The Mission of a Modern Russian University: The Transformation of Meanings

. Modern social systems are undergoing transformation, the most important aspect of which is the transformation of meanings and the search for doctrines aimed at understanding the paths of the future, goals, and mission – of the individual, the country, and humanity. This process has affected universities as the structural elements of higher education, and the definition of their missions. This article is based on an analysis of scientific papers and the results of a specific sociological survey among Moscow residents, it summarizes perceptions of the university’s mission. The diverse range of opinions on the university’s mission is documented, and contradictions in ideas about the university’s mission are analyzed. This reflects the search for meaning in the development of higher education and the entire social system amidst the rapid processes of societal development, the sixth technological paradigm, digital culture, and a changing geopolitical situation that requires the preservation of national sociocultural codes. A promising approach is to update the model of the university as an alma mater, a spiritual mother and nurse, and define the university’s mission as a spiritual activity aimed at shaping the moral and ethical personality and subject, which aligns with the strategic goals of national and state policy in modern Russia. Based on the results of an empirical study among Moscow residents, it was determined that this model, although not a priority, resonates with a significant number of respondents.