Introduction. Nowadays, scientific and educational community underestimates the importance of fundamental research in the field of internationalisation of higher education. Meanwhile, the definition of the philosophical foundations of this phenomenon can shed light on the nature and rules of its development. In this regard, the research of such a fundamental problem as its genesis may affect further affords in the field of its justification, determination of ultimate goals and mechanisms of implementation, as well as interpretation of its ethical, political and spiritual aspects of international academic mobility.

The aim of the research was to reveal the real reasons and conditions of internationalisation as a new level of higher education, public and supranational policy.

Methodology and research methods. The present research is based on the methodological framework of critical analysis through the retrospective, reflexive, comparative types of analysis, the methods of synthesis, generalisation and systematisation of various scientific points of view.

Results and scientific novelty. At present, the philosophical aspects of higher education internationalisation are developed by a small number of scientists, who view its genesis from the perspective of globalisation. Three options are identified: internationalisation as a part of globalisation; internationalisation as a response to the challenges of its development; internationalisation as a phenomenon, which precedes global transformations. In each of these approaches, internationalisation acts as a space of interaction of national actors opposing the unification processes. Meanwhile, the countries-leaders of internationalisation rather act themselves as unifiers, calling into question all theories of the background of the under-discussed phenomenon. The author takes into account the following premises: the destruction of world colonial system and the end of the Cold war, which have actualised the integration agenda in Europe at the end of the 20th century. New international agenda, based on neighborhood strategy and integration, has required not only the development of accustomed horizontal communication, but also the development of vertical communication. The request for time has led to the rise of higher education internationalisation, which replaced the idea of “soft power” and generated national interests, in particular, through channelling of excessive educational resources abroad. When state subjectivity gained the importance of basic value in Europe and in international communication in general, the process of internationalisation was required. Such process increased pan-European competitiveness by combining the efforts of different countries.

Practical significance. A clearer understanding of the genesis and the nature of the internationalisation process of higher education will avoid the use of resources at the level of both specific institutions and national institutions and, more importantly, will help to overcome the obstacles to the development of educational systems.

Introduction. In today’s knowledge society, the amount of scientific-applied information, which university graduates have to acquire, continues to increase continuously. There is a concurrent reduction in the number of study hours to undertake educational programmes in order to increase the hours for students’ independent work. Against this background, higher school is required to increase future experts’ competencies. Therefore, the content of fundamental and special disciplines of entire period of training and independent work of students should be thoroughly coordinated by increasing students’ motivation to self-education and self-development. Classroom-based and independent learning of disciplines and sections of fundamental academic courses, especially chemistry, is impossible without formation of students’ scientific thinking. Today, it is difficult to consider the activity of most professionals without the ability to think scientifically: active expansion of science into professional sphere has a strong tendency to be increased.

The aim of the present research is to show the possibilities of formation and development of scientific thinking in the students of natural-scientific and technical directions of education using the example of studying of one of the elements of programmes in chemistry (the method of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis).

Methodology and research methods. The research was carried out on the basis of competency-based, systematic and interdisciplinary approaches. The methods of analysis, synthesis, integration, differentiation and compactification of fundamental knowledge and training material were used.

Results and scientific novelty. The high potential of chemical education for formation of scientific thinking, subject content (chemical), natural-scientific and holistic scientific thinking is emphasised. However, chemistry education in higher education institution is complicated by the absence of the unified structure of fundamental preparation, the preservation of extensive approach to the content of chemical disciplines, the irrational organisation of students’ independent work, which now is accounted for a half of instructional time. Overcoming these problems lies in the dialectic unity of fundamental and practice-oriented knowledge, which is provided by the compliance with the principles of continuity and interdisciplinarity. It is necessary to provide deductive structurisation of training material in order to give integrity and systemacity to the content of education, without which it is impossible to create a comprehensive natural-scientific picture of the world in students. The key initial element of vocational training stimulating the formation of reflexive skills and scientific thinking of future experts is mastering by students of a categorical-conceptual framework of science, which is consistently and comprehensively revealed throughout a high school stage of education. The authors designated phases of development of scientific thinking (formal-logical, reflexive-theoretical, hypothetico-deductive thinking), which are not clearly differentiated due to interpenetration and entanglement of their components and identity of thought processes in terms of their speed and quality. However, the allocation of these stages allows to structure and to correct the content of educational material taking into account the characteristics and the level of students’ readiness.

From these standpoints, the expediency of more detailed examination of the NMR method is proved within the disciplines such as “Chemistry”, “General Chemistry”, “Inorganic Chemistry” and “Analytical Chemistry” (a part of material about the NMR method can be worked out by students independently). This method, based on one phenomenon, includes hundreds of various types of the experiments, which are intended for receiving particular information. The NMR method is widely used both in scientific research, including master’s thesis, and in the most various manufacturing spheres. Today, the spectroscopy of NMR is recognised as the most powerful informative and perspective method of structural analysis of substance. The fundamental nature, interdisciplinarity and universality of the method provide students with basic professional knowledge on physics, chemistry, medicine, biology, technology and ecology. The authors of the present research propose the option of configuration of educational information on NMR. According to the suggested version, the principle of work is the following: firstly, bachelors study the system of key concepts and terms, moving gradually from formal-logical to substantial generalisations; then, students learn to explain the phenomena scientifically and to make forecasts, and, as a result, they become the “owners” of hypothetico-deductive thinking. The acquired competencies are the key to professional literacy, which is improved in master’s degree programme, when the previously compactified scientific knowledge in a contracted form is developed in the form suitable for an optimal solution of a particular research or practical aim. The similar scheme of vocational training makes it possible to overcome traditional orientation of high school programmes of the natural-science block (i.e. retention of permanently growing amount of factual material).

Practical significance. The research materials can be useful for methodologists of the higher school, for experts engaged in methodological development and the organisation of educational process, for high school teachers of chemistry and related disciplines, for post-graduate students and master’s students of chemical and chemico-technological specialties as well.

Introduction. Today, global transformations of the most important institutions of modern society, acceleration of its development and total digitalisation actualise the search for the new and previously unknown determinants of human potential realisation. In this regard, soft skills are considered as possible predictors of not only professional, but also of life self-fulfillment of an individual. Therefore, soft skills involve developed communicative qualities, high level of selfregulation, critical thinking, ability to convince, leadership, creativity, etc.

The aim of the present article was to conduct the empirical research of students’ soft skills demonstration in relation to the parameters of self-realisation; the value of such parameters allows the level of positive predictions about the self-fulfillment of the individual to be determined.

Methodology and research methods. At the theoretical level, the article provides a retrospective analysis of the concepts of “self-fulfillment” and “soft skills” in the Russian and foreign science. An empirical part of the research was carried out through the methodologies “The study of Stability of Human Life World” (I. O. Loginova) and “Modified Questionnaire of Self-Actualisation Diagnostic” (A. V. Lazukin, in the adaptation of N. F. Kalin). To diagnose soft skills, a set of techniques was used, including the questionnaire “Measurement of Communicative and Social Competency” (V. N. Kunitsyn), the methodologies for studying the motivation for university education (T. I. Ilyin), the diagnostic procedures of reflection level (A. B. Karpov), the methodology of the study of the individual relationship to innovations (N. M. Lebedev, A. N. Tatarko) and the methodology “Coping Behaviour in Stressful Situations”. The following tests were employed: “Readiness for Self-Development” (V. Pavlov, T. A. Ratanova, N. F. Shliakhta), “My Information Culture” (N. I. Gendina), “Ability to Predict” (L. A. Regush). Spearman’s rank correlation method was used as a mathematical statistical method.

Results and scientific novelty. The article is aimed to discuss various approaches to the study and understanding of students’ soft skills. Based on the theoretical analysis, the main groups of soft skills are identified: basic communication skills, self-management skills, effective thinking skills. Soft skills increase the effectiveness of the individual in solving a wide range of professional and life tasks. The authors prove that well-being of professional and private world is conditioned by the indicators of students’ soft skills. Basic communication skills (communicative and personal potential), self-management skills (motivation to acquire knowledge, reflexive abilities) and effective thinking skills (ability to predict, innovativeness) increase the stability of the psychological system of the student’s personality, its ability to maintain stability, resistance to negative phenomena and freedom of behaviour. It is emphasised that soft skills are not only the main predictors of professional development of the individual, but also provide the formation of an active, creative position in relation to own activities and lives. The authors have come to the conclusion that the creation of the conditions for the development of soft skills in students can prepare them for an adequate perception and realisation of socio-professional innovations in the future.

Practical significance. The results of the present research can be used by the representatives of the system of vocational education, i.e. tutors and teachers, who carry out psychological and pedagogical support of university students.

Introduction. A notable trend in modern society is the transformation of family institution, which has long been considered the most important social and personal value. The change of attitudes of young people towards marriage in Russia is slower than in Europe; however, this process is becoming more obvious today and there is an urgent need to study it. So far, very little research has been carried out. In psychology and other social sciences, it is widely believed that the family formation is hampered by a hedonistic worldview. However, it is well known that the family provides the opportunities to meet many important human needs. This contradiction has prompted the direction of the present research.

The aim of this research is to empirically investigate whether there is the conflict of the perceptions of the Russian young people about family values and hedonic and eudemonic orientations.

Methodology and research methods. The empirical research was conducted using K. Peterson’s questionnaire “Happiness Orientations”. 173 students (49% female) took part in the research project. To assess the importance of family and different family values, the authors of the present research elaborated a special questionnaire, the reliability of which was confirmed in the course of approbation. The information obtained was processed through the means of correlation, regression analysis and nonparametric statistics in Statistica 10; confirmatory factor analysis of questionnaires was performed in Mplus 7.

Results. The results of path analysis of interrelations between hedonism, eudemonia and family values indicated that family values were correlated not only with the orientation to meaningful and dignified life (eudemonia), but also with the orientation to pleasure (hedonism). The orientation hedonism was higher in young women; therefore, multiple regression analysis of the relationship between the studied phenomena was conducted in separate male and female groups of respondents. The results demonstrated that the value of birth and child-rearing in women is correlated with hedonism; the general value of family in male respondents is related with eudemonia.

Scientific novelty. This investigation confirms that there is no contradiction between hedonism and family values. The research findings deduce that both eudemonic and hedonic orientations support family values, although the system of relationships between these orientations may vary according to gender. This finding expands our knowledge about hedonism and its role in modern society.

Practical significance. The research results expand the understanding of hedonism and its role in modern society, clarifying the content of activities to prepare young people for family life. In order to enhance the effectiveness of such psychological and pedagogical support, one should take into account the hedonic tendencies of young people, revealing the importance of family formation in the context of personal happiness.

Introduction. In recent decades, scholars have shown greater research interest in aspects of legal literacy of young people regarding democratic processes in the Russian society. However, despite increasing relevance of the problem of developing and strengthening the legal awareness of modern young people, including university students, this issue has not been sufficiently studied. Meanwhile, subjective misinterpretation of the concepts of law and justice, a low level of legal culture and legal nihilism can be the causes of youth offences, as well as the factors, which distort the worldview under formation.

The present publication is aimed to investigate the role of ideas about the law and justice in the structure of legal awareness of students of higher education institutions.

Methodology and research methods. In the course of the empirical research, the following psychodiagnostic methods were employed: the questionnaire created on the basis of L. A. Yasyukova’s and the procedures of free associations. To process the obtained data, the content analysis and the methods of mathematic statistics, the criterion φ* (Fisher’s angular transformation) and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov criterion λ were used.

Results and scientific novelty. Theoretical approaches to the problem under discussion have been analysed, according to which legal awareness is determined by the conditions of society. Instability of these conditions generates a “paradoxical personality” (M. I. Yenikeev), who accepts and rejects social norms. It is noted that the Russian legal culture is negatively affected by such factors as the dissonance between legal ideology and legal psychology, weakness of civil society institutions, deep financial and economic crisis, etc.

The conducted survey manifested that the specifics of vocational education programme do not have a significant impact on the development of student perceptions of law and justice. The peculiarities of this component of legal awareness of students are revealed. The participants of the survey were convinced that the law should be fair; otherwise, it is not necessary to obey the law. The survey revealed that recognising the priority of legislation over conscience in administrative matters, the respondents believed that only just professionals should be at the head of state, regardless of their moral qualities. According to the respondents, orientation on honor and justice should be the basis of order in the society, but the participants noted the ambiguity of these concepts. On the one hand, students understand justice from the position of social balance (everyone receives what they deserve), on the other hand, they are convinced that social justice is ensured by equality. Young people are interested in the dynamics of the current legislation and believe that everyone should have basic legal knowledge, and ignorance of the law does not exempt a person from this responsibility. The respondents are sure that the law is the same for everyone and is enforceable equally by everyone; moreover, the law is designed to protect the interests of a particular person, not society as a whole. The majority of respondents generated the estimation that the ability to defend own rights is more significant than the performance of duties. The authors of the present research draw a generalised conclusion that university students’ perceptions of law and justice are inconsistent and contradictory.

Practical significance. The research results can be used by teachers and psychologists of higher educational institutions, as well as by various experts to develop the programmes for formation of youth legal awareness.

Introduction. At a time of global economic, social, cultural and political change, it is particularly important to monitor the sustainability of socially important institutions in rapidly changing spheres. Beyond any doubt, the field of science has a special role to play in innovative transformation.

The aim of the present sociological research is to establish the degree of compliance of the personal, collective and institutional levels of innovative restructuring of Russian science with the challenges of an innovative society. The consistency and integrity of functioning of these levels is one of the key conditions for the professional self-realisation of a modern scientist.

Methodology and research methods. The methodological basis of the study is the integral individual-system paradigm, which considers the agent of action in the system of rules and resources, limiting the range of choice in the system. Empirical data were collected through an expert semi-formalised survey of researchers in 21 entities of the Russian Federation. The sample (N = 640) consisted of respondents engaged in technical, natural, humanitarian, social and philosophical spheres, higher education system, centres of the Russian Academy of Sciences and state management structures.

Results and scientific novelty. The institutionalisation of social practices is represented as a synthesis of the field of individual intentions and rules of interaction established in the social field. At the intersection of these fields, standardised social interaction schemes are being transformed and new behaviours and actions are emerging.

The present research for the first time applied a three-level model of institutionalisation of science in an innovative environment, which allowed correlating the personal, organisational and systemic factors of disclosure of the intellectual potential of the scientist. Moreover, this resulted in identifying the existing contradictions between the personal motivation of agents of scientific activity and mechanisms, which structure the work of scientific organisations and the system of indicators of their effectiveness approved by the state. The survey data demonstrated stable motivation of Russian scientists for professional self-realisation and active scientific search, based on personal responsibility, understanding of the social significance of their research, or less frequently based on the membership of a successful team. However, serious institutional barriers have been identified to optimise the working conditions of scientists. The institutional barriers include: the administrative difficulties of establishing strong professional links with production, social and power structures; the lack of opportunities to participate in global scientific discourse; the narrow functionality of scientific organisations as an intermediate link between scientists and the state; the reluctance of expert scientific community to develop the criteria and indicators of the quality of scientific activity; the non-compliance of these indicators with innovative priorities and goals, etc.

Practical significance. The research results and proposals can be used to adjust the state policy of the Russian Federation and the principles of management of the organisation in accordance with the innovative priorities of the society.

Introduction. Over the past decades, Russian society has seen an increase in humanistic trends related to a more attentive and more careful attitude towards the qualitative diversity of society than before. In particular, there are significant changes in the education and upbringing of children with mental development problems (deviations or disorders). Creating the conditions for the full and dignified existence of such children is impossible without their inclusion in social relations, without the support of the process of formation of their individuality, which is particularly significant at the early stages of ontogenesis, when the foundations are laid down and cultural and social norms of behaviour are learned.

The aims of the present publication are the following: to describe diagnostic tools for identifying the level of formation of the adaptation and integration potential of children with mental retardation of primary school age; to demonstrate the ways of this potential development by means of artistic and creative activities.

Methodology and research methods. The research was based on the principles of individualisation and differentiation of correctional and pedagogical process; the capacities, characteristics of development and needs of each child; systemacity of training with close cooperation of all its participants; compliance of requirements, methods, techniques and educational conditions with individual and age characteristics of students. In the course of the experiment, a complex of diagnostic and correctional-developing methods was used: “Finish the Story” (G. A. Uruntayeva, Yu. A. Afon’kin), “Story Pictures” (R. R. Kinina), “Rukavichki” (G. A. Zuckermann), etc. The obtained data were processed through a mathematical method of assessing the significance of differences using the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient.

Results and scientific novelty. The research presents the developed and tested methodology of diagnostics of adaptive and integrative potential of children of primary school age with mental retardation. This methodology was developed in educational establishments, including children’s art schools. The criteria and qualitative characteristics of the levels of formation of this potential are highlighted. Three of its structural components – cognitive, emotional and behavioural – are identified, which are proposed to be developed through artistic and creative activities with close cooperation of specialists of the school support service, parents and teachers of additional education. Such activities are considered as a specially organised process with personal-oriented goals, in which art acts as a determinant of the socio-cultural formation of a child’s personality and contributes to his or her successful inclusion in the school community of peers and further socialisation. The idea and concept of improving correctional and pedagogical work with children with special educational needs through artistic creativity are based on: the predisposition of any child to it, regardless of the presence/absence of any nosology; the accessibility for everyone of this way of learning the world around.

Practical significance. The research materials can be used in the practice of special psychologists, rehabilitators, defectologists, teachers of children additional education, as well as in the system of training, advanced training and retraining of pedagogical personnel.

Introduction. In today’s world, professionals in any sphere of occupation should have soft skills in order to be in demand in the labour market, to quickly build a career and to achieve personal success. Soft skills involve: skills to communicate, to think creatively and unconventionally, to work in a team and to take responsibility, to organise own time effectively and to adapt quickly in new situations, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to be an owner of social qualities, which are commonly referred to as universal competencies, aimed at to finding optimal balanced solutions in a wide range of daily professional tasks. These skills are not quantifiable and are not generally described in job descriptions, but precisely these skills ensure high efficiency and productivity in any industry. In Western countries, the issues and strategies for soft skills formation in different categories of population have been studied for quite some time. Recently, these problems have become much more common among Russian scientists. The growing relevance of this issue is related to the changes in educational system, the changes in educational and personal guidelines, and the requirements for professional activities. This article is an overview of scientific Russian and foreign publications devoted to the aspects of soft skills development.

The aims of the present research are the following: to identify the main trends in the study of soft skills and the possibilities for their acquisition by a person; to find out the similarities and differences between Russian and foreign studies; to determine the most promising scientific inquiry.

Methodology and research methods. The study is based on the comparative-historical method. The authors used content-analysis and comparative analysis of documents, articles and results of statistical reports in international databases of Scopus and Web of Science within the period from 1975 to March 2019.

Results and scientific novelty. For the first time, the authors conducted retrospective panoramic review of publications on soft skills, systemised additional information concerning the topic under discussion and identified the similarities between existing problems in different countries: lack of appropriate attention to soft skills development when designing educational programmes; insufficient involvement of employers in this process; complexity of the process of observing and evaluating soft skills; difference between the set of competencies acquired by graduates during studies with expectations and demand in the labour market, etc. Diverse ways of soft skills development are offered: organisation of special courses taught out of the subject context (which have already shown their inefficiency), mastering soft skills in parallel with the process of subject-based training or through the potential of particular disciplines. The international scientific community agrees with the statement that educational programmes, in any case, need to be refocused on the soft skills development. However, the general trend is the presentation in most studies of local statistical results, rather narrow professional topics of research and limited time (1–2 academic years). Concerning methodological tools for measuring universal social skills, both Russian and foreign authors prefer case study, classroom research and questionnaires.

In general, Russian pedagogical science demonstrates the same vector of development as foreign science, but passes the same stages as other countries with a lag. The only significant difference was found in the research topic: according to the publications of Russian scientists, little attention is given to the problem of migrants’ soft skills. Indeed, the issue of soft skills development is one of the most relevant problems abroad. This can probably be attributed to the specifics of migration processes: for instance, many foreign citizens with completely different cultural and religious mentalities arrive in the European Union; on the contrary, Russia is migrated mainly from former Soviet republics, wherein people are close to the Russians in emotional intelligence.

Practical significance. The results of the analytical review allow the scientific and pedagogical community to obtain a comprehensive picture of the main trends in studying the problems of soft skills development and to identify priority directions of further research.