Abstract:

The modern global educational space is forcing universities to consolidate, creating opportunities for a variety of options, forms and methods of obtaining education. Online education, digital transformation of universities and the creation of digital platforms and networks in the public educational space can be considered as one of the most attractive ways of such consolidation and formation of digital capital. The purpose of this article is to analyze the experience of Russian universities in the formation of educational networks, consortia in the context of a general digital transformation.

Methods and methodology:
In the theoretical foundations of the study, a network approach, a systems approach, the theory of social capital, and the theory of digital capital were used. The empirical research methods were the analysis of documentary sources, the analysis of the content of Internet resources, the analysis of statistical data.

Research results:
Russian universities are developing in line with the global trend towards the formation of a global educational electronic space, the creation of a new type of open information resources "without borders". In recent years, in Russia the network universities have been formed, which actively integrate their educational products into the general educational environment and unite with other classical universities to implement common educational products. In addition, the process of transformation of universities into “third generation” Universities is actively underway in Russia, forming entrepreneurial ecosystems in the digitalization trend. The country has laid down the prerequisites for the formation of University 4.0. as an integration system with all structures of society, accompanying the development of a person's capital throughout his life.

The Consortium "Digital Universities", the Association "Global Universities" are an example of a successful network organization of universities in the context of digitalization: a total of 35 universities are united in such networks. The network approach allowed universities to fully combine their efforts to implement educational products throughout a person's life, significantly influencing the formation of human capital. At the same time, such networks make it much easier for universities to accumulate their own digital capital. The result of the network efforts of universities can be considered the formation of a national platform for open education (16 universities, 731 open online courses).

Keywords:

University networks, digital capital, digitalization of education, global educational space, university, digital university, higher education.