Integration processes in the innovative environment of higher school

Introduction: the article deals underscores the importance of research into integration processes in the field of higher education for their subsequent use in the formation of the higher school's innovative environment. The authors highlight the points that define the importance of the issues in the formulation of the state policy in the sphere of education. Materials and Methods: the research methodology is based on the general scientific analysis of scientific literature and empirical data. The authors used the relevant works by Russian and foreign researchers, and legal documenta¬tion of the Russian higher education. Results: the analysis of the term “integration” from the perspective of fundamental science and in relation to the practice of the higher school allowed us to distinguish between the state and the process of the above term. Con¬sideration of the ongoing integration processes in the field of higher education allowed us to identify three levels of their manifestation. Discussion and Conclusions: the authors come to the conclusion about the necessity of distinguishing approach to the research of integration processes due to the differences between the forms of integration manifestations at various levels; present visual distinction of the notion “integration” in respect to levels of its manifestation; as the cause of integration processes the authors indicate the desire to win the competition, but as the main objective of integration - to increase the competitiveness of the participants involved in integration processes, ensuring their joint progress.