Introduction. The digital transformation of higher education and the expansion of online learning formats have highlighted the need to revise established models of pedagogical assessment. Ensuring the validity and reliability of distance assessments is essential for maintaining academic standards and sustaining students’ cognitive engagement. Aim. The present study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of Russian and international assessment technologies within the higher online education system. Methodology and research methods. The comparison was conducted according to four criteria: accessibility of tools, adaptability to individual learning trajectories, interactive potential, and the applicability of results within the professional domain. Particular attention was paid to the limitations of extrapolating international models into Russian pedagogical practice, taking into account national educational specificities. The study employed methods of comparative analysis and typologisation of assessment tools. Results. The advantages and limitations of various assessment approaches are analysed, along with their impact on the quality of education and student motivation. It is demonstrated that the Russian distance education system, while actively incorporating advanced international practices, retains distinctive characteristics shaped by national cultural and pedagogical traditions. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty resides in the systematisation of criteria for comparing diverse assessment systems and in substantiating the adaptive potential of international approaches for Russian higher education. Practical significance. The practical significance of the research findings is demonstrated by the development of a framework of recommendations for educational policymakers, university administrators, academic staff, and designers of EdTech solutions.