Abstract:

The educational orientations of young people worldwide are changing, and the directions of academic and educational mobility are expanding. The Ural youth are intensively involved in the processes corresponding to educational trends. The Unified State Exam opened for Russian graduates of schools, lyceums, and gymnasiums the possibility of a huge choice within the country, i.e., any university in any region. The transition to a two-level education system (bachelor's and master's degrees) allows graduates of higher educational institutions to continue their studies outside their country at the next level of education, to join the world education market. According to the Levada Center, in 2021, 22% of surveyed Russians aged 18 to 55 and older said that they would like to go abroad for permanent residence. Among respondents aged 18-24, those proportion reaches 48% [1]. Most often, the most trained and most qualified personnel leave the country [2]. The effects of globalization and digitalization reinforce the trend towards a change in educational orientation from national to global (borders of countries are no longer important).

The article aimed to investigate the willingness of graduates of schools and universities in Yekaterinburg to stay or leave Russia to continue their studies. In 2020-2021, a study was carried out. The three largest universities of Yekaterinburg were selected for the study: UrFU, the largest scientific and educational center of the Urals and Russia; Ural Economic University, diversified economic university; Ural State Architectural Academy, the only art institution in the Urals. 340 students from schools in Yekaterinburg and 480 students from undergraduate universities in Yekaterinburg (quantitative research strategy) were interviewed by the method of handout questionnaires. Semi-formalized personal interviews were taken with 50 masters of universities (qualitative research strategy).

The following findings confirm the general trend towards an increase in the proportion of students with a global educational orientation. Only about half of schoolchildren (46%), students (51%), or masters (54%) are ready to stay in Russia to continue their studies or to work actively. Every third (33%) higher education student is ready to leave Russia to study in Europe, and 13% choose the United States to continue their studies (the world education market). During the study, a contradiction was recorded. On the one hand, students do not think about their intellectual and financial possibilities for studying abroad. Only 13.5% are confident that their abilities allow them to study in universities in other countries. About 10% indicated the availability of financial capabilities. The Ural youth are characterized by "mythical" ideas about their opportunities abroad. Leaving to study in Europe, they hope to receive a higher salary in the future (51.4%). Noteworthy is the motive of having opportunities for exciting communication (43.2%), and living in a more ecological environment (45.9%).

References:
[1] Emigration. [Electronic resource]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2021/06/09/emigratsiya-2/
[2] OECD SOCIAL, EMPLOYMENT, AND MIGRATION WORKING PAPERS No. 239 A Global Profile of Emigrants to OECD Countries: Younger and More Skilled Migrants from More Diverse Countries. DELSA / ELSA / WD / SEM (2020) 4. [Electronic resource]. URL: https://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=DELSA/ELSA/WD/SEM(2020)4&docLanguage=En

Keywords:

Educational mobility, global educational orientations, Russian universities, Ural youth, globalization, the world education market.