Development of the Cluster Approach in the System of Higher Education of Mongolia

The article addresses the issue of developing a cluster approach within the system of higher education. In Mongolian practice, the formation of educational clusters re-mains limited, and their scholarly examination is still insufficiently developed. The purpose of the article is to design a higher education cluster model for the Darkhan–Selenge region of Mongolia, followed by the integration of Buryatia’s experience as a key element of cross-border regional cooperation. Higher education, understood as the level of education pursued after the completion ofsecondary vocational education, is officially recognized at the state level and fulfills the strategic task of equipping citizens with competencies that meet generally accept-ed international standards. In the context of ongoing reforms of Mongolia’s education system, there is a growing demand for research capable of proposing new organiza-tional mechanisms for the development of this sector. The study is based on an inter-pretation of education (lat. Educere — to draw out, to reveal) as a comprehensive process of upbringing, instruction, and the formation of value orientations, knowledge, skills, and practical experience. Education is regarded as a key object of study — acquired knowledge, abilities, skills, understanding of values, knowledge of actions, and experience (5, p. 29) — which to-gether determine the complex of a student’s educational and cognitive activities. Ex-amining education as a sociocultural phenomenon and applying a cluster approach in Mongolia can fundamentally transform the content of state policy, as it considers the interrelationships among subjects and phenomena in relation to criteria of effective-ness in education. Moreover, it creates a powerful mechanism that integrates human resources, learning technologies, upbringing and development processes, educational institutions, and other related structures.