Reputational Risks of the University in the New Conditions for the Development of Russian Higher Education

Abstract

The conditions for the development of the modern world community are constantly changing and becoming more complex. They have a serious impact on the activities of organizations and enterprises in the sectors of the national economy. Higher education institutions are also under the influence of changing conditions. This can be seen via new serious problems and risks, including reputational ones that require special attention and response, and an effective state policy to support domestic universities. The purpose of the article is to consider the new conditions for the development of Russian universities and to determine the current reputational risks in their activities. The following results have been obtained within the study: the changed conditions for the Russian universities’ activities are assessed; the reputational risks of higher education institutions due to the latest operating conditions and development trends are identified, analyzed, and justified. The threats to the universities’ reputation appear due to the pressure of global sanctions and due to domestic problems: the deteriorating demographic situation, the transformation of the higher education system, the decline in the training of scientific personnel, the slowdown in the development of the academic profession, the spread of coronavirus infection, etc. Today’s state policy in the field of higher education creates prospects for further development of Russian universities, for increasing the efficiency of their activities and competitiveness in the educational services market, and, on this basis, for strengthening their reputation. The results of our research may be of interest to the heads of higher educational institutions, to their teaching staff, as well as to the scholars who study the problems of higher education management.