Conceptual foundations of transition to the non-linear models of higher education in the region

The subject matter of the analysis is the non-linear characteristics of the new model of higher education in relation to its resources and risk environment. The purpose of this article is to prove the need and the possibility of transition to the non-linear model of higher education in the region on the basis of theoretical positions and the results of the study of non-linear socio-economic processes. In this connection, the socio-economic factors of such transition are characterized; the objective necessity of its implementation in the context of the economic and social uncertainty of a particular region, which is Ural Federal District, is shown. A new type of relationship between universities and their social partners is considered. The need for the change of interactions between educational communities; reliance on the use of a new wide range of economic, social and spiritual resources; the constant search for new mechanisms, educational programs, relations with the external environment, management decisions are argued. Ural Federal District is shown as one of the most advanced regions of the Russian Federation not only in the sphere of the economy, social and cultural life, but also in the sphere of higher education. This circumstance is related to the constant, intensive search for innovative approaches to the modernization of higher education in the region, including the formation of its non-linear model. The presented situation forms the basis of the hypothesis that the non-linear model of higher education can ensure its competitiveness in the global educational space, to enhance its role in the society and specific regions of the country and to turn it to a locomotive of the socio-economic and socio-cultural development. The study is based on an interdisciplinary methodology, including the potential of theoretical sociology, sociology of education, economic sociology, management theory, regional economy. The findings of the research serve as the basis for improving the educational policy of the Ural Federal District.The article has been financially supported by the Russian Science Foundation Grant (№ 16–18–10046) “Developing the non-linear model of the Russian higher education in the region in the context of economic and social uncertainty”

Sociology as a management resource in the modern russian society

В статье показываются возможности использования социологии как ресурса управления в обществе, они рассматриваются в рамках концепции капитала. Доказывается, что социология может характеризоваться как элемент самых различных видов капитала — экономического, политического, социального, культурного, научного, символического.The article shows the possibilities of the use of sociology as a resource management in the society, they are considered within the concept of capital. It is proved that sociology can be characterized as an element of the various types of capital — economic, political, social, cultural, scientific, symbolic

The educational failure of pupils and students as a social phenomenon: A research methodology

The article sets and characterizes the social diagnosis of a significant part of pupils and students, which is defined by the authors as educational failure. It manifests itself in a low level of educational motivation, blurred professional orientations and self-determination, and a weak desire to accumulate human capital and social achievement. This diagnosis can be traced all the way through the transfer of human capital of the unsuccessful educational communities - from school to college and university, and then to the labor market. The article identifies the main lacunae and consequent methodological problems in the study of educational failure. The phenomenon of educational failure is considered in terms of four stages of emergence and development. The features of an interdisciplinary methodology of its research are shown. The authors reveal the potential of the interdisciplinary use of sociological, economic, psychological, socio-psychological, and pedagogical approaches in the study of educational failure and ways to overcome it. © 2020 Moscow Polytechnic University. All rights reserved.Russian Foundation for Basic Research, RFBR: 19-29-07016was funded by RFBR, project no. 19-29-07016 «Transfer of human capital of educational communities: from failure to success»

Universities and cities in provincial Russia

The analysis of higher education (HE) in Russia focuses on the complicated issues of the relationships between higher education institutions (HEIs) and provincial cities. The authors characterize different typologies of Russian HEIs and cities. It is suggested to distinguish between the HEIs related to the core of HE, semi-periphery, and to the periphery. The situation of peripheral HEIs that are located mainly in provincial cities seems to be the most complicated. Recently, about 300 HEIs and more than 800 branches of universities, a significant part of which belongs to the peripheral group, ceased to exist autonomously. Today the fate of some other provincial HEIs is yet to be defined. Meanwhile, the future of the young people is also tied to the HEIs's destiny as well as the future of the cities' population, where they are located. The analysis of the materials based on the authors' empirical research conducted in the Ural Federal District (UFD) revealed that the elimination of autonomous universities, their transformation into branches and weakening in such a way of the HE in the medium, big and even large cities of the Russian province lead to stagnation and depression of these cities. One of the main factors of this situation is the mass educational migration of young people. The study discusses certain ideas for positive solution of these problems regarding the relationship of provincial Russian universities and cities, which could lead to their preservation and development. © 2019 Moscow Polytechnic University. All rights reserved.Russian Foundation for Basic Research, RFBR: 19-011-00096pared with the support by Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project № 19-011-00096

Municipal officials: social community or occupational group?

В статье представлен анализ качеств муниципальных служащих как профессиональной группы и социальной общности. Дается их статистически фиксируемая характеристика, которая позволяет рассматривать муниципальных служащих как массовидную профессиональную группу или социальную общность. Новизна исследования состоит в попытке осмысления признаков группы и общности в категории муниципальных служащих. Исследование субъективного блока признаков группы и общностнообразующих факторов в категории муниципальных служащих должно стать основой для более глубокого анализа установок и ориентаций муниципальных служащих на осуществление профессиональной деятельности и профессионального развития. Материал подготовлен на основании открытых статистических данных, представленных Территориальным органом Федеральной службы статистики по Свердловской области и Департаментом кадровой политики Губернатора Свердловской области.The analysis of features of municipal officials as a social community and as an occupational group are presented in this article. Statistically detectable characteristics is given, which provides an opportunity to consider municipal officials as mass occupational group or as social community. The novelty of the research constitutes the attempt to comprehend the interrelation of features of municipal officials as a social community and as an occupational group. The study of arbitrary set group features and drivers of generating a community in the category of municipal officials are supposed to be the basis for in-depth analysis of mindsets and focus of municipal workers on completing their professional tasks and professional development. The research is based on opened statistical data proposed by Territorial body of Statistics Service of Sverdlovsk Region and the Department of Personnel Policy of Sverdlovsk Region Governor

Имитации в высшем образовании как социальная проблема

The review article summarizes the results of foreign and Russian studies of imitations in higher education and the understanding of their causes and consequences. The first section is devoted to the results of the analysis of university management imitations caused by the bureaucratization of the higher education management system and critical gaps between its strategic objectives and resource deficits. The second section examines the research strategies of the scientific and pedagogical community, which have a forced imitation character. The third section deals with the generalization of the experience of studying students’ imitation practices in a wide range – from academic fraud to the consumption of educational symbols. The end-to-end lines of analysis of the research results of the problem are imitations in the educational and scientific activities of universities, as well as in the “zones” of interaction of educational communities, in which they are mutually conditioned. © 2021 Moscow Polytechnic University. All rights reserved.The reported study was funded by RFBR, project number 20-111-50166. The authors express their sincere gratitude to M.B. Sapunov, the Chief Editor, for his valuable comments on the previous version of the manuscript

«Серебряное» образование как ресурс развития региона

The article considers the educational level, needs and activities of the ‘third age’, and the readiness of the Sverdlovsk Region to develop practices of ‘silver’ education. The object of research — practices of ‘silver’ education in the region and the readiness of pensioners and pre-retirees to participate in them. The research is based on the authors’ concept of ‘silver’ education as a resource for preserving and developing the social community of the ‘third age’. The theoretical framework of the study combines the key ideas of the theories of adult education, continuing education, human capital and resource capacity. Main research methods are analysis of educational and demographic statistics, regulations and government programs, secondary analysis of sociological data, a survey in the Sverdlovsk Region (respondents older than 45 years), and an expert survey. According to the authors’ hypothesis, today the regional system of ‘silver’ education cannot serve as a resource for its development, since neither the ‘third age’ community nor the region is ready for it. The authors present the following main results of the research: interpretation of the ‘third age’ social community and estimates of its educational level; educational needs and activities of the ‘third age’ in the Sverdlovsk Region; the readiness of the region to develop practices of ‘silver’ education. The results of the research can be useful for the public policy in the interests of the older generation and the regional development. The authors conclude that it is necessary to develop a concept of the regional ‘silver’ education system and a corresponding policy for improving the quality of the ‘third age’ educational capital. © G.E. Zborovsky, P.A. Ambarova, 2020.The research was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research. Project No. 19-19-011-00096 “Education as a resource for preserving and developing the ‘third age’”

Vocational education for people of the third age

Introduction. According to the concept of lifelong learning, vocational education system should cover all age categories of working population, including people of the so-called “silver age” (people of the third age). However, in reality, the proportion of citizens over 45 years involved in continuing vocational training is very small, as the current system does not meet their specific needs. Meanwhile, for many representatives of this social community, the continuation of education, the renewal of knowledge, the acquisition of new qualifications or specialties are now becoming a chance to promote an individual's employability over a lifetime in a rapidly changing labour market and an unstable “life market”. The aim of the article is to identify the opportunities and barriers to the inclusion of “silver age” people in the practice of vocational education, taking into account the positions of all key actors - the senior generation of Russians, the state, employers and educational organisations. Methodology and research methods. The work was based on the methodological framework of three theories: continuous education, third age, social community. The empirical material was collected through the following methods: the analysis of educational and demographic statistics (2015-2018); the analysis of the content of recruitment agencies' websites and media publications devoted to the problems of the “silver” labour market; the secondary analysis of sociological data; the survey of Sverdlovsk region residents aged over 45 years old in February - March 2019. Results and scientific novelty. The structure and a number of qualitative characteristics of Russians of the elder generation are clarified. The authors give the definition of the concept of social community of “silver age” people (“third age” people), including the group of pre-pensioners. A new interpretation of this category of citizens allowed the authors to reevaluate the old options and to identify the new options for vocational training for “silver age” people. The problems and trends revealed in the course of the survey in this professional training niche of a particular Russian region were focused on the all-Russian situation. Critical differences between the requests for “silver” vocational education from older people, state, educational organisations and employers are identified. The contradictions and necessity of purposeful formation of educational needs and strategies of people of the “third age” are demonstrated. The state and prospects of development of various types and forms of “silver” professional education are described; the conditions of its transformation into a resource of active ageing are formulated. Practical significance. The urgency and relevance of adjusting the content and specific tasks of educational policy of the state aimed at the older generation of citizens have been scientifically proved. It is planned to create and improve training programmes for older people, implemented by various educational structures. Such programmes and research findings can serve as a basis for developing human resources strategies for older people both in government and commercial organisations. © 2019 Russian State Vocational Pedagogical University. All rights reserved.Russian Foundation for Basic Research, RFBR: 19–011–00096Acknowledgements. The article was prepared with the support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project № 19–011–00096 “Education as a Resource for the Preservation and Development of People of the Third Age”

Становление и развитие зарубежной социологии высшего образования (обзор)]

The review article summarizes the processes of development of higher education sociology abroad over the past 50 years. The choice of the research object was determined by the real achievements of national higher education systems and a high level of higher school sociology development in USA, Great Britain, France, Scandinavian countries, and Spain. The review reflects the advancement of leading sociologists of higher education in these countries. The authors have applied a methodology of comparative analysis studying the Western experience of sociological research in higher education, the main ideas and trends. The article dwells on the ways of changes in the content field of Western sociology of higher education. The practical significance of the review is determined by the possibilities of using the proposed analysis for the development of Russian sociology of higher education and University development practices. © 2020 Moscow Polytechnic University. All rights reserved.The research was prepared under the support of the RFBR, project no. 18-011-00158

Ways to Success in Education: Students’ Behavioral Strategies in Regional Universities of Russia

The article discusses the behavioral strategies of students of regional Russian universities, focused on achieving educational success. The situation of uncertainty in modern higher education is shown as a social context that determines the variability of students’ behavioral strategies. A factor that has a significant impact on the phenomenon under study is the change in the views of the main educational communities (teachers and students) about educational success: the expansion of the range of its components, differentiation among different groups of students, orientation to non-educational benefits and values that can be obtained by university graduates in the future at the expense of educational capital. Based on the data of an empirical study conducted in the universities of the Sverdlovsk region in 2019-2021, the characteristic of behavioral strategies for achieving educational success implemented by students of Ural universities is given. It is noted that strategies for achieving success in education begin to be formed in the pre-university period, as part of the transition from school to university. It is concluded that during the university period, in response to new goals and learning difficulties, different groups of students develop four types of behavioral strategies – traditional, innovative, imitation, and «withdrawal» strategies