The Role of Academic Inbreeding in Realizing the Research Potential of Students from Socially Vulnerable Groups

The article analyzes the features of academic inbreeding, its types and risks identified by Russian and foreign researchers (Н. Horta, F.M. Veloso, Ph. Altbach, M. Yudkevich, M. Seeber and others). These risks include the poor quality of university research and teaching due to bias in the selection of candidates. Moreover, it depends on the type of academic inbreeding: pure inbreds, silver-corded, mobile inbreds, adherents (noninbreds). In contrast, a model of «healthy» inbreeding of students with high research potential is proposed. The article is based on the concept of the research potential of students as an integral set of cognitive, motivational, behavioral characteristics of a person, providing the ability to solve research problems effectively. Academic inbreeding can be viewed as a tool for implementing the «third mission» of universities and corporate social responsibility programs, within the framework of which it is supposed to promote the development of the potential of students from socially vulnerable groups of the population. The article concludes with general recommendations to stimulate «healthy» academic inbreeding: 1) meritocratic selection of candidates; 2) competitive selection; 3) openness of the selection procedure; 4) comprehensive assessment of achievements; 5) independent evaluation of candidates; 6) early search for talented young researchers using psychological testing and sociological survey methods.