Cognitive university: the contours of the future

University development is seen as the development of institutional forms of intelligence in society. Accordingly, the prospects of universities are associated with the phase transition and the formation of "cognitive society". The features of the cognitive society are considered: the significance, scope and forms of intelligence in various processes in the society and collective intelligence as key "productive force" of this society. The task for development of universities and the model variants of universities in the "cognitive world" are discussed. The possibility of new generation universities formation ("cognitive universities") is noted. Necessary modernization of Russian higher school is considered as its "conversion" that is a shift towards other goals, mission and functions in accordance with the economic and socio-cultural changes in society.