TRAINING DESIGN STUDIES GRADUATES TO DEAL WITH PROFESSIONAL MATTERS: CASE-STUDY OF A COMPETENCY-BASED APPROACH

Russia's entry into the Bologna process has served as a prologue to the introduction of the competency-based approach in academic training. It has become possible to substitute the out-of-date process of formation of students' knowledge and skills that did not fully meet the modern market requirements as it did not take into account the nature of professional competence. Thus, the issue under study is urgent since the competency-based model of education is essential for staying up-to-date and bringing the results in line with the international standards.

Professional tasks that are put before the designer today tend to change constantly and become more complex due to rapid development of high technologies thus requiring development of specific skills. Professional competences of Design Studies graduates are seen both as integration of specialized knowledge and skills in various fields of art, design and project management and the ability to use them effectively while studying and implementing various creative professional tasks as modern conditions require. The designer will reach the goals set in a project if he or she is able to analyze and determine the requirements for a design project, to synthesize a set of possible solutions in order to achieve the goals or approaches to implement the design project, or to design articles, goods, industrial samples, collections, complexes, constructions, buildings and be able to create accessible environment too.

The article examines a model of implementation of competency-based approach used in the classroom, extracurricular activities, and during the internship which provides the formation of professional competencies of students-designers. The model was introduced at the Design Department of Kazan Federal University, Russia, and aimed to develop in the would-be designers the ability to deal with professional issues. The purpose of the article is to study and assess the means, forms and methods that are used in teaching Design Studies undergraduates.