The article considers the issue of modern engineering training with the use of CDIO-approach (Conceiving, Designing, Implementing, and Operation) aimed to balance the training goals with the practice of teaching at higher technical institutions. Modern pedagogical technologies and innovative teaching methods enable to create such an education medium where the students will obtain profound knowledge, manage the process of designing and exploiting new items and systems, understand the impact of the scientific-technological process on the society. The article also considers various approaches to developing new practice-targeted programs and methods of creating a special education medium. The abilities of students’ engineering thinking are a link between university training and professional activity. Future specialists must not only be able to develop and produce engineering systems, but also combine the knowledge of natural and technical sciences to come up with innovative ideas, have a command of professional ethics and understand the principles of business.