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CHALLENGES OF INTEGRATION OF INNOVATIVE EDUCATION METHODS IN THE
HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Latifa Nasibova, PhD economics
Head of Careers and industry relation, Baku Higher Oil School, SOCAR
AZ 1025, Khojaly Ave.30, Baku, Azerbaijan
E-mail: latifa.nasibova@bhos.edu.az, www.bhos.edu.az
There has been an unprecedented and exponential growth of technology
and industrial
business over the past 20 years in ex-soviet-union countries, which is challenging companies to find
skilled specialists matching the business market requirements. Azerbaijan, being an example of
those countries, has been seeking to transform its economy from depending on primary natural
resources to a knowledge-based one, providing a permanent source for economic growth and thus
achieving sustainable development, helping in diversifying the national economic framework, and
multiplying the income and wealth resources of the country other than primary resources, mainly
crude oil.
Today’s complex workplace environments demand higher education institutions prepare
graduates who are ready to tackle society’s most pressing challenges. However, present-day
education may not adequately prepare students for the problem-solving approaches required of our
modern workforce. Implementing grand challenges within higher education courses may help
prepare students to engage in innovative solutions to complex problems. Universities are the main
resource, with their human assets and research institutions capable of producing knowledge,
creativity, and innovation represented in researchers, research centers, and scientific departments.
Despite the advantages associated with pedagogical innovations supported by different government
projects, the integration has been implemented slower than expected in many cases. Although
universities strive to remain innovative by using innovative technologies, societal digitalization and
these impacts impact teachers, learners, and decision-making in terms of curriculum and study plan
design and implementation.
Innovative education methods refer to pedagogical approaches and strategies that go beyond
traditional lecture-based instruction; these methods often include active participation, student-
centered learning, the integration of technology, and practice-based courses. Moreover, the
practice-based courses are the basis of engineering specialties, representing more than 50% of the
teaching hours in the study plan.
The implementation of those innovative methods fosters a deeper understanding of the subject
matter and develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Personalized learning experiences
cater to diverse learning preferences.
The learning outcomes of innovative education improve the retention of information and
develop higher-order cognitive skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
During the process of implementation, higher education institutions face several barriers
to introducing innovative education methods, and their impact is observed in various aspects.
Main challenges can be divided into 3 main categories:
1.
Readiness and acceptability of the process:
Faculty and staff members may be resistant to change and hesitant to adopt the
innovative approach; they may be comfortable with the traditional approaches and fear the
unknown or potential challenges associated with the new methods. They may express concerns
about the increased workload and the effectiveness of the new methods and the innovative process.
The main function of the management is to ensure that the faculty members are supported and
informed during the whole process. The involvement of the main acting professors in the decision-
making process and the planning of innovative projects should be prioritized.
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2.
Faculty training and development:
The identification of an academic staff with the necessary fundamental skills is essential for
forming the main academic team. Higher education institutions may lack adequate resources and
time to provide comprehensive training and development opportunities for faculty. The limited
access to workshops and seminars can hinder the faculty's ability to learn and effectively utilize the
new technologies. Addressing these barriers and providing tailored support and training can
facilitate the faculty engagement and readiness process.
3.
Technological Infrastructure and financial investment in the Human capital
The integration of new practical approach is expensive and the return on investment should be
budgeted and logically used by the addressed community. The practical knowledge implemented in
laboratories is an integral part of the innovative education. Institutions need to invest in
infrastructure and support the system to overcome these challenges by facilitating the tailored
training of the faculty members and technical staff. Providing incentives, professional development
opportunities and adequate resources can help overcome resistance to change and foster a
supportive environment.
The financial investment may be not sufficient, and the attraction of an external expertise is an
essential component of the process. For enhancing the sustainability, the human capital is one of
the components which strengthen and accelerate the innovation integration process.
Several tools for a smooth integration of innovative methods can be listed, but I would like to
focus on the double degree implementation with the world's leading universities in their field of
specialization.
Using the methods of double degrees may impact several domains of education
management in higher education institutions, among them:
-
the content of the curriculum and its alignment with the local educational legislation
-
the background of the professors for supporting the full program
-
the approach to the pedagogical process and its implementation
-
the integration of the necessary infrastructure and training of the academic and technical
staff accordingly
-
the administrative management of the process and its adaptation process to the local
environment and local business market needs
Integration of a double degree diploma does not mean the full implementation of the
educational process management as it is at the main diploma offering university, through the
implementation process, we may discover its uniqueness as it makes the process adaptable to the
local needs of the business market by limiting the process of implementation to the provided human
capital and provided infrastructure.
The listed challenges may be present in the double degree diploma integration process, which
directly impacts the academic staff and enhances their ability to collaborate with the partner
university. This collaboration generates other partnership perspectives in terms of research,
innovation centers, and common technological infrastructure to be used by both sides. During the
process, several areas are impacted, including the pedagogical and scientific content, and the
integration of change is implemented smoothly. Two main periods should be evaluated and studied
during the implementation of a double degree diploma: the first millstone is the planification of the
process according to the available data, infrastructure, and workforce, and the closing process is the
sustainability of the project and its same-level implementation based on local expertise and human
capital.
In conclusion, to overcome the challenges, there is a need for a proactive collaborative
approach and commitment from administrators, faculty, and staff members. The investment of
higher educational institutions in resources, faculty development programs, and technological
infrastructure is a main facilitator of the successful implementation of these innovative methods.
Overcoming the challenges will allow a better preparation of a young, talented workforce ready to
integrate into the global business market
