Abstract:

Relevance:
Network programs imply building a network at the base university, which transfers some of the disciplines, courses, internship, etc. to other educational and non-educational institutions. Each network participant engages the best facilities, technology and human resources, which are not available at the base university. It is effective to build a network if it improves the students’ training quality. When all participants of the network programs are educational institutions, the quality of students’ training is evaluated by the state accreditation, internal and independent external expertise. The issue of network programs quality remains problematic for the base university if it subcontracts some of the curriculum subjects to non-educational organizations.

The aim of this study is to present the way to ensure the quality of students’ network training when the main university transfers part of the academic load to manufacturing and research companies.

Methodology:
The research stages were:
1. Theoretical analysis of documents, scientific and practical experience in the implementation of network training programs.
2. Systematization of requirements for the educational process quality and for the students’ training quality (their competencies) within the network program.
3. Development of the quality ensuring method of students’ training within the network between Technological University and non-educational companies.

Results:
1. The research areas related to the quality within network training are defined. They are: ensuring the quality of the organization of the educational process and ensuring the quality of students’ training.
2. A set of issues related to ensuring the students’ training quality (formation of competencies) when the base university transfers part of the academic load to manufacturing and research companies was revealed and generalized.
3. The Competency Tree for students mastering Process Engineering within the network program was designed. Three groups of sub-competencies (formed by the Technological University, by the manufacturing company, by the research company) were developed. The unique resources of each participant in the network were identified, which are necessary to ensure sub-competencies.

Conclusion:
The Competency Tree and the method of distributing the formed sub-competences based on involving the best resources of several organizations were developed. They contribute to the quality of students’ training improvement and to the quality assurance of network training.

Keywords:

Quality assurance, university, network training program, manufacturing and research companies, Competency Tree.