CLUSTER SYSTEM OF VETERINARY AND SANITARY EDUCATION TO ENSURE BIOLOGICAL SAFETY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS

The problem of food safety is the main priority that aimed at preserving and improving the health of the population and the production of high-quality and biologically safe products. According to the World Veterinary Association (WVA), veterinary education is a global public task aimed at the implementation of the new concept of “one world – one health”, which unites animal health, human health and biological safety of the planet’s population.

The questionnaire survey to identify the main competencies in the preparation of bachelors and masters in the direction of “Veterinary and sanitary examination” involves a number of issues: organizational and methodological. Questionnaires were developed, the optimal composition of respondents (at qualitative and quantitative levels), methods of survey, questionnaire collection, methods of processing and analysis of information, as well as the form of presentation of results were determined. There were two questionnaires conducted: in the first questionnaire, employers and graduates were interviewed about their general competencies; in the second, the interviewees were the representatives of academic staff (in terms of professional competencies).

The analysis and generalization of the results of the sociological survey targeted at employers, graduates and teaching staff identified the competencies of graduates in the direction of veterinary and sanitary examination, allowing to establish the degree of demand for bachelors and masters in the labor market. Questionnaires for graduates allowed to estimate a degree of preparation and to reveal the main competences which act as the integrated characteristic of personality qualities and abilities to apply knowledge and aptitudes for successful activity in certain cases and projects, which the high school graduate of the “Veterinary and sanitary examination” direction has to possess. The relevance of the development of basic educational programs is due to the need to begin practical implementation of the bachelor and master of veterinary and sanitary examination on the basis of competence-based approach. Orientation of learning goals in these programs is aimed at the formation of professional competencies and requires a new approach to the educational process. It is important to note that this topic is consistent with the principles of the Bologna agreement, which significantly influenced the restructuring of all Russian higher education and, in particular, veterinary and sanitary education.

Improvement of the structure of educational programs on the basis of the graduate’s competence model requires an innovative methodological restructuring of the assessment of the quality of acquired knowledge, acquired skills, abilities, etc. Competence-based approach requires a reorientation of the educational process and the use of the system and modular technology of educational process.