POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT IN RUSSIA
The political and economic analysis of the dynamics of the Russian education system using the example of higher education is carried out. The authors’ interpretation of the content of eco-nomics of education from the perspective of political economy is given. The evolution of the goal of higher education is considered. When comparing approaches to the definition of higher education goals, two mutually related but competing functions of higher education are found: training of qualified personnel for all sectors of the economy and general intellectual develop-ment, the formation of a creative, socialized personality. The nature of economic interests in the system of higher education is established. Models based on market principles, providing a com-promise agreement of economic interests in the field of higher education, are relevant to the market economy and the democratic organization of society. It is revealed that, the educational product is analyzed taking into account the principle of diglossia as a public and private good. The educational product, with very limited public good properties, is mainly a private good. The social significance of higher education is determined not by properties of the public good, but by extremely large positive externalities. In the foreseeable future, the combination of fee-paying and free higher education in Russia is inevitable, and that the share of fee-paying educational services of universities will consistently increase. The authors analyzed the activity of higher education institutions to create scientific products. Competition of universities in the market of scientific services for the most profitable orders and contracts with firms and corporations en-courages universities to improve their ranking. The conclusion is made about the inconsistency of the dynamics of the Russian education system.
Keywords: Russian education system, higher school, Economics of education, political and economic approach, goals of higher education, economic interests in the system of higher educa-tion, educational product as a public and private benefit, scientific product of universities.
Highlights:
the political and economic analysis of the dynamics of the Russian education system devel-opment is carried out;
the evolution of the goal of higher education is considered;
the nature of economic interests in the higher education system is determined;
the educational product is analyzed as a public and private good;
the activity of universities to create a scientific product is analyzed.
Vasily V. Chekmarev, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Kostroma State University; Vladimir A. Noskov, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Samara State University of Economics.