Our university held a roundtable discussion on the tasks of assistantship practice for second-level (master's) students under the EPP "Preschool Education. Management of a preschool education institution". The event brought together teachers, employers, and higher education students to update the practical training program in accordance with the requirements of the 2025/2026 academic year.
The key vectors of the discussion were:
Compliance with professional standards: the roundtable participants analyzed how the Professional Standard of a Higher Education Teacher (2021) changes the role of an assistant - from a passive observer to an active participant in the work of the department and a developer of methodological content.
Digital breakthrough: mastering artificial intelligence tools, moderation of webinars, and creating a safe digital environment have been identified as a priority for practice. Digital competence is now a basic requirement for employers.
Soft Skills Development: stakeholders emphasized the importance of “soft skills”: emotional intelligence, leadership, facilitation skills, and crisis management.
Inclusion and Support: In martial law, an assistant should be prepared to provide psychological support to students and adapt materials for distance learning for individuals with special educational needs.
Dialogue with external partners - employers allows for making practice as practical as possible. As participants noted, 10 credits (300 hours) of assistant practice should become a real bridge between academic theory and the professional success of a future teacher.
The guarantor of the EPP, Postoyan T.G. emphasized that discussing and agreeing on key tasks of assistant practice with employers is crucial in the context of awarding the professional qualification “Teacher of a Higher Education Institution - Pedagogical Worker”, which will take place according to the appropriate procedure upon completion of professional training under the EPP “Preschool Education. Management of Early Childhood Education”.
Based on the results of the meeting, the task package for master's students will be updated, which will allow improving the quality of training of specialists of the second (master's) level of higher education in the EPP "Preschool Education. Management of Preschool Education".
