Abstract:

The relevance of the study is caused by the search for resources to restore mutual trust between the elements of the system of Russian higher education. In the conditions of educational reform and social uncertainty the links between educational groups (students, teachers, managers) have been deformed. There was also a disruption of the once integral links between universities in the regions and in Russia as a whole. There were gaps between universities and macro-level management structures.
The purpose of the study is to reveal the level of mutual trust between the main actors of the higher education system in the Russian macro-region – the Urals Federal District (UrFD). The tasks of the study were: 1) to identify the local of "weak" and "strong" trust; 2) determine the reasons for the reduction / preservation of mutual trust.
The object of empirical research was made by representatives of the main educational groups of universities of the UrFD. The subject is the relationship of trust between the main actors of higher education to each other. The article is based on the materials of a sociological research conducted in 2016-2017.
The methods of the study were expert interviews, a questionnaire survey of teachers and students, and secondary analysis of empirical research data on higher education in Russia. At the first stage the study included expert interviews with heads of universities, faculties and departments, representatives of the scientific and pedagogical group. There have been 30 interviews. At the second stage of the study a survey of students and teachers of universities of the UrFD was conducted. The sample size for the students was 1500, for teachers – 800.
The following main conclusions from the study were made.
1. There is a high level of mutual trust between students and teachers. However, a low level of trust on the part of students and teachers in the management of universities is recorded. The main reason for the decline in trust is determined by the dominance of an authoritarian management style.
2. There is a low level of trust between universities of different types in the Urals macro-region. The reason for this was the inequality of universities in higher education, generated by the state's educational policy. At the same time, a tendency has been found to overcome mistrust between universities, which are included in the practices of network interaction.
3. The low level of institutional trust of regional universities to the educational policy of the state is revealed. The reasons for this situation are the rejection of the goals of this policy and the constant change in the vector of educational reform.

Keywords:

mutual trust, institutional trust, higher education system, educational groups, network interaction.