“The University of Service”: A Practical Philosophy of Higher Education in the Contemporary Era

The article develops the concept of “University of Service” as a philosophical foundation for a practical model of Russian higher education. Based on the methodology of communicative constructivism, a conceptual language for self-description of Russian universities is proposed, rooted in the national tradition and open to dialogue with contemporary models of higher education. Service is revealed as an ontological foundation, institutional identity, and organizational principle of the university, directed toward higher values – truth, society, culture, and the future. It is shown that the concept of the university of service does not oppose existing models (research university, entrepreneurial university, world-class university) but offers their creative reinterpretation through the lens of service. Special attention is paid to the ability of the university of service to bridge the gap between professional and civic identities, forming a holistic personality for whom competence is inseparable from responsibility. It is argued that the university of service represents a distinctive response of Russian culture to universal contemporary challenges and can contribute to the development of a multipolar world of education. Obstacles to implementing the concept are analyzed, and directions for further research are outlined.