A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Abstract

Dear reader, I would like to invite you to discuss a problem that goes beyond the scope of a single journal and seems very important for understanding what is happening in society, in science, higher educational institutions and secondary schools at the current stage. I will not hide that this problem is raised quite often in various publications, but a ready-made solution, as well as a ready-made recipe, has not yet been found. We are talking about a “massive” loss of interest among graduates of secondary schools, firstly, in complete secondary education, and secondly, in subjects such as physics, chemistry and biology. In order not to be unfounded, I will give a few figures on the situation in the Udmurt Republic. In the coming years, the number of 9th grade students in the Urals will increase slightly by 150–400 people per year and will reach a value from 19,052 people in 2023 to 20,878 in 2027. It would seem that the dynamics are encouraging, but statistics record a decrease from year to year number of 11th grade graduates taking the Unified State Exam. So, if in 2019 there were 6,752 people, then in 2023 – 5,540 people, and the trend continues. An increasing number of 9th grade students are choosing secondary vocational education as their educational path: this year, out of 18,894 9th grade students, only a third continue their studies in the 10th grade, i.e. 5991 people. As for the Unified State Examination in physics, the picture is even more discouraging: if in 2019 3975 graduates took the exam, then this year only 2788 people took the exam (1200 fewer people), a similar trend is with the Unified State Examination in chemistry and biology - the main subjects for obtaining an engineering degree education. Let’s add to this that an increasing number of applicants are submitting documents through electronic services (university personal account and a single portal of State Services), such in 2023 there were more than 80%. In 2024, documents will be submitted only electronically, i.e. without the personal participation of the applicant. Izhevsk State Technical University named after M. T. Kalashnikov, like many regional technical universities, this trend “threatens” a reduction in the admission of applicants and, as a result, may lead to the closure of the university or its attachment as a branch to a stronger metropolitan university with a corresponding reduction in funding and employees. I am sure that few people are happy with this scenario, since, in addition to the social factor, geopolitical and economic factors are also affected. In our case, a reduction in university enrollment will inevitably lead to a personnel shortage at military-industrial complex enterprises, which are currently performing the most important state task - ensuring the country’s defense capability. What is the way out of this situation? First of all, it is necessary to rebuild the entire work of the admissions company and use new tools for recruiting applicants - email marketing. Secondly, given that the time has come to fight for applicants not only from Udmurtia, but also from other regions, it is necessary to increase their awareness of our university: educational programs, laboratories, teachers, infrastructure, traditions, in a word, the university must be actively represented on the Internet , and this is a common task of the entire team, every teacher and employee of the university. Thirdly, it is necessary to work more closely with graduates of secondary vocational education, convincing them to continue their studies in higher education, and in this matter we need the help of our social partners - enterprises that should in every possible way promote and encourage their promising employees to receive higher education at Izhevsk State Technical University named after M T. Kalashnikova. Fourthly, it is necessary to critically approach the set of proposed specialties at faculties and departments, “update” educational programs to the needs, first of all, of the real sector of the economy and return “the image of IzhSTU as a defense technical university.” Currently, our university is doing a lot in this direction, but there is still room to move! I am confident that the traditions of our university, the desire of all university employees to join this new and ambitious strategy will allow us to change the situation for the better!