Abstract:

The system of Russian university education has been included into multidirectional and multispeed process of integration with European and Asian countries. Russian educational leaders adhere to policy of “three vectors”. European vector of integration relations development remains a prestigious and desirable direction of motion into the world educational area of high school and scientific research. Signing of Bologna documents serves as a turning point in the development of domestic high school which is facing the process of active restructuring of its all components. Academic mobility and two-level degree system are developing however competence-orientated (European) educational standards haven’t been accepted since 2003. The main vector is connected with the inclusion into Bologna process, the second one deals with the development of integration projects on post-Soviet area, the third vector is directed on educational integration within countries were part of the Soviet Union.
Educational establishments of Russia aspire to achieve European image and it has a reflection in their names: 5 out of 2470 establishments in Russia define themselves as “European” but offer Russian educational programs. Only 2 establishments consider themselves as “Eurasian”.
At the same time it is possible to define real trend and perspectives of educational interaction on demand for the pack of educational services being exported. Statistical data shows that the number of foreign students from Europe has a stable tendency to decrease while the number of students from Asia is gradually increasing. Russian-Chinese vector of cooperation is seen at present as the most dynamic one.
In the Federal target orientated program of educational development for the period of 2011 – 2015 there are no positions specifying the development of cooperation with Asian countries, only European format is represented. It seems necessary to direct more effort on making of the network of expert centers working on evaluation and acceptance of educational documents from Asian countries it doesn’t exclude the development of European networks for quality assurance of professional education.
When drawing up the lines of interaction with Asian university educational establishments Russia should pay special attention to the realization of approach frontier inside represented in their educational strategy. It means the frontal line inside the person, development of inner person’s abilities with the assistance of the state which will define the perspective of the development of mankind in globalization era.
In relations with countries were part of the Soviet Union Russian system of university education serves as a dominant centre of attraction for the flows of Asian students. Meanwhile branches of Russian educational establishments are actively establishing, this process is not yet accompanied by the opposing motion of educational products and flows. The legal base for cooperation is forming; Russian institutions create preferences for the students from countries that were part of the Soviet Union.
Geopolitical and geocultural position of Russia requires creation of prognostic concept of internationalization of university education adequate to the upgrading strategy which hasn’t been fixed in the Federal target orientated program of educational development for the period of 2011 – 2015 so far.

Keywords:

Bologna process, geocultural position of Russia, Russian university education, internationalization.