APPLIED SPECIALIZATION AS A TOOL TO MAINTAIN HIGHER TECHNICAL EDUCATION UP TO DATE

The article dwells upon the issues of conforming higher technical education to the needs of the industry. The article analyses the degree of the employers’ satisfaction with the graduates’ level of preparation. The results of the analysis are compared to the educational abilities of technical educational institutions. On the basis of the study of the current curricula and the approaches to the educational process organization the conclusion is drawn that technical educational institutions have a potential to prepare competitive specialists. The growing importance of higher technical education actuality factor in modern economic situation is stated. The practical realization of the task of supporting technical universities’ curricula in actual state is performed through the subject “applied specialization”, developed on the basis of mutually beneficial cooperation of technical universities and interested employers.