About projects for project originator
What is a project work?
Project work (projects) is a part of a Degree Programme for which academic credits are awarded, and which is to be assessed.
Each project is subject to deadlines and clear performance criteria (i.e., predefined characteristics pertaining to the project’s final result), and has external and internal customers with interest in the project results.
Projects can be:
obligatory– build in the curriculum of the Degree Programme;
variable - available to the independent choice by the student from among offered projects.
Project activity isn't tied to the schedule of educational process. It can be organized during the whole year and limited on time or it can be unlimited on time, including periods of study and vacation time.
What is the idea of Project work?
The project is the independently organized students's activity, aimed at finding the solution of practically or theoretically significant problem.
Key signs of the project:
- the result is presented in the form of the final product which can be seen, comprehended and applied in practical activities;
- it has accurate objectives, criteria of achievement of result and an established deadline;
- the main ways of achievement – development, selection and implementation of design decisions (project management);
- it is directed to obtaining new skills, application and development of the practical knowledge or abilities, which are necessary in future professional activity of students and also experience of self-organization.
How to define the type of the project?
There are three types of projects, depending on their goals and project results:
research projects refer to projects concentrated on research work conducted in order to generate research or applied research materials as the project result (e.g., articles/publications, reports, analytical surveys or notes, research grant applications, or teaching and learning guidelines, etc.);
practical (applied) projects refer to projects focused on solving applied tasks; the results of such projects may be developed as substantiated project solutions, business plans or business cases, or products created upon the client’s request, etc.;
service projects refer to projects focused on solving certain official tasks under the framework of a project assignment or providing support to HSE’s ongoing activities and/or those of related subdivisions which, in turn, may be conducive to development of students’ organizational and communicative competences. In this case, project results may be represented in the project team member’s tangible and recognized contribution to the organization of any event (e.g., conferences, Olympiads, excursions, Open House days, or admission campaign, etc.) or the implementation of organizational processes (e.g., organising feedback contributions by teachers and students, providing technical support required during preparation of teaching and learning materials and organizational support during classes, especially with a large number of participants, etc.). The share of service projects in total credits given for project work within the framework of a given Degree Programme is limited and may not exceed 25% of a student’s total credits.
How to confirm the student’s participation in the project?
After all students on the project are approved, the project supervisor gives to the student the confirmation of participation in the project. Student must give it to the manager of his/her Degree Programme, for adding the project into the individual curriculum.
A project originator has the right to reject a student’s application, if the latter does not meet the requirements specified in the project proposal.
How to evaluate the student's work on the project?
When the project is finished, it is necessary to fill out the following documents:
Degree sertificates are filled out by the project supervisor on each of participants of the project separately and transferred to the managers of their Degree Programme. Information on the grading system must be provided in the given project’s proposal. Also a possibility (impossibility) of repeating an examination of the project has to be presented in the project proposal and should be known to the student at a stage of project selection.
- Projects less than three credits can be estimated "pass" or "fail".
- Projects more than three credits have to be estimated on a 10-point grading scale.
The project supervisor may decide to reduce the number of credits awarded to a given student for project work. A reduction of credits does not automatically entail a lower grade for the part of a project that has already been completed by the student.
The report on the project should be completed by the student independently and attached to the degree certificate.