Educational Migration Management: ˋˋResponsive University'' Strategy Prospects for Transitive University

Abstract

This article considers a regional university management model in the light of its uncertain position in the hierarchy of Russian universities and a specific social and economic situation in Russia’s regions. Such uncertainty leads to the decline in popularity of regional universities among high school graduates, increasing outgoing migration from the region. University becomes a transit education zone on the way to further educational mobility to central regions with better educational and career prospects. In order to strengthen the position of a university in the region and enhance its attractiveness for strong applicants, the transformation of university management strategies is needed. The concept of Responsive University has been analyzed as one of the solutions. Methodologically, the given research is based upon the concepts of transitive university and self-organization of complex social systems. Within the framework of the Responsive University concept, a regional university is considered as a self-organizing system, able to quickly respond to both individual and societal demands through internal structural changes and transformations of external links. The transit character of a regional university is viewed as a resource for its transitive transformations aimed at meeting the societal and individual needs in the means and conditions for multi-tiered transits. The research examines the features of continuing education as an organizational condition to meet university students’ demands for educational and professional transits. The research has also analyzed the changes in a regional university management — from vertical configuration to horizontal one through transforming its organizational structure and involving the teaching staff into decision-making process. These transformations in management of a regional university are expected to increase its popularity among high school graduates, attract educational migrants, provide the regional labour market with qualified staff, and reduce migration outflow from the region.