Abstract:

Modern technical and management applications need a more thorough knowledge of the novel innovation in education field as well as new possibilities in the frame of internationalization of education. The University of Zilina is an educational and research institution with a broad profile in many areas of science, technology, economics, management and also educational and natural sciences. The permanent precondition of successful university activities is sustaining and enhancing quality in all its academic and supporting activities. Innovations are important factor of quality assurance and internationalization contribute to increasing worldwide cooperation for innovation and development.

Creation of two new study programmes (entitled Security and protection of critical infrastructure, and Autotronics) that are now being prepared at the Faculty of Special Engineering and Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University in the frame of educational project Innovation and Internationalization of Higher Education as Means of Quality Improvement at the University of Zilina is supported also by resources from the European Social Fund within the Operational Programme Education. They will contribute to widening the offer of higher education at the University of Zilina with respect to the labour market needs and knowledge society.

Critical infrastructure protection, the phenomena of the last decade, is an integral part of ensuring required level of human society security and its sustainable development. Graduates of the study program Security and protection of critical infrastructure within the study field Civil security will be able to carry out the tasks related to the critical infrastructure protection in public administration and private sector in the fields of protection of inhabitants and property, technical and technological processes, natural environment, defence of the state, internal security of objects and regions and other bodies and organizations participated in the critical infrastructure elements protection.

Another of the funding programme in the University is focused on study programme Autotronics as a response of the advanced world we live in to the urgent need to establish this major was emerged. Moreover, the lacks of applied and vocational education in our academic institutions quicken this need.

Objectives of the project are as follow:
 develop the process of learning through a comprehensive educational plan,
 introduce the importance of this advanced technology to the students and publics,
 provide students with appropriate atmosphere to create and distinguish,
 create practical opportunities to the graduates through the labs,
 promote vocational skills of concerned technicians and create job opportunities.

The aim of this paper is to point out connections of the research in the area of critical infrastructure protection, and also autotronics with the possibilities to involve them in the courses of undergraduate, postgraduate and/or doctoral study programmes, respectively.

Keywords:

Innovation, quality assurance, internationalization, study programme, quality improvement.