Abstract:

The Russian system of higher professional education is facing the challenge of training a new generation of engineering personnel with Industry 4.0 competencies. This training requires the application of innovative educational technologies, including project-based learning technologies. Project-based learning in a master's degree program is considered to be an effective mechanism for training an elite technical specialist, ready for engineering activity in the shortest possible time after studying at the university.

The main task of the authors is to identify the features of project-based learning in the conditions of engineering master's degree programme of Ural Federal University. The empirical basis of the study was the results of interviews with teachers and students of the master's programme "Systems Engineering". The data processing method was thematic analysis (TA). Qualitative analysis of the data corpus (interview transcripts) was carried out using "MAXQDA" software (version Analytics Pro Student License Educational, 2-year-license, № 239220303).

The analysis of interview transcripts revealed the general characteristics of master's training at the university: practice-oriented approach, active development of students' research activities, application of modern learning methods, high level of graduates' employment. It has been established that the competitive advantage of the unique and innovative master's programme "Systems Engineering" is project-based learning, which is a flexible model of educational process organization, within which the student-centred approach and the mechanism of bachelor's and master's studies continuity are implemented. The organization of engineering project work in the learning process, continuous control and objective assessment by the employers of the final project result stimulate students' learning motivation and enhance their professional competence. The student obtains in-depth professional competencies, teamwork skills, the ability to think creatively and systematically, engineering leadership experience. The data from faculty and student interviews allowed evaluating the status and prospects of project-based learning in a master's degree programme in the temporal dynamics.

Keywords:

Engineering education, master's programme, project-based learning, interviews, qualitative data analysis, teachers, students.