Modernization of engineering education in Russia: historical roots of modern problems

The paper is devoted to the problem of the higher engineering and technical education modernization in Russia, that has acquired special significance due to the need for breakthrough technological development of the state. An assumption about the relevance of addressing the historical premises of modern problems of domestic engineering education and the study of experience in successfully resolving them is made. The purpose of the study is to conduct a historical and sociological analysis of the interaction of Russian society and the institute of higher engineering and technical education. The formation of engineering education in different periods of the history of Russia is traced, the factors that determine its current state are identified. The research method is manual quality content analysis, that combines the methodology of traditional content analysis (highlighting significant elements of the text and their quantification) and in-depth qualitative analysis of the text. Empirical object is the scientific publications of representatives of scientific and pedagogical staff of Russian technical universities. The analysis of the interaction of Russian society and higher engineering and technical education is carried out within the framework of a structurally functional paradigm based on the theory of social institutions by Herbert Spencer. In consequence it was concluded that the modernization of Russian technical universities is certainly necessary, but it cannot be carried out in isolation and should become a full part of the modernization of society as a whole.