UDC 378:1
DOI 10.20339/AM.04-26.032
Svetlana V. Kostyukevich, Cand. Sci. (Sociology), Leading researcher at National Academy of Sciences of Republic of Belarus, Minsk, e-mail: svkostus@yahoo.com
In this article, in the context of the geopolitical rivalry between the USSR and the USA in the 20th century, the author gives logical explanation for the reasons why, starting in the mid-20th century, the massification of higher education sector and the professionalization of university education were launched (which subsequently led to the marketization of the education sector as a market for educational services). Based on statistical dynamics analysis of development of the higher education system in the USSR and, primarily, in Soviet Belarus, the author shows that the trigger for the launch of these processes was two events: the USSR was the first to launch a space satellite in 1957 and it was also the first to send a man into Space in 1961. The author proves that the main reason for the launch of the massification and professionalization of higher education was the incorrect understanding by American economists of the factors of successful development of Soviet non-capitalist industrial economy and successful development of Soviet space technologies. It is argued that the most negative consequence of massification and professionalization, which were launched in the mid-20th century, was their significant impact on emergence of current leadership crisis in culture, science, and technologies. Recommendations for eliminating this crisis are offered.
Keywords: massification of the higher education sector, professionalization of university education, marketization, educational services market, Soviet non-capitalist economy, liberal and research models of university education, crisis of leadership in culture, science, and technology
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