The Alignment of University Educational Programs with the Professional Standards of the IT Industry

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to determine the alignment of university educational programs with the professional standards of the IT industry.  Answers to this question were sought through document analysis and convenience sampling. An analysis was conducted to compare the content of educational programs listed in the register with the content of professional standards. The study aimed to identify the most commonly referenced professional standards in these programs and examine their content. A significant challenge in this comparative analysis arises from the absence of a standardized methodological approach to their development. Professional standards were employed in a formal manner without integrating their requirements into the learning outcomes of educational programs. An additional significant challenge lies in the absence of measurability in formulating the requirements for the knowledge and professional skills necessary for the performance of job functions in various professions. A significant proportion of respondents from both stakeholder groups in the survey emphasized the necessity of collaboration to address the challenges related to the comparability of professional standards and educational programs. The findings of this study can serve as a foundation for developing a model for assessing professional skills during their development stages within university programs.