Comparative competitiveness of russian flagship universities

The article is prepared based on materials of the research on competitiveness of Russian universities with different status: 5-100 Project participants, federal universities, national research universities, classical universities of Privolzhsk Federal Area, pillar universities of the first and the second wave. At present state of development of higher education system of Russia there is already practical experience of upgrading efficacy which is important for involving potential for modernization of regional pillar universities activities in the process of effective regional development. The aim of this research article is to evaluate competitiveness of different groups of pillar universities of the first and second waves on the basis of benchmarking analysis using the data of National university efficacy monitoring - 2017 conducted by Interfax group. The results of the research allowed for identifying problem areas decreasing competitiveness of pillar universities at the national higher education market. According to the results of research it was defined that after the first year of the pillar universities development program implementation we witness lower average scores of overall and individual ratings formed within the National university rating. Correlation analysis results demonstrated that first year results of first wave pillar university development program show strengthening of modernization activities effect on the position of universities in the National university rating and their competitiveness. Conducted research demonstrates insufficient competitiveness of second wave pillar universities group in comparison with other university groups. Research conducted by the author does not claim the full representation of all potential pillar universities of Russia as it covers only winners of competitions for becoming pillar universities in 2015 and 2017. At the same time it allows for formulating main directions for improving competitiveness of pillar universities. Novelty and originality of the article is as follows: a) task -setting; improving university competitiveness management mechanisms based on external management reserves, including regional ones, b) suggested approach to solving it on the basis of generalizing best practices of interaction between regional innovation system actors, including pillar universities; c) suggested conceptual model of modernizing pillar universities main activities directions in the context of upgrading their efficacy. Practical importance of the research is defined by the fact that pillar universities managers obtain mechanisms for evaluating and upgrading competitiveness which should be supported by harmonization with mechanisms of region’s competitiveness comparative evaluation (with the aim of upgrading efficacy of university strategic projects management, modernization of educational activities on the basis of implementing project - oriented study, modernization of educational, research and innovation activities using the potential of private - state partnership), introducing mechanisms of value - oriented approach (for upgrading efficacy of university and region human capital involvement), development of mechanisms of interaction with regional innovation system actors (with the aim of maximal use of regional innovation and economic systems potential). The article is an attempt to evaluate competitiveness of national pillar universities and define the ways of improving it. It can be of interest to higher education system researchers in the context of improving approaches to university management.