Introduction. The results of the Unified State Examination (USE) in the entities of the Russian Federation are significantly different. This is mainly due to socio-economic, demographic, national-cultural and other features of the development of the territories. Therefore, an assessment of the quality of the work of the education system in the field should be carried out taking into account the available resources and conditions of school activities. The most important factor of success on the USE is the national composition of students and the degree of proficiency in the language of instruction, at which the exam is taken in.

The aim of the research presented in the publication is to find out whether the national composition of school leavers in different regions of the country influences the USE indicators in the Russian language.

Methodology and research methods. In the course of studying the problem, the methodology of comprehensive research was applied, including methods of comparative and statistical analysis of data published by the Federal Testing Center, Rosstat (The Russian Federal State Statistics Service) and regional information processing centers.

Results and scientific novelty. The USE-2013 statistics on compulsory school objects is processed and introduced for science research; a number of the determining factors behind the statistics are found out. For the first time, the pair correlation between the USE average scores in the Russian language and national composition of the Russian regions is considered. The statistical connection between the ethnic composition of participants and the average score turned out to be weak and unstable. The reasons are the following: poor discipline of organisers and participants of examination during the studies; coaching students to perform common actions when preparing for the examination; features of examination materials and tests tasks that poorly differentiate participants in terms of training; overestimation of points by the subject commissions when assessing the examination composition.

Practical significance. The authors believe that the findings of this study will contribute to improving the methodology and technology of the Unified State Examination. 

Introduction. Dynamic changes in the modern world, rapid development of innovative technologies, increasing amount of information have updated the requirement of implementation of the concept “lifelong education” which has to replace the classical “final” education that had existed over the centuries. However, full implementation in practice of a new educational paradigm is interfered by the lack of evidence-based means and ways of support for gradual development of the personality potential upon transition from one education level to another.

The aim of this article is to present the essence and structure of educational competence as an invariant of lifelong education which enables to provide continuity between the process of knowledge and improvement of practical skills at all its stages.

Methodology and research methods. The methodological framework of the research involves the theory of contextual education, and competency-based approach that establishes the conceptual principle for pedagogical models at different levels of the educational system. As the main research methods were used: analysis, synthesis, generalization; modeling and designing pedagogical objects.

Results and scientific novelty. The invariant structure of the theoretical construct “educational competence” is described and proved; this structure is considered as a basic unit of lifelong education and, under the unitary approach, provides consistent personal, cultural and professional development of a student at school, higher education institution and centers for additional education. Cognitive, social and reflexive components of educational competence integrated in the continuous educational process serve as an efficient tool for successful competence development required by Federal State Educational Standards. The application of these invariant components, as a whole, enables the individual to “switch” from academic activity to practice-focused, educational-professional preparation and professional activity. The competencecontext model of learning and education was designed in order to master the technique of educational competence application by students in general schools as one of the stages of the lifelong learning system.

Practical significance. The presented materials can be used by researchers engaged in the development and realization of lifelong education technologies as well as education administrators and teachers interested in quality and efficiency improvement of their professional activity. 

Introduction. Professional training of the people possessing a wide range of entrepreneurial competencies is becoming an imperative in the conditions of a post-industrial society development characterized by a focus on innovation, priority of knowledge, a high level of competition and involvement of a big proportion of population in service industries. Universities are charged to play a key role in developing highly qualified specialists with an extensive creative and intellectual potential capable of implementing various business projects and becoming a driving force of a sustainable economic growth in their countries. Therefore, there is a big interest in practices of developing graduates’ entrepreneurial culture and literacy established in universities of developed countries.

Aim. The article is aimed at systematizing the existing experience of the US and UK universities in delivering entrepreneurship education based on academic models as well as considering a possibility of adapting the most efficient conceptions, teaching approaches and techniques within the Russian higher education system.

Methodology and research methods. The methods include a qualitative analysis of the concepts “entrepreneurship education” and “entrepreneurial competencies”. A case study method was used for describing the academic models applied for teaching entrepreneurship in different universities.

Results and scientific novelty. The processes and outcomes of entrepreneurship training in the US and UK higher educational institutions were characterized and compared. The paper provides the description of the academic models applied at the leading universities for providing business education. They integrate the elements of experiential learning, multidisciplinary, multicultural, interactive, learner-centered teaching approaches to developing entrepreneurial behavior patterns, key and variable competencies and “soft” skills.

The paper reveals the problems and drawbacks of entrepreneurship education delivery within the Russian higher education: a discrepancy between the competencies fixed in university curricula and the ones actually needed; an inadequacy of teaching methods and absence of consistency in the course of students’ acquisition of theoretical knowledge and practical skills for efficient entrepreneurship activity.

Practical significance. The recommendations for improving entrepreneurship education in the Russian higher education system were proposed. The authors grounded a need for implementing an academic model of experiential learning, which enables graduates to develop entrepreneurial competencies and acquire a system of knowledge in the field of entrepreneurship. 

Introduction. The specialists of “person to person” type occupations should possess the ability to interact with members of the activity – other people, to build up with them the positive relationship, possess empathy and responsiveness, ready to cooperation and assistance. Similar qualities do not arise spontaneously. The formation and development of these qualities is considerably influenced by family, school, and experience of communication with different representatives of society as well as vocational training which is received by experts in higher education institutions.

The aim of the research is to conduct a comparative analysis of the interaction positions among students – future physicians and specialists in the field of psychological and pedagogical support (teachers, social educators, psychologists, etc.).

Methodology and research methods. The set of theoretical and empirical methods based on the principles of general scientific methodology was used in the research: analysis, synthesis, generalization of source materials corresponding to the stated topic; testing, questioning, data collection, statistical processing of data. The authors’ questionnaires were used as a diagnostic tool. The processing was carried out by using the methods of mathematical statistics. Results and scientific novelty. The positions of students’ interaction and commitment to socio-pedagogical stereotypes are revealed on the sample of 362 students of Ivanovo State Medical Academy, Moscow University for the Humanities and Cherepovets State University.

The results of the study provide an opportunity to assess the impact of the irritability factor and stereotypic representations of students on interaction strategy chosen by them. It is established that future teachers and psychologists, however slightly, but experience the feeling of irritability towards other people more often than medical students. On the contrary, the range of irritants among future physicians is wider. The set of stereotypes in different groups of students is varied as well. High level of irritability promotes acceptance by the person either acceptance of the coercion position or manipulation position. The irritability and stereotypic thinking due to positions of coercion and non-interference is demonstrated. The positive correlation of coercive positions with such factors of irritability towards people as uncooperativeness, sluggishness, impulsiveness, etc. was found.

Practical significance. The analysis revealed a considerably high percentage of students who can take versatile positions, e.g. a position of coercion and a position of non-violence. As a result, it proves the importance of carrying out additional special work with pupils on goal-oriented formation of non-violent interaction skills. The research findings give the chance to build such work differentially taking into account the specifics of the directions and specialties of preparation. 

Introduction. Modern society is characterized by the formation of a new socio-cultural environment, which is based on a wide access to a variety of sources of information. Mass distribution of the Internet has a direct impact on socialization processes of the representatives of “Z-generation” who spend enormous amount of time in a cyberspace, quite often losing at the same time an ability of real personal development, interest in acquisition of skills for real interaction and effective communication. In this regard, the research of a phenomenon of a new, virtual identity of the personality, which is formed in the Internet environment, is brought into focus.

The aim of the present publication is to consider the current level of knowledge in the field of virtual identity and systematization of scientific knowledge of this phenomenon.

Methodology and research methods. Theoretical analysis, methods of synthesis and generalization were used.

Results and scientific novelty. Various approaches to interpretation of virtual identity are considered; research tendencies are highlighted. The concepts “real identity” and “virtual identity” are viewed in relation to each other; the features and risks of virtual identity formation are revealed. The functions of virtual identity are specified. It is revealed that virtual identity reflects the subjectively significant image of the “Ideal-I” which is compiled from the completed material, character set and graphic images of the Internet environment, and therefore does not possess the uniqueness. Factors of designing by the person of virtual identity are described. Virtual identity can arise as a result of dissatisfaction with real identity, as a consequence of the identification crisis, in which the individual loses integrity. At the same time, it is shown that the cyberspace gives ample opportunities for self-expression and maximum personal fulfillment, realization of qualities, playing of roles and experience of emotions which turn out to be frustrated under any circumstances in real life.

Problem areas of excessive immersion into virtual space are identified. An immature personality can lose life orientations as well as acquire the programmed decisions and ready cogitative patterns through excessive Internet use. The social activity in the Internet environment significantly reduces the moral level of communication on social networking sites and messengers. Aspiration always “to be online”, fear to miss a new message or a post aggravate anxiety of the user, increase the feeling of fatigue and uncontrollable temper, scant attention and strongwilled self-regulation, aggravation of a hypodynamia.

The authors conclude that is required to continue to study the specifics of socialization in the Internet environment since it generates new forms of age development, changes the tasks and ideas of children and teenagers about social relations, and transforms an ideal image of the subsequent age stages in their consciousness.

Practical significance. The results of the work carried out can be applied in the activities of teachers, social educators, educators, psychologists and other specialists who deal with the questions of socialization of modern children and adolescents. 

Introduction. Nowadays, in the modern world and in Russia, in particular, there are deformations of family institute which cause the concern for demographic situation in the society and social well-being in general. The Government’s measures within youth policy taken for support for young families, promotion of family values and a healthy lifestyle among young citizens are obviously insufficient. Therefore, thorough scientific research of young families’ problems is required in order to provide substantial assistance for them.

Methodology and research methods. Analysis of marriage and family attitudes of student youth was carried out on the basis of monitoring materials “Student 1995–2016: The dynamics of socio-cultural development of students of the Middle Urals”. The main method of collecting information was the questionnaire. The sociological toolkit developed by the scientific group “Sociology of Youth” under the auspices of the Department of Sociology and Technologies of the Public and Municipal Administration and Organization of Work with Young People of the Ural federal University was used.

Results and scientific novelty. Methodological approaches to the study of family values as guidelines for the formation of a civic culture of youth are investigated. The data of open statistical sources are presented and analysed. It is concluded that the greatest changes have happened in marital status of students over the past two decades. Processing of the monitoring results and questionnaires allowed the authors to reveal new tendencies in perceptions of the matrimonial relations and to clarify the demographic attitudes of young people. The authors have noted outspread of “trial marriages”, growth of number of civil marriages and slight increase in proportion of voluntary childlessness but becoming increasingly widespread among young people today. The objective reason of these phenomena consists in the period of social and economic reforms dragged on over several decades; the spontaneous and unpredictable nature of those reforms have turned the prospects of the family institute to be uncertain and obliged people to strengthen their fears for the future and future of their children, which in turn resulted in complicated decision making on marriage by young people. Besides, aspirations of young people to personal liberty, individual self-affirmation and egocentric pleasure have increased, the consequence of which is unwillingness to be obliged by the family.

Practical significance. The research findings and the authors’ conclusions highlight the necessity for correction and reinforcement of actions on the preservation and development of the family institution as well as organization of work insurance of social sustainability of young families. 

Introduction. Nowadays, in the modern world there is a marked tendency towards increasing mobility of the population. The problem of regular complex monitoring of migration processes is caused by the need for assimilation of representatives of the ethnic minorities arriving to the permanent residence to regions of Russia, which neither geographically, nor linguistically are areas with high concentrations of their native ethnic groups. Unfortunately, statistical information on migrants in the majority of regions is limited to the results of national population censuses. In the meantime, the lack of analytical work does not enable to solve effectively a number of essential social problems, including the field of education where teachers often face problems of training of pupils of multinational composition and have to consider a linguistic identity of ethnic minorities.

The aim of the present article is to reveal and describe the principles of determination of linguistic identity of ethnic groups according to their influence on activity of subjects of education and educational policy of the region (the case study of the representatives of various ethnic groups, living in the south of the Tyumen Region, the town of Ishim).

Methodology and research methods. The study was based on a comparative historical method of investigation. The main research methods involve: contentanalysis of legislative acts and documents; participant and non-participant observation over the migrants’ children during individual work on teaching the Russian and English languages; qualitative and quantitative analysis; the survey methods, including the expert questionnaires, conducted by specially developed techniques.

Results and scientific novelty. The full linguistic representation of the city with the multinational population is given on the basis of the statistical data obtained from official sources and gained during the empirical research. The language strategies used by migrants are described. The complex of the principles that helps the representatives of various ethnic groups establish the linguistic identity is outlined. Positioning of linguistic self-identity is considered as the factor influencing educational activity of all its subjects. It is noted that the greatest difficulties with linguistic and social assimilation are experienced by migrants’ schoolaged children. It is shown how linguistic self-determination of school students and members of their families is related to the quality of children education at school.

Practical significance. The research findings have important implications to adjust for the measures undertaken by the government for successful integration of migrants and their children into the ethnic Russian-speaking majority that is significantly important for effective functioning of the educational system. 

Introduction. Nowadays, people with disabilities (PWDs) and special educational needs must be empowered with high-quality university education for successful social integration in life. However, the current restricted access to inclusive higher education makes it hard to enhance their professional fulfillment and to find their role and place in the modern society.

The aim of the research is the search for the answer how to eradicate barriers to inclusive higher education in the Russian universities.

Methodology and research methods. The research is based on inclusive approach to education that enables to adapt the high school system of preparation for individual educational needs of students. The publications on the studied subject was analysed; the experience of the organization of inclusive education in foreign and Russian higher education institutions is studied and generalized.

Results and scientific novelty. The attitudinal, physical, and academic barriers to inclusive higher education introduction and effective implementation in the Russian Federation are revealed and described in detail. The methodology of sustainable elimination of these barriers including preliminary evaluation, preparatory, final evaluation and activity stages is offered. The purposes of elimination of each of barriers are opened. Overcoming a physical barrier (by means of re-planning of buildings, re-equipment of classrooms and technical facilities) assumes creation of the inclusive infrastructural environment for the most comfortable training, communication and socialization of students with special educational needs. Full academic access to high-quality education means existence of the adapted educational programs, individual approach to training of PWDs, their psychological and pedagogical support from the faculty and other members of higher education institution. The attitudinal barrier involves socio-rehabilitational and correctional support as well as a complex of actions for socialization of students and development of their interpersonal communication. The question of attitudinal barrier is not appropriately covered by the Russian researchers. Therefore, the author emphasizes the need for overcoming the attitudinal barrier that is caused by the objectives of continuous self-improvement of students with special needs and development of their competitiveness. Furthermore, this barrier significantly influences physical and academic restrictions.

Practical significance. The presented action framework for assistance of free access of people with disabilities to high-quality educational services will contribute to personal economic independence of this category of citizens, their successful socialization and professional fulfillment in the future. The research findings could be applied to any levels of professional training in various directions and specialties. 

Introduction. Currently, there is a restructuring of the system of training scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel of the highest qualification. A number of the top-ranking universities and research institutes are given the right to award their own academic degrees. However, the overwhelming majority of dissertational councils (about 2000) continue to work under the guidance and in accordance with the regulatory documents of the Higher Attestation Commission. Therefore, the improvement of the existing system is still relevant.

The aims of this article are the following: to consider the main problems and trends emerging in the process of opposing dissertations; to find out the difficulties and their causes; to define possible ways to reduce current problems.

Methodology and research methods. The methods involve: analysis of normative documents and scientific publications; methods of expert assessments, self-reflection and synthesis of personal experience of the author.

Results and scientific novelty. The main objectives and the existing drawbacks of the work of official opponents are identified. The following questions that arise when opposing dissertations are discussed: the choice and appointment of official opponents by the Dissertation Council, the specifics of the opponents’ performance in the defense process and the payment for their work. It is noted that increasing requirements for opposing dissertations and opponents themselves, increasing the responsibility of opponents leads to additional difficulties in their work, in particular, the increase in labour costs that are not adequately compensated. It is concluded that many problems in opposing dissertations are objective in nature and cannot be overcome only by the forces of the opponent himself. Possible ways of solving the detected problems are indicated. Accordingly, along with increasing requirements and responsibilities in regulatory documents, a complex of the organizational and technological measures should be provided to facilitate the work of the opponent, his additional stimulation, including the financial one.

Practical significance. The author believes that the approaches and recommendations proposed in this article will help to increase the effectiveness of the opponents’ work and, accordingly, assessment system enhancement of the research consistency and academic degrees awarding.