Center for social and cultural designing SPBGIK: a new experience of interaction of theory and practice
The article describes in general terms the challenges facing higher education in the field of culture, presents the experience of using new formats of interaction between theory and practice in the implementation of the programs "Open Design", "Cultural Startup" of the Center for Social and Cultural Design of the St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture activities of the student business incubator aimed at the commercialization of knowledge and socio-cultural technologies, creating innovations in the field of cultural products and services. Also the experience of testing new promising academic disciplines as part of bachelor's programs in designing and entrepreneurship in the sphere of culture and leisure is presented. New organizational structures focused on solving practical problems can, without duplicating the activities of traditional higher education institutions (departments and faculties), “integrate” into the general educational process, expand the space of practical training, overcome the problems associated with lack of study time, reduce educational practices and contribute to updating curricula. Experimental testing of practice-oriented programs implemented by the Center for Social and Cultural Design avoids the risks of unjustified introduction of new disciplines into the educational process, as well as the trial and error method, which, when applied to such a complex object as an educational process, cannot be considered unproductive.