NEW TRENDS IN ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

Higher education in the Slovak Republic is provided by educational institutions, which are a part of the European Higher Education Area. Their goal is to develop harmonious personality, knowledge, the good and creativity in people. Higher education is provided at three levels - Bachelor, Master and PhD study programmes – fully within the competence of higher educational institutions and universities. Higher education is provided with accredited study programmes. Evaluation of higher education institutions is within the competence of the Accreditation Commission, which is a counselling body of the Slovak Government. Accreditation Commission evaluates the efficiency and quality of each higher education institution and gives recommendations on improving the institutions’ work. Fulfilment of each accreditation conditions is assessed by the Accreditation Commission. Higher education institutions may ask for study programme accreditation in any field of study. University of Žilina has a burning ambition to continue in dynamic growth, to provide high quality education, to educate well-prepared and demanded graduates, Students of the University of Žilina study in modern and well-equipped classrooms and laboratories centralised on the complex and modern university campus. At present there are about 9,000 students being educated at seven faculties in 231 accredited fields of study in all forms and degrees of university studies at the University of Zilina. Results of science and research activities of the University have an important influence on the educational activities and also on the development of international cooperation or interconnection with practice. One of the newest economic and management study programs is E-commerce and Management. Graduates of this study program are able to analyse processes and solve problems in the conditions of new forms of communication through e-commerce and its management. They are employed in management functions of middle management and in the use of information and communication technologies and services in enterprises and service organizations such as operating managers, sales representatives, sales managers or consultants. In the case of the establishment of their own enterprise, they are also able to act as managing managers of a small or medium enterprise in the area of trade and services and act as an active and controlling element in the value chain of a service enterprise. However, passing the first stage of study is a good basis for a smooth transition to the second level of university studies. The implementation of the curriculum includes new knowledge and results of sectoral economics and management research that are regularly integrated into the learning process of the individual subjects of the study program. The paper will offer results of a survey among graduates of this focus, showing the viability of this study program.