“New Regionalization”: Modernization of Russian Universities and Experience of Germany

The importance of the supporting universities in each region is quite high, because the main purpose of creating them is to provide an efficient cooperation between the region and the system of higher education. Through the supporting universities it is possible to solve the most pressing problems facing not only regions but also the state as a whole. The interaction between higher education and regions is associated with the strengthening of the “third mission” of universities, the implementation of which makes university a key «player» in the economic and social development of a region and introduces significant changes in the university’s relations with its partners: industry, business, government, civil society institutions. The first section of the article focuses on the identification of the main parameters of the regional activities of Russian universities as active participants in the socio-economic development of region. The second section systematizes the experience of German universities on the implementation of the «third mission» in the regional context