v-rossii-predlagayut-sozdat-czifrovuyu-platformu-dlya-studentov-uchastvuyushhih-v-programme-startap-kak-diplom.

Authors