Abstract:

Globalization of higher education is an inevitable reality according to which we should feel ourselves as a part of one great entity to ensure a free movement of labor (human resources).

The very first and probably the most important thing, that has to happen in the minds of university workers, is a review of the approach to the institution of higher education in general. Under the new standards higher education institution has become a highly remunerative business area that
a) supplies the community with specialists having high price in the labor market,
b) is an autonomous, self-sufficient institution,
c) provides the students and faculty members mobility,
d) guarantees the mutual recognition of qualifications and relevant documents in the field of higher education.

Having put the question this way the problem of creating an image of the university comes to the forefront. From an organization dedicated exclusively to educational and research work university transforms into a competitive unit on the world market. Therefore, Russian education, like any other in this situation, needs a positive international image in order to increase the role of Russian educational institutions, attract foreign investment, raise the number of foreign students and postgraduates and enlarge international exchange programs in secondary, higher and postgraduate education. Russian education is designed not only to train specialists for the country, but to improve the status of its graduates in the world arena as much as possible and promote the establishment of international professional ties embedded in years of training in Russia.
What should be changed in social lifestyle existing in Russian universities for centuries?

Partly the answer to this question may be the autonomous position of universities. It is positioned that the real autonomy of higher education institutions occurs when the founder complies with the obligations of financing of universities and creating necessary conditions for their functioning, and all the questions relating to the content of education, teaching methods, staff schedule, etc., universities decide themselves. At the same time the founder, not the only one, may “order” from universities a training of specialists required for the national economy and culture, what is executed properly (by contract).

Modern universities accomplish social orders for personnel training. The solution of the problem addressing the social need of the university is to work for society complying with its necessity for highly qualified professionals. Thus, it quite logically follows that the autonomy provides the solution of another problem of increasing the university competitiveness, that is the development of a system of continuous education, "education throughout their lives". After all, every professional must keep pace with the times, with technical progress and improve his or her skills. And here the principles of globalization, positioning the importance of European educational and research space can help out.

Keywords:

Higher education, globalization, university competitiveness, social order, highly qualified professionals.