Policy of the Soviet Decision-Making Bodies in the Sphere of University Education in 1959–1969

Abstract

Education plays a major role in the development of the economy, science and culture. Higher education occupies an important place in the educational system. Today, without training highly skilled professionals, it is impossible to imagine a progressive and dynamic development of society. Special prominence should be given to universities as institutions of higher education that retain a high status. This paper attempts to find an answer to the question of why university education continues to be at the core of the higher education system in Russia. To do this, the author studied the experience of Soviet tertiary institutions. In 1959–1969, the USSR was undergoing profound transformations, and universities played an important role in the modernization of higher education. Using both published and archival materials that had not been introduced into scientific discourse, the author analysed the regulatory framework of the higher education system in the Soviet Union and identified the key stages of the policy of party and state authorities on university education. As a result, the author came to the conclusion that in the late 1950s through 1960s the main areas of the work of party and state authorities were as follows: improving the management system of higher education; strengthening the link between higher education and industry and creating a practice-oriented educational system; attracting applicants for postgraduate study. Thus, the party and government leadership realized that Soviet university education was not perfect and that there were serious problems that hindered its development and, consequently, the development of the entire higher education system in the country. The decision-making bodies understood the importance of improving universities as centres for training highly skilled professionals in the humanities and natural sciences as well as in the technical field.