Text A. Read the text and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

In industrial countries, there is a close correlation between the rate of increase in the number of graduate engineers and the level of industrial productivity. The speed at which new knowledge is transferred to industry is a key factor in preserving economy's competitive position vis-a-vis tough rivals. The modern world is facing several disturbing trends in human resources. In quantitative terms, we will have to cope with the consequences of an aging population, a decline in the working population. In more qualitative terms, there is a mismatch between the supply of young graduates and the needs of industry resulting in skills shortage. For that matter, continuing vocational training and retraining in a constantly changing industrial and technological context need radical improvement. It has been shown that intellectual capital depreciates by 7% every year if it is not maintained. To improve the situation, some recommendations have been made. Most of these are what one would expect — attract more young people into science, more science in schools, better contact between industry and education, investment in continuing education to make labor mobility respond to regional needs, and to avoid a brain drain. The United States, Japan and Germany each employ between roughly fifty and seventy-five scientists and engineers for every 10000 workers in the labor force. In developing countries the number is between five and ten. By emphasizing education at all levels and by selectively entering globally competitive markets,

between & among: when you are talking about only two things use between, укр, серед (двох) If you are talking of three or more things useamong, укр, серед (трьох та більше) to transfer — to move from one place to another укр. переносити, переміщати competitive — based on competition укр. конкурентоспроможний competitor — Synonym: rival укр. конкурент, суперник tough — difficult to do or deal with, not easy, needing effort укр. складний trend — a general tendency or direction in the way a situation is changing or developing укр. тенденція to cope with — to deal successfully with a difficult situation укр. справлятися, переборювати consequences — results, outcome укр. наслідки, результати mismatch — укр. невідповідність to result in — to have as a result; to cause; укр. спричиняти, призводити (до) vocational training — укр. професійно-технічна підготовка retraining — Synonym: in-service укр. перепідготовка Also: staff development — підвищення кваліфікації radical — having wide and important effects. Synonym: drastic укр. радикальний to maintain — to continue to have (do) as before, to keep up, to take care (of), to support укр. підтримувати to respond — to do something in answer, to react укр. відповідати, реагувати brain drain — a movement of large number of highlyskilled or professional people from the country where they were trained to other countries where they can earn more money укр. відплив спеціалістів/фахівців to prosper — to become successful and rich. Synonyms: to thrive, to flourish укр. процвітати to enable — to permit, to allow укр. дозволяти the very dynamics — укр. власне динаміка (сама динаміка) Compare: the very fact — сам факт

countries prosper. That prosperity then enables higher investments in R&D reguired for economic development. The very dynamics of R&D institutions is changing. Universities create hybrid academic-industrial centers, often with partial goverment funding, to accelerate the transfer of scientific results to commercial applications.

 

1. What is a key factor in preserving economy's competitiveness?

2. What is meant by disturbing trends in human resources?

3. Why is it necessary to maintain intellectual capital?

4. What is a brain drain?

5. What are the new forms of linkages between science and industry?

 

Chapter 1 41

Exercise 1. Give English equivalents to:

 

сильний суперник, тривожна тенденція, справлятися з наслідками, професійно-технічна освіта, переподготовка, радикальне поліпшення, залучати молодь до науки, подовжена освіта, реагувати на потреби, уникати відпливу спеціалістів, процвітати, прискорювати процес.

 

Exercise 2. Give Ukrainian equivalents of:

 

industrial countries; modern world; disturbing trend; to cope with the consequences; the very dynamics; brain drain; skills shortage; mismatch; competitive.