The participants of the round table «Modern College: Lean technologies in key business processes» discussed how lean technologies can improve the work of employees and the education of college students. The event took place as part of the St. Petersburg Congress «Vocational Education, Science and Innovation in the 21st Century» at the EXPOFORUM Convention and Exhibition Centre.

As the participants of the round table explained, lean technologies in education are designed to optimize learning processes in one form or another. For example, Kurgan State College has developed and implemented several such projects. Natalia Bologova, Deputy Director for Educational and Methodological Work at Kurgan State College, said that the institution has implemented the so-called information kiosk interface, through which any student can order a certificate, enroll in a circle, and give suggestions on the college’s work.

In addition, the optimization of the college’s procurement department and accounting department is being completed. And the educational service of the institution uses lean technologies in the preparation of accounting documents. Rosatom Corporation helps the college optimize its work processes.

Some educational institutions are also creating larger projects. For example, an educational and production site has started operating on the basis of the St. Petersburg College of Industrial Automation this year. According to Nikita Zlatin, the director of the college, the training ground appeared at the beginning of the current academic year. In fact, it is an engineering competence center with nine high-tech laboratories. Students from all colleges in St. Petersburg can study here. The youth design bureau, created with the support of the Advanced Engineering School «Digital Engineering» of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, operates within the landfill. Here, students can implement corporate orders from manufacturing enterprises and develop research projects.

Other educational institutions are also implementing major projects aimed not only at teaching, but also at the practical application of knowledge by students. For example, the Academy of Mechanical Engineering named after Zh.Ya. Kotina joined the St. Petersburg machine-building cluster as part of the federal project «Professionalism». The core enterprise of the cluster is the St. Petersburg Tractor Plant (PTZ), and the Komsomolskaya Pravda Plastics Processing Plant is also a partner of the project. The main task of the cluster is to synchronize the training of students in the specialties that are needed by the engineering enterprises of the city. Within the framework of the cluster, students of the academy undergo practical training at the PTZ and at the Komsomolskaya Pravda Plastics Plant.

In addition, as noted by Ksenia Shevlyakova, Deputy head of educational and methodological work at the OPC «Mechanical Engineering» of the Academy of Mechanical Engineering named after Zh.Ya. Kotin, lean technologies are now being implemented to one degree or another in all educational programs of the institution.