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Background: Physical inactivity is one of the primary factors that leads to obesity and overweight. What is more, it is becoming an increasingly common problem among the population of those who work. The causes of obesity and the lack of physical activity are multifactorial. The aims of the study were: to (1) measure the level of physical activity among the university staff, (2) evaluate what factors have a significant influence on undertaking the physical activity and lack of. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted via the Internet questionnaires among university staff in Northern Poland and Pomeranian Region. Taking into consideration the climate and cultural factors in Poland, a physical activity test with the usage of IPAQ scale was performed between September and November 2018 and between March and June 2019. The data was collected on the basis of the standardized long form of the IPQA questionnaire, the GSE Scale and the interview questionnaire including questions about sex, age and health assessment. Results: The study group consisted of 276 respondents, including 143 women (51.8%) and 133 men (48.2%). The average age of the respondents was 42.22 with SD ± 11.01. The weight status was categorized with the use of BMI index. 51.3% (142) of the respondents had normal body mass, 93 (33.8%) were overweight, while 23 (8.4%) were obese. The mean BMI index was 25.23 points (SD ± 4.04). One hundred and twenty five (45.1%) respondents were the employees of the Medical University, and 54.9% were employed by the Technical University. Detailed analyses using Spearman correlation test confirmed the presence of a statistically higher level of physical activity among respondents employed at the Medical University (M 513.37; SD ± 609.13) than the employees of Technical University (M 378.38; SD ± 328.26). The odds ratio analysis shows that a low level of physical activity in the group of technical university staff has a significant correlation with the other social behavior which is the alcohol consumption. Conclusion: This study confirms that the number of points obtained in the IPAQ scale, classified the academics in the workgroup presenting low physical activity which does not exceed 600 MET-min/week. The most common form of activity in this group was walking. There was no correlation between physical activity and self-efficacy, age, marital status or the number of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the light of new information, environmental, educational and production conditions, the problem of creating a health-promoting environment in a technical university appears to be rather important and needs to be studied in detail. The research aims to develop, justify and experimentally verify pedagogical conditions for forming competency in health promotion in technical students using physical education. The experiment involved two groups of students (Years 1-4): 241 individuals in the experimental group (EG) and 237 individuals in the control group (CG). Research methods include pedagogical observations, surveys, tests, self-evaluation, expert evaluation of students’ practical skills, analysis of personal valeological and sport diaries of students; modelling in the framework of ascertaining and formative stages of the experiment; quantitative analysis of empirical data and its quality presentation; statistical verification of the proposed pedagogical conditions and the research hypothesis, the use of relevant tests (the Ruffier test, the Cooper test) and quantitative indicators (Student’s t-test) in order to obtain some objective data on the results from the implementation of the author’s model. At the end of the experiment, most respondents (80 %) in the EG have reached a high level of competency in health promotion using physical education. In the CG, the differences in levels have not shown any significant changes since only 32.5% of respondents have a high level. Therefore, the results of the pedagogical experiment show some positive dynamics and confirm the effectiveness of the designed model and technology for forming competency in health promotion in technical students using physical education, which has made it possible to create qualitatively new conditions of the educational process and enhance students’ motivation towards developing and realizing values in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the main problems of students with hearing disabilities when studying natural sciences at a technical university of a general type in the inclusive conditions. They are associated both with a low level of the school chemistry course knowledge and with their peculiarities of perception of educational materials in chemistry in connection with a defect. To overcome the difficulties, we have set a task to develop special competencies in students with hearing impairments, which contribute to their mastery of the university’s chemistry course at the level meeting the requirements of independently established university educational standards (IEES). The authors have developed and introduced in the educational process at BMSTU technological, organizational, and pedagogical decisions that contribute to forming these competencies in students with hearing impairments. The adaptive course “Cognitive technologies of supporting the discipline “Chemistry” is being implemented in parallel with the basic discipline “Chemistry” and on its material. This course is being taught at BMSTU in an accessible environment of multimedia laboratories providing special educational conditions for such students. The offered cognitive information and communication technologies contribute developing of special competencies (SC) in students with hearing disabilities. SC are compensatory and at the same time personally adaptational, they are included in the matrix of BMSTU competencies which are necessary for mastering by this category of students within inclusive programs. SC contribute to getting by students professional competencies defined by the IEES. The adaptive course showed a positive effect on performance indicators in chemistry of hearing impaired students. This is achieved by creating conditions that equalize the level of training of hearing impaired students in the educational process with the level of training of ordinary students.These technologies can be effectively used in the process of forming special competences in students with hearing disabilities when teaching them general technical and special disciplines at various levels of higher education. They can be applied to students with other disabilities within inclusive education environment as well.

The article addresses the problem of student dropout from technical university due to their academic failure. The modern technical universities face a decline in youth’s interest to technical and natural sciences and engineering specialties. In enrolling new students on these specialties the universities have to set lower standards and requirements for the admission. So, the students are less motivated, and the number of expelled students increases.The article presents the results of data analysis for the two leading areas of training at Moscow Automobile and Road State Technical University (MADI) – “Construction of unique buildings and structures” and “Land transport and technological means” carried out respectively at the Road-Building faculty (DSF) and the faculty of Automobile transport (ATF). The article adduces the total number of students in MADI, as well as the number of the enrolled students on the specified training directions, and the number of expelled students of all courses for the period from 1935 to 2018. The results in physics exams showed by undergraduate students were compared with the Unified State Exam scores in physics. There is a clear parallel between the Unified State Exam scores, an entrance testing and “residual knowledge” tests.The authors have also analyzed the results of an anonymous questioning among the same groups of students, which make it possible to understand their point of view on the problems of learning difficulties. The main reasons for student attrition are both the low scores of the applicants’ results of the Unified State Exam, and insufficient actions and ineffective strategies undertaken by the university to involve undergraduate students in its educational environment.

The article presents the analysis of the implementation of interactive technologies at the English for specific purposes lessons for motivating students at agrarian and technical universities. It is emphasized that the use of an interactive learning model, which includes modelling life situations, the use of role-playing games, joint problem solving, effects students’ motivation. Unlike the subject-object approach, the students become the subjects of interaction; they actively participate in the learning process, following their individual route. The students acquire knowledge in the process of interactive learning not in the finished form, but obtain it themselves, in the process of their own activity. Therefore, the goal of the teacher is to create the conditions under which the students will discover new knowledge, construct it, and use it. It is noted that the process of learning a foreign language for special purposes requires the creation of a mixed learning environment, in which a new type of cooperation between teachers and students emerges. The authors gave the examples of the use of interactive learning technology which can improve the training of future professionals and ensure the formation of the professional foreign language communication skills. The results of experimental implementation of interactive means for developing students’ motivation are presented.

The article presents the results of a research aimed at the investigation of the causes of the extremely low academic performance of the first-year foreign students of the Ukhta State Technical University in the discipline “Mathematics”. This category of students has educational and cognitive difficulties, which are manifested in mastering special mathematical terminology and learning the proposed theoretical and practical teaching material. The author has identified the main problems faced by most of foreign students such as a bad knowledge of Russian language and a low level of basic school training. With the help of a diagnostic method for self-evaluation developed by Ch. D. Spielberger and adapted by Yu. L. Khanin, there was determined the level of reactive and personal anxiety of each of the foreign students of the supervised group on mathematics class and outside of it.

The article presents the technology for development of technical university post-graduates’ readiness for teaching activities in the system of higher education. Traditional and innovative approaches to the organization of post-graduates pedagogical training are considered. The authors have carried out an analysis of more than 100 programmes of pedagogical competencies formation presented in postgraduate courses at different universities and research institutes. There are notable differences in treatment of certain stages of postgraduates’ pedagogical training (pedagogical disciplines, their place in educational programme structure, workload, assessment) and the requirement to learning outcomes presented in pedagogical competences. But all the programmes emphasize the importance of practical teaching experience in the process of pedagogical competence development. The paper shows the role of the pedagogical courses, pedagogical training, midterm and final assessments for the formation of competencies required for the qualification “Teacher-researcher”. The authors also discuss the necessity of development of postgraduates’ research competencies and their professional and personal self-development skill during the pedagogical practice period. The paper substantiates the importance of the transition from the educational-methodological and scientificdescriptive models of future teacher professional activity to the scientific-pedagogical one. Recommendations on the organization of postgraduate pedagogical training are given and the experience of its organization at Tambov State Technical University is generalized.

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This article discusses the internationalization capacity building project at the Karaganda Technical University (‘KTU’) in Kazakhstan. The project, entitled “Capacity building for the internationalization of a technical university by means of digital learning technologies,” was supported by the fund “Scientific foundations “Mangilik el” (education of the 21st century, fundamental and applied research in the humanities)” for scientists 2020–2022. The project’s primary purpose was to explicate a sustainable strategy for internationalizing a Kazakh technical university, considering the national and international contexts, evaluating internationalization capacity needs, formulating and implementing a capacity-building response for internationalization, and enhancing the qualifications and abilities of students and teachers to an internationally comparable level. In addition, the project delivers a set of strategies for internationalization and a benchmarking methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of internationalization processes. The benchmarking analysis of the internationalization process of a university has been conducted through a classification method, comparative analysis, multi-factor SWOT analysis, and correlation analysis.

Introduction. At present, in Russian higher professional education we can observe a shift to the new educational paradigm based on Professional Standards (PS). According to the Federal Law of 02.05.2015 № 122 «About amendments to the Labour Code of Russian Federation and the articles 11 and 73 of «The Law on Education in Russian Federation» formation of the Federal State Educational Standards of Higher Education requirements for expected learning outcomes on universities’ main educational programs is implemented on the basis of relevant Professional Standards. This causes necessity of work on conjunction of Professional Standards, Federal State Educational Standards and universities’ main educational programs.The aim of this article is to demonstrate the influence of a new educational paradigm on the choice of contents, technologies and activities used in foreign language teaching at Russian technical universities.Methodology and research methods. The research methodology is based on the concept of diversification of engineers’ continuous professional foreign language training (T. Yu. Polyakova). In view of priority value of PS for developing universities’ main educational programs the updating of the above concept needs thorough analysis of both PS requirements for the level of foreign language proficiency of engineering specialists and study of scientific literature on the above problem.Results. This research results in interpretation and clarification of generalized PS requirements for the actual needs of industries and individuals in foreign language proficiency. The research also causes Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) program developers’ and LSP teachers’ pedagogical reflection about their readiness to form foreign language (FL) professional communicative competence of an engineer. It is concluded that a teacher needs to consider axiological aspects of engineering activity in order to understand the nature of the work performed by the engineer; to be able to select the corresponding content, educational technologies and types of educational activity integrating a foreign language and specialty. For this purpose the teacher needs fundamental preparation in the field of theoretical-methodological foundations of interdisciplinary approach in FL education, practice of the subject-integrated FL training, and also readiness for continuous professional development.Scientific novelty. The research helps to interpret requirements of recently developed and implemented engineering PS as applied to FL training at technical universities. It also contributes to the fundamental work on harmonization of Professional Standards, Federal State Educational Standards and university educational programs.Practical significance. The research assists new FL programs’ developers who face with difficulties in transfer of «labour functions», for which FL proficiency is necessary, to the competences being formed in the FL classes. It also helps to choose appropriate educational technologies for effective interdisciplinary FL teaching.

The article highlights the changes in the training content of programs at higher educational institutions due to the implementation of the Federal State Educational Standards of the third generation. The authors stress the necessity of flexible learning content development that meets the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard of the third generation, along with the requirements of professional standard of the labor market and the needs of students. The purpose of the article is to define methodological approaches, principles and methods of designing the structure and content of the optional part and its interlinkages with the compulsory part of bachelor’s programs. Using the methods of didactic analysis, and summarizing pedagogical experience, the authors propose the framework of designing flexible content of vocational training at technical universities along with linkages within the content of the compulsory and optional parts of the educational program. On this basis, there is achieved matching and conjugation of the educational standard requirements, professional standards and the requirements of the regional labor market.

Рассматривается модель профессионально ориентированного обучения английскому языку студентов, получающих образование в техническом вузе заочно. Обобщается опыт работы с созданными для студентов-заочников учебными пособиями; приводятся аргументы в пользу модели, учитывающей профессиональные и языковые потребности специалистов технического профиля.

The recent changes taking place in the European higher education systems leads to less stable, less secure and less attractive working conditions for academic teachers. Nonetheless, it is observed that the academic profession is attractive for young talented people. The research was aimed at studying educational biographies of engineers who took up PhD studies at technical universities in order to find out the importance of young people’s experience and life history in making important life decisions (i.e. starting academic career). The biographical research was performed based on the material of lifelines and autobiographic essays prepared by PhD students of technical universities in Poland and Ukraine. The study included 56 participants of 23 to 30 years of age. A typology of biographical narratives was developed as a result of analysis of the research material. Additionally, the crucial similarities and differences between educational biographies of PhD students from Poland and from Ukraine were indicated. On the basis of the research it can be determined that traditional motives of undertaking the academic profession – i.e. curiosity, professional status, and financial rewards – still play a big role. New motives are also appearing: investing oneself and social mission. An academic profession is seen as a possibility of development and autonomy to a greater extent than in the economic sector. However, the lack of guarantee of employment at the university after PhD studies and lower remuneration in academic structures compared to the economic sector make it difficult to plan one's own future and choose academic career instead of a different career path.

The paper analyses new technologies in teaching ESP to future civil engineers in their professional training. The research was held at the National Aviation University (Kyiv, Ukraine) and involved 86 second-year students majoring in “Civil Engineering” who study full-time. The distance learning profession-oriented course on the Moodle platform was applied in the experimental group as well as a set of intellectual games and brainstorming tasks. The study examined how students majoring in civil engineering perceive the implementation of ICT in the ESP learning environment and how these technologies improve students’ ESP proficiency and their readiness for self-educationand lifelong learning. A student survey was held at the end of the experiment. The analysis of the responses in the questionnaire with open-ended questions revealed that students had positive perceptions of using different forms of ICT in the ESP classroom. After establishing the appropriate psychological and pedagogical conditions, the number of students in the experimental group having the productive and creative levels of readiness to use English in their professional activity have significantly increased compared to the control group. On-line learning enhanced students’ motivation for self-study as well as improved their ESP proficiency.

Frugal innovation will likely play an important part in the future of innovation management. In developed countries like Finland, it has attracted only meagre research attention thus far, but global interest in the concept is increasing quite rapidly. The study focuses on how frugal innovation is understood among developed countries' professionals and nascent professionals in a technical university setting. The study aims to contribute to an improved understanding of and readiness for frugal innovation in developed countries. Improved readiness for frugal innovation is necessary to realize the full potential of the concept. Frugal innovation shall be included as an element of the research agendas and teaching in developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Architectonics & Architecture / Építés - Építészettudomány is the property of Akademiai Kiado and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The important characteristics of a person and activity of future specialist are not only the possession of information, of professional activity technologies, but also of communicative culture, which provides going beyond the regulatory activities, ability to create and transfer values, provide personal development and competitiveness on the labor market. Today, a low level of speech culture leads to a decrease in the general culture of young people and, as a result, is an obstacle to further career development in any field. The problem generally affects such industries as construction, architecture, design, as they are among the most demanded professions on the international labor markets.

Introduction: the article deals with the problem of expanding students’ competencies. A modern technical University must train professionals who apart from having a high special competence, also have the understanding of the common cultural issues. The solution of the problem is possible through a specially organized activity in the system of lifelong education. The formation of students’ social competences assumes a particular relevance, in the educational process, of a technical university as a multilevel educational complex in the context of the implementation of competence-based approach. Materials and Methods: the authors use the following methods of scientific research: system-structural analysis, synthesis, working with literature, summarizing the e xperience, and critical reflection. Results: the article presents a programme “The Formation of Students’ Social Competences in a Technical University as a Multilevel Educational Complex” developed by the authors. The content of the programme suggests the formation of social competence of health preservation, civic consciousness, communication and social interaction as well as the formation of competence in th e field of information technology. Discussion and Conclusions: the programme developed by the authors is one of the results of research carried out in the work of the Russian Academy of Education experimental unit, case study of Penza State Technological University. The main target of this programme is to promote engineering staff training for a regional labour market. This programme can be used in dif ferent institutions of continuing education.

Actual questions of development and implementation of educational programs in accordance with federal state educational standards of higher education in a technical university are under consideration in the article, including the role of some educational subjects in forming the resulting competence-based profile of a graduate student. Organizational and methodic approaches to the procedure of evaluation of preparedness of a graduate student to his / her forthcoming professional activity are also in focus of the article as well as the forms of participation of an employer in implementation of educational program of graduate training. The article also traces the relevance of connection between «non-core » subjects with professional ones in a curriculum and professional tasks defined by the federal state educational standards. The ability of a student to complete professional tasks is considered as a priority in evaluating his/her preparedness to the forthcoming professional activity while taking practical training and at State Final Certification.

The article is devoted to the experience of establishing a Research and EducationCenter (REC) «Nonlinear Dynamics of Complex Systems» at Saratov State Technical University named after Yuri Gagarin. The basic objective of REC was conducting of innovative interdisciplinary studies based on the application of the methods and concepts of nonlinear dynamics and integrated technologies (nano-, bio-, information and cognitive) with the active participation of students, postgraduates and young scientists. An important feature of the REC’s activity is a systematic participation of the leading Russian and foreign scientists, which is expressed in scientific workshops conducted on the basis of Saratov State Technical University, lectures for the students of the Technical University, as well as a work as the supervisors of the scientific projects and grants supported by international programs, the Russian Federal Program «Human resources», Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Ministry of Education and Science.

Introduction: the current leading trend of the educational development is characterised by its continuity. Institutions of higher education as multi-level educational complexes nurture favourable conditions for realisation of the strategy of lifelong education. Today a technical university offering training of future engineers is facing a topic issue of creating a multilevel educational complex. Materials and Methods: this paper is put together on the basis of modern Russian and foreign scientific literature about lifelong education. The authors used theoretical methods of scientific research: systemstructural analysis, synthesis, modeling, analysis and generalisations of concepts. Results: the paper presents a model of lifelong education developed by authors for a technical university as a multilevel educational complex. It is realised through a set of principles: multi-level and continuity, integration, conformity and quality, mobility, anticipation, openness, social partnership and feedback. In accordance with the purpose, objectives and principles, the content part of the model is formed. The syllabi following the described model are run in accordance with the training levels undertaken by a technical university as a multilevel educational complex. All syllabi are based on the gradual nature of their implementation. In this regard, the authors highlight three phases: diagnostic, constructive and transformative, assessing. Discussion and Conclusions: the expected result of the created model of lifelong education development in a technical university as a multilevel educational complex is presented by a graduate trained for effective professional activity, competitive, prepared and sought-after at the regional labour market.

The paper presents the review of the results of the International Conference "Humanities in Higher School: Theory, Practice, Implementation", which took place in November 2016 at the National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI), Moscow, under the support of Pon-tificia Universitas Gregoriana and University of Aosta Valley.

In the world of rapid changes, the concept of mobility is becoming an essential development factor for professionals, and understanding of this concept is not limited to physical mobility, i.e. studying and working abroad. Among various dimensions of mobility (academic, social, professional, cultural, etc.) we distinguish intellectual mobility as a characteristic of a professional and consider the problem of formation of intellectual mobility of engineering students through the integration of foreign language education and professional training. On the basis of theoretical research and practical experience, we have determined the pedagogical conditions for the formation of this characteristic in a technical university: 1) use of interactive teaching methods as well as ICT to change the function of a teacher when he/she becomes the moderator of students’ intellectual activities; 2) development of students’ motivation for intellectual activity by considering their psychological characteristics; 3) integration of foreign language education and professional training, active use of distance learning courses and intellectual games. The effectiveness of these pedagogical conditions while teaching ESP at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute has been checked through carrying out the pedagogical experiment and set of questionnaires and tests to define the level of intellectual mobility. As a result, we have developed scientific and practical recommendations at administrative, methodological and practical levels for teaching staff. The development of teaching complexes to ensure the process of formation of intellectual mobility of specialists in the educational environment of a modern technical university has been proposed to be a prospective direction for scientific research.