SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER ECONOMIC EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNIVERSITY MISSION REALIZATION

Abstract

In the article, social responsibility is characterized as the realization of key components of the university’s mission. The basic approaches of Western scientists to understanding the mission and social responsibility of the University under current conditions are analyzed. There are those components of the mission and responsibility that, according to Western authors, correspond to the current stage of globalization, including educational one. The novel component of the mission of universities as certain guarantors of sustainable development is put forward, which leads to an increase in their social responsibility to the global scope. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the mission of institutions of higher economic education in their interaction with the state and business, and namely in respect of innovative development provision. Topical components of the mission and social responsibility of higher education institutions are identified. The emphasis is placed on a separate study in the domestic scientific environment of the mission and social responsibility of universities.Based on the information provided on official sites, a meaningful analysis is carried out and the main components of the missions of several leading universities in the world from different continents are highlighted. It is shown that the model of the university and the formulated mission determine the ethics and scope of its social responsibility. The overall direction of the mission and social responsibility transformation of the leading universities — from institutes for training specialists for the labor market, educational and scientific centers — to the leaders of values of modern democracy, authoritative mediators in resolving civilized ways of conflict between business and society, economy and ecology, politics and economy is determined. The expediency of studying and adapting the experience of the rating universities in the sphere of defining and realizing the mission and social responsibility is substantiated.