REGIONAL SYSTEMS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE VOLGA FEDERAL DISTRICT 

Galina V. Surovitskaya, Doctor of economical sciences, associate professor, head of quality management department, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia); professor, Penza Cossack Institute of Technology (branch) of the K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technology and Management (First Cossack University) (6 Volodarsky street, Penza, Russia), E-mail: gvs_kachestvo@inbox.ru
Dmitry I. Semin, Applicant of the sub-department of physics, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), E-mail: Dimitry.semin@gmail.com 

Background. The article attempts to identify hidden opportunities for the development of the country's higher education system in the face of external challenges by leveraging the development potential of regional higher education systems. At the present stage, the competitiveness of regions largely depends on the level of development of regional higher education systems. Materials and methods. The study used data from the National University Ranking 2017–2023 and data from monitoring the effectiveness of universities in 2021, 2022. The main research methods are benchmarking analysis methods and methods for assessing the nature of systems development. The study proved the feasibility of segmenting regional universities into two groups: a group of universities participating in the Priority 2030 program and a group of universities that were not included in the Priority 2030 program, whose performance results exceed those of program participants. Results. It has been proven that the competitiveness of regional higher education systems currently depends not only on the activities of universities participating in the Priority 2030 program, but also, no less, on the activities of a number of universities that are potential participants in the program. Conclusions. In regional higher education systems, a group of leading universities determines the competitiveness of the regional higher education system as a whole at the present stage. The conducted research does not reflect the complete picture of the entire group of leading universities, since it only covers participants in the Volga Federal District. The article is of particular interest to researchers of higher education. 

higher education, Priority 2030, region, competitiveness, performance indicators 

Surovitskaya G.V., Semin D.I. Regional systems of higher education of the Volga federal district. Modeli, sistemy, seti v ekonomike, tekhnike, prirode i obshchestve = Models, systems, networks in economics, technology, nature and society. 2024;(1):21–31. (In Russ.). doi: 10.21685/2227-8486-2024-1-2