Abstract:

The article summarizes theoretical approaches to the phenomenon of non-formal education developed by Russian and foreign pedagogy schools. The paper presents the key characteristics and structure of non-formal education regarded as a constituent component of the University humanitarian learning environment. The basic objectives to be solved are the following:
1) to elicit the potential of non-formal education as a structural component for the modelling of the university humanitarian learning environment;
2) to generalize non-formal models promoted in Russian federal and regional Universities relying on the experience of the Udmurt State University (Izhevsk), the School for Advanced Studies of the Udmurt Republic (Izhevsk) and Kazan Federal University;
3) to characterize humanitarian potential of non-formal projects developed in Russian regional Universities of the Udmurt and Tatarstan Republics.

The authors compare the phenomena of “learning environment” and “humanitarian learning environment”, focusing on the systems' sociocultural potential and educational capabilities, and singling out the values and principles of openness, cohesion and autonomy the humanitarian learning environment is based on. The paper specifies the elements of the look-back study and investigations, gives a brief description of the learning environment status as a scientific challenge in terms of humanitarization of modern higher education. The study reflects the basic features and current trends in education, that cause, by necessity, the further studying of a University learning environment as a humanitarian one including continuity, integrity, diversification, humanization and humanitarization.

University humanitarian learning environment is analyzed as a complex and compound system of teaching and educational activities with the focus to bring the content, the structure and teaching methods in balance with the current cultural progress. It is shown that modern Russian Universities face the necessity to appeal to the historical background, various cultural and spiritual traditions as well as to the current scientific and technical achievements and advances.
In conclusion the authors point out that a proper balance of lectures, laboratory classes, seminars, workshops and tutorials, extracurricular activities and spontaneous self-education through social nets, performances, staging and role plays is expected to extend humanitarian potential of students as well as to contribute to their social maturity and personal development.

Keywords:

Higher education, learning environment, humanitarian learning environment regional University, non-formal education.