Phase transformations and the future of universities: philosophical and methodological analysis

The article belongs to a conceptual philosophic and methodological category and is aimed at understanding the phases of society and university development. The article uses such tools as philosophic categories «activity oriented = social = anthropological)). Universities are viewed as social institutions supporting society reproduction and development. Changes taking place at the universities nowadays are seen from the point of view of phase transformation logic as an aspect of postindustrial transition. Four «generations» of universities are identified: preindustrial, industrial, postindus-trial, and cognitive phases. Obtained results allow for new understanding of changes taking place at the university and define university development perspective. This article is the first of the series of publications on the topic of philosophic and methodological grounds for analyzing university transformation as a social institution, characteristics of university generations and description of University 4.0 outline.