Higher education in Russia: challenge of XXI century

The analysis of global demographic, politico-social, economic-technological and cultural changes which will define education sphere transformation in many countries of the world is carried out. Tendencies and the factors, capable to define change in Russian formations the next 20-30 years are allocated. The key factor of changes is end of the Enlightenment project (Knowing man) which provided processes of industrialization and urbanization in the developed countries of the world and was the basis of mass educational practices. Possibility of occurrence of new socially-anthropological projects and corresponding transformation of education systems is discussed. Scenario variants of development of higher education in Russia are considered, possible positions of federal and national research universities are formulated.