Political economy assessment of the educational system promotion in Russia in the conditions of digital economy formation

Abstract

The article reviews a political-economic analysis of the growing dynamics of the education system in Russia, using the example of higher education in the creative solutions of the digital economy. The author examines the economics of education from the political economy view. The evolution of targets in higher education is presented. When comparing definitions of higher education targets, they provide two mutually related, but competing functions of higher school: the role of higher education in the teaching workforce for all economic sectors and the general intellectual growing of a creative, socialized personality. The nature of economic interests in the higher education system is determined. Market economy and democratic society principles imply models of competitive harmony in economic interests of higher education. The educational product is analyzed from the principle of diglossia as a public and private benefit. In the near future, a combination of fee and free higher education in Russia is inevitable. However, the share of fee-paying educational services of universities will dramatically increase. The analysis confirms academic steps to create a scientific product in the digital economy. Competition of universities in the market of scientific products for receiving profitable contracts with firms and corporations stimulates universities to increase their rankings. The conclusion shows the inconsistency of the dynamics of the development of the education system of Russia in the digital economy. An important contradiction is in the prevalence of political decisions free from long-term socio-economic consequences.