Public policy in the sphere of higher education: historical and political analysis

The article is considering the problem of the state policy development in the field of scientific research at universities, with a focus on scientific and technological progress. The paper analyzes of university science evolution throughout its historical stages, starting with the creation of the first higher education institutions in Russia in the 17th century. Then the author considers the Soviet vision and interpretation of scientific and technological progress with an emphasis on the influence of political ideology on scientific activity, followed by a period of changes in the structure of universities in the 1990s and a way out of the crisis in the modern context. The paper studies modern world trends in detail. They are related to the increasing role of universities in the innovative and scientific-technical development of the economy. The author analyzes the experience and specifics of the university’s development to assess the contribution of higher education institutions in other countries at the same level. As a result, the collected material makes it possible to understand the current level of higher education development and provides an opportunity to predict the prospects for the university science development in real time.