University of the future: the development strategy

Abstract

The article presents a project ``University of the Future: strategy for development'' which was composed by the participants of the International summer school ``Higher Education and Academic Mobility of Youth in Modern Integration Processes'' held by Tomsk State University on July 2-5, 2017. The authors are lecturers, researchers and students from the universities of Bishkek, Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk and Khanty-Mansiysk. Working small teams project's participants elaborated strategy for university development that will help an university to meet challenges posed by globalization, internationalization of higher education and increasing competition in higher education institutions around the globe. The article focuses on three dimensions of university activities: 1) matching the graduates' skills and competences with the labor market requirements; 2) ensuring international academic mobility; 3) integrating the university into the world educational sphere. The article includes both the analysis of current condition of higher education in Russia as well as the number of recommendations necessary for updating Russian higher education For instance, to guarantee employment of most graduates the university has to match its educational programs to the needs of both local and international employers. Therefore, it is offered to expand the university autonomy; improve university vocational guidance; create universities' analytic centers aimed at labor market monitoring; involve employers in training; develop joint educational programs and students' exchanges. To develop academic mobility it may be advised to improve the system of informing students and researchers about the existing opportunities for academic mobility; to ensure transparence of candidates selection; to provide the infrastructure for familiarization with the world experience. To facilitate the integration of the university into the world educational sphere it may be recommended to involve PhD and Masters students in informing senior pupils and freshmen about the essence of higher education and academic mobility; to involve native speaking students in the adaptation of foreign students; to facilitate the arrival of foreign specialists to the university for the exchange of experience. The project was reviewed by the lecturers of the International summer school. This publication and organization of the International summer school ``Higher Education and Academic Mobility of Youth in Modern Integration Processes'' were funded in the framework of the project Jean Monnet Center of Excellence: Focus on Youth at Tomsk State University (2015-0860/071-001).