Revisiting the new model of post-graduate studies in Russia

Higher education is a significant factor in the country's socio-economic development and it's region in particular. The restructuring of the graduate school and its inclusion in the system of higher education have caused heated discussions in Russia both at the level of the scientific community and at the level of the country's top management. Analysis of unsolved organizational issues contradicting the new requirements at the legislative level, discussion of areas and prospects of graduate school development at the present stage is the purpose of the present article. The paper presents a number of controversial issues related to licensing and accreditation of postgraduate programs, the objectives of postgraduate training, the need for candidate examinations, and final state certification. Some of them are successfully resolved by educational and scientific institutions as certain experience is accumulated; some remain unresolved. The author highlights some positive moments and those that hinder the implementation of graduate programs at the level of individual research organizations associated with innovation and reform implementation. It is noted that educational institutions are given freedom in filling the content of the postgraduate program and its implementation, which provides individualization of postgraduate training, the possibility of choosing pedagogical or scientific sphere. Such conditions help solve personnel issues in a particular organization, industry, region. It is concluded that the reform of graduate school, despite a number of limitations and contradictions, opens up new opportunities which institutions implementing graduate programs have to learn to use effectively. The materials are useful to the authorities, the scientific community in discussing the prospects for the development of higher education and the elaboration of an optimal model of the Russian post-graduate school.