Product Portfolio: Ryazan Region Higher Education System; Is There an Alternative to Academic Program Director? (Case of Perm State University); Modernization of the Agrarian University Model Based on Modern Trends in the Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex (Article)

The product represents a study of the higher education system in the Ryazan region. The study was conducted on behalf of Ryazan State University to be presented at the Council of Rectors of the Ryazan region. The project's goal is to propose approaches and tools for improving the competitiveness of the higher education system in the Ryazan region. A general concept for the development and interaction of universities in the Ryazan region was developed in the context of the "Strategy for Socio-Economic Development of the Ryazan Region until 2030," taking into account the sectoral specifics of universities and the geographic location of the region. A distinctive feature of the project is the use of marketing analysis methods (such as search query analysis as a tool for analyzing the desires of prospective students before they submit their applications). The presented case study was developed as an educational product for the Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education "Perm State National Research University". The goal of this problem-oriented case study is to immerse the university's management team, specific structural units, and the personnel reserve into the issues surrounding management models of educational programs. The case has several distinctive features: a retrospective presentation of the problem situation within a single university, an artistic form of material presentation, and visualization tools. The development team has conducted pilot testing and approval of the case within the educational process, and has proposed a toolkit for solving the case, which includes mapping the functions of participants in the educational process in the context of managing the educational product (based on the responsibility matrix in project management theory). This product analyzes domestic and international trends in the development of the agricultural sector and higher education to determine the future directions of agricultural higher education development. This analysis was conducted with the aim of developing and justifying the application of an optimal sustainable model for agricultural universities, which will be able to meet the modern conditions of farming. The systematization of current trends, formats, and educational technologies, as well as challenges, factors, and risks, was carried out based on the construction of an Ishikawa Diagram, which allowed for visualizing and structuring information to diagnose problems and determine solutions. The main development vector for the agricultural university, with a target achievement by 2030, is a university with a modernized education model that aligns with current industry trends and is oriented toward innovative development. At the same time, according to the authors, the proposed university model is not focused on achieving specific events, but contains tools for innovative development, ultimately acquiring a flexible mechanism for adapting to any emerging external and internal changes. The product also examines the modern typology of agricultural universities and identifies the most viable types. To enable agricultural universities to respond to future changes in agricultural production at an accelerated pace, the authors propose a model of an agricultural university with a dynamic organizational structure within a system of Kaizen transformations. According to the authors, the use of such a model in the practical activities of agricultural universities will not only promote improvements in all areas of the university but also foster continuous learning for faculty, technical and support staff, students, master's students, and doctoral candidates during transformations and the implementation of new proposals. An important aspect of the proposed model is the system of "participation in university management."