Strategic session
On 19 March, the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering hosted a strategic session entitled "Developing a System of Professional Qualifications within the Framework of Improving the Higher Education System." The event brought together representatives of government agencies, professional associations, educational organizations, and the expert community.
The strategic session was attended by representatives of the Committee for State Control, Use, and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (KGIOP) of the Government of St Petersburg, the National Association of Designers and Surveyors (NOPRIZ), the National Agency for Qualification Development, the Federal State Budgetary Institution "All-Russian Research Institute of Labor" of the Ministry of Labor of Russia, professional associations of restorers, educational organizations, as well as the SPbGASU top managers and teachers.
The key goal of the meeting was to develop coordinated solutions for the development of a professional qualifications system and the creation of modern educational ways for staffing the construction industry.
The SPbGASU First Vice-Rector Svetlana Golovina addressed the participants with a welcoming speech, emphasizing the importance of systemic interaction between education, the state, and the professional community.
New professional standard: restoration engineer
The central topic of the session was the initiative to develop a new professional standard for "Building and structure restoration specialist (Restoration engineer)." During the discussion, it was noted that the current qualification system lacks a codified standard for engineering specialists in the field of cultural heritage conservation.
KGIOP Chairman Aleksey Mikhailov emphasized the high state demand for training specialists in this field: "One of the key problems today is the lack of specialists who understand how to work with cultural heritage sites. This directly impacts both the timeframe and cost of work. Therefore, we consider the initiative to create a restoration engineer standard extremely relevant, and we are ready to provide it with our full support."
Svetlana Golovina voiced the educational community's opinion, confirming the university's commitment to systematic work in this area: "Today, the country lacks training for restoration engineers as a separate category of specialists. Yet, the need for them is obvious: in St Petersburg alone, there are over 9,000 cultural heritage sites, each requiring a professional approach. We are convinced that it is necessary to establish a separate specialty and train engineers with both fundamental knowledge and expertise in restoration technologies."
Representatives of the professional community and industry associations also participated in the discussion. Participants agreed on the need for a consolidated approach to developing the new standard.
Following the discussion, a decision was made to create a working group with the participation of representatives of KGIOP, NOPRIZ, professional associations, and SPbGASU.
Synchronizing education and market demands: the SFC-IAQ mechanism
The second block of the session was devoted to issues of synchronizing educational programs with the requirements of professional standards through mechanisms for combining the state final certification (SFC) and independent assessment of qualifications (IAQ).
Alla Faktorovich, Deputy Director General of the National Agency for Qualifications Development, presented methodological approaches to integrating these procedures. Representatives of NOPRIZ and educational organizations discussed industry requirements for graduates and the possibility of implementing new assessment mechanisms.
SPbGASU has announced its readiness to participate in a pilot project to combine the SFC and the IAQ in the Architecture program. The university has already established the necessary infrastructure and expertise.
Launch of a new PR program
At the conclusion of the strategic session, the opening of a new educational program for professional retraining, "Self-Regulation in Urban Development," was announced.
The program was developed in collaboration with the professional community and with the participation of national associations and the Russian Union of Builders. It is aimed at training specialists for the self-regulatory system in the construction industry.
Participants noted the high demand for such personnel and the importance of a practice-oriented approach to training.
Results and decisions
Following the strategic session, a resolution will be signed, enshrining key agreements on:
- support for the development of a professional standard for “restoration engineer” and the formation of a working group;
- approval of the SPbGASU participation in a pilot project to combine the SFC and IAQ;
- recognition of the relevance of launching a new PR program;
- recommendations for the development of network interaction between educational organizations and employers.
Participants emphasized that the decisions taken were aimed at improving the quality of specialist training and ensuring personnel sovereignty in the Russian construction industry.