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Gazizova A.I.
Dr.Sci. (Pedagogics),
Professor
Naberezhnye Chelny Institute,
Kazan Federal University, Russia
THE INTERACTION OF
SCIENCE, EDUCATION
AND PRODUCTION IN THE
MODERN WORLD
The interaction of
science, education and production has always been an important issue on the agendas
of academics and policymakers. It has become even more significant with the
increasing integration of global economy, orientation of many nations to the
creation of innovative society.
Given approaches in
comparative researches we have focused on the relationship between
high school and the business sector in rapidly developing countries, members of
G-20, such as Turkey and Russia. Turkish and Russian economies are undergoing a
structural transformation in which innovative capabilities play an increasingly
important role. The ongoing transformation is changing the skill needs of the
business sector and their expectations from high school graduates and
scientists. It is obvious to make progress
both countries need to invest in the skills of the labor force, to improve the
quality of higher education, to conduct joint researches and studies with
business community, to develop scientific and technological
infrastructure providing effective interaction of science, education and
production.
Despite
similar goals, Turkey appeared to show more dynamic changes to meet the
requirements of economy, labor market and active development of private-state
partnership. The reference to the international experience, comprehension of
own private experience in comparison with other one is of special interest for
Russia. It allows to see the most effective samples of academic and scientific
activity for Russian system, versions of common problems decision, stimulates
the emergence of new ideas and priorities for own policy and reforming
practice.
So favorable
conditions and prerequisites to achieve competitive
advantages in Turkey are connected with various factors including 1) development
of new industries, 2) growth of the economy and the initiatives of business
community in research activities; 3) adoption of national policy and state
support of innovative activity through tax postponement for R&D expenses, grants, creation of joint
centers;
intensive development of innovation infrastructure; funding of research projects
for industrial purposes; 4) Turkey's membership in international organizations,
such as the
World Trade Organization and the EU Customs Union and active
participation in their scientific and economic programs, 5) the growing number
of universities and improvement of their research infrastructure.
Business
sector in Turkey makes important contributions to the development of university science, funding level accounts
for 15- 22 %, that exceeds the similar investments in developed countries
(Canada, Belgium, Germany) [1]. Business community also participate investing
in higher education through creating universities, governing high schools,
providing academic processes (through introduction of a wide range of courses covering the topics related with technology and innovation management, involving the
students into projects, execution of master's and doctor's dissertations in
real manufacture conditions etc.).
Thus, the
state stimulation of interaction in Turkey is initially connected with various
government programs supporting scientific projects. In Russia the state
«program» of innovative process stimulation is characterized by insignificant
financial investments, absence of advancing legislative and organizational
support, branch orientation of the most programs that doesn't facilitate
cooperation of innovative infrastructures created by various departments and
funds [5].
In the last
15-20 years one can observe strengthening of Turkish university role and position
in development of scientific and innovative system as a whole despite
historically formed difficulties (such as absence of fundamental science,
narrow sector of higher education, training-orientated universities, absence of
strong quality assurance system, limited institutional autonomy, etc.). As for
the detailed indicator treatment Turkish university sector unlike Russian one
shows the appreciable advance in performing research and consequently the strengthening
of its position in the field of global academic ratings.
For
example, in 2003 Turkish academics published a total of 12,751 articles in
journals covered by the three citation indices. This accounted for 1.1% of the
global publications, and put Turkey in the 22nd place in the world in terms of
publications in SCI journals [3]. In 2007 the number of articles has increased
to 21 779 [2] that puts Turkey in the top countries in the world. Today
Turkish scientists represent more than 60 % of the international scientific
publications from the Muslim countries [4]. These results correlate with the Project Vision 2023. The
objective of the project has been set as formulation of new national science
and technology policies and setting priority areas for the next couple of
decades in order to create a prosperous society and economy based on innovation
by 2023, the 100th Anniversary of the Turkish Republic.
These achievements are caused, first of all, by the
increase of high school science funding, secondly, by the conduct of majority
scientific researches at universities and, thirdly, by the primary attention to
research activity that is expressed in direct dependence of teacher's career on
scientific work and especially on number of personal publications. The priority
to scientific work has certain negative consequences (theoretical orientation
of workings, etc.), however it leads to notable quantity indicators.
In
Russia the cited approaches aren't practically developed, cooperation between universities and business sector is at the primary
stage initiated more likely by high schools rather than the enterprises by
inertia preferring a traditional way of development. They don't show obvious
desire to establish relations with universities and make contribution to
scientific workings.
Compared
to the international experience underestimation of Russian high school science
development is especially visible. The majority of schools are
education-orientated; their contribution to a science remains insignificant.
The most part of public funds is realized by academic (the Russian Academy of
Sciences and other academies) and applied (branch scientific research
institutes) scientific spheres. We quote some data as an example: number of the
higher educational institutions carrying out researches and workings in
1990–2005ãã. has decreased from 453 to 406 that makes only 11 % of total
scientific organizations. By the beginning of 2006 researches were conducted
only in 7 % Russian high schools [5]. The main reasons for that in many
respects relate to insufficient level and mechanisms of state funding; decrease
of teaching staff involved in researches.
At the
same time in Russia despite the unfortunate trends connected with inefficient
economic reforms, favorable ones still remain that allows to develop science at
high institutions. They have deep historical roots and old tradition of high
school contribution to the development of scientific potential of Russia. Creation
of collective system concerning production and use of knowledge in Russia is
linked now with re-structuring of high school through singling out federal and
national research universities called to become the backbone factor for the
effective education-science-production interaction [5], also with the creation
of innovation complex «Skolkovo».
There
is no doubt that qualified specialists are
a major incentive for firms to innovate and produce high-tech goods. And one of
the main tasks for governments is to place innovation, creativity and
innovative entrepreneurship at the heart of national education systems.
It is
an essential prerequisite to a technological progress and economic success in
Turkey where
education and skill levels lag international standards. Almost 60 percent of
the Turkish workforce in the manufacturing sector has less than ten years of
education, compared with 9 percent in Bulgaria, 27 percent in Vietnam, 33
percent in Chile, and 40 percent in Poland , and only 10% has higher education [6].
Meanwhile
firms in Turkey, as in Russia, see a real need for foreign language skills,
especially English, computer skills, analytical skills, social, behavioral and
communications skills. They also cite a lack of practical experience among many
graduates that restrains promotion of innovative projects. The skills highlighted
by Turkish firms are similar to skill needs in other countries including
Russia. However the results are indeed unsatisfied, tertiary education in
Turkey remains elite. The desire and demand to expand higher education is
strong, but the choices are complex and the financial implications significant
for individuals and government.
Government
strategies place a high priority on reforms by focusing on access and equity
issues and the relevance of tertiary education to the labor market. Other steps concern the system
integration of the Turkish higher education into the European structures
according to Bologna reforms that is also of special interest for Russia.
So the interaction of
science, education and production in the modern world is one of the effective
tool of a sustainable development and national competitiveness and our reference to the
Turkish experience may be useful in solving many common actual problems such as
promotion of active private-state partnership in professional training, rise of
university research potential and quality culture, intensification of the
international cooperation in scientific and academic spheres.
1.Education and society: whether Russia is ready to
invest to its future? = Îáðàçîâàíèå è îáùåñòâî: ãîòîâà ëè Ðîññèÿ èíâåñòèðîâàòü â ñâîå
áóäóùåå? [Electronic resource]: The Report, Moscow 2007 / Public chamber of the
Russian Federation. – Mode of access: http://www.hse.ru/temp/2007/files/20071220_eport.
pdf
2.
ERAWATCH Country Report 2009.
Turkey [Electronic resource] : Analysis of policy mixes to foster R&D investment and to contribute
to the ERA / European Commission ; by Sirin Elci, Ihsan Karatayli. – Mode of access: http://cordis.europa.eu/erawatch/index.cfm?fuseaction=reports.content&topicID=600
&parentID=592
3.
Guruz K. The Turkish experience in higher education governance and
reform / Ê. Guruz // International
Conference on Higher Education and Scientific Research in Knowledge Based
Societies (February 24–25, 2007). – Sofia : New Bulgarian University, 2007.
4.
Kağitçibaşi Ç. Science on the rise in Turkey [Electronic
resource] /
C. Kağitçibaşi. – Mode of access: http://users.ictp.it/~twas/pdf/NL15_2_PDF/06-Turkey_24-27_low.pdf.
5.Majburov I. High school and the industry: aspects of
mutual relations = Âûñøàÿ øêîëà è ïðîìûøëåííîñòü: àñïåêòû âçàèìîîòíîøåíèé / I.Majburov// The
high school Bulletin. = Âåñòíèê âûñøåé øêîëû. –
2003. – No.9. – P.3-9.
6.
Turkey–Higher Education Policy Study. Volume
I. Strategic Directions for Higher Education in Turkey [Electronic resource] : Report No. 39674 – TU, June 2007 / The World Bank. –
Mode of access: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/