Abstract:

The usefulness of the subjects included in the study programs and their required amount is assessed by the contribution of the subject to the programs for the achievement of the common study objectives. In order to ensure the quality of the study process, in the process of studying each subject, the knowledge, skills and competences that students will receive in the subject as well as their usefulness in the assessment of the employer should be recognized. According to employers, student competence depends not only on the amount of knowledge acquired in a discipline, but mainly on problem-solving abilities.

In order to ascertain the opinion of employers on the competence required of future engineers, a survey of engineers of various fields was carried out in Latvia. The paper analyses the results of the survey and summarizes the views of employers on studying mathematics in engineering study programs. Based on the results of the research, the knowledge and competences necessary for the Latvian labour market provided by the study process of mathematics are determined.

The article describes the development activities of the mathematics study process at universities to ensure the development of relevant competences.

They are implemented in two main ways:
(1) improvement of mathematics study programs (evaluation of content and volume, change of accents, distribution of contents by levels, inclusion of mathematical computer programs); and
(2) organizing the study process (incorporation of information communication technologies into the learning process, interdisciplinary approach, self-directed learning, diversification of teaching methods, creation of e-materials, etc.).

Keywords:

Employers, engineering, mathematics, competence.