UDC 351:378

THE GOVERNANCE ARCHITECTURE OF RUSSIAN HIGHER EDUCATION: FROM A MONOLITHIC VERTICAL TO A HYBRID NETWORK MODEL

Paklina Tatyana Nikolaevna
Perm National Research Polytechnic University

Abstract
This article presents an institutional analysis of the changes in the higher education governance model in Russia that began in the early 21st century and are currently ongoing. The study is timely due to the transition from a unified vertical system overseen by a single ministry to a complex, hybrid network architecture. This model necessitates a detailed examination of the distribution of powers, budgetary flows, control mechanisms, and areas of responsibility among the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, and non-departmental organizations. The study aims to identify the structural characteristics and operational mechanisms of this management model. Its methodological framework relies on institutional and comparative-structural approaches. In this study, management is interpreted as a complex comprising governing bodies, the distribution of authority, financial mechanisms, and control procedures. The empirical basis consists of regulatory acts, official documentation, and scholarly publications. A comparative analysis is conducted between the monolithic model of the early 2000s and the modern three-tier hybrid network, which is characterized by the separation of supervisory functions, the transformation of functional departments into project-based management units, and the active involvement of subordinate entities. The study results indicate a shift from the direct line-item funding model toward a multi-channel budgetary policy. This strategy relies on a combination of state assignments, the implementation of targeted programs, and the provision of grants from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and the Russian Science Foundation. Particular attention is paid to the role of extra-departmental organizations as key instruments for implementing budgetary policy. It has been established that the transition to this model fosters greater flexibility, increased competition, and the decentralization of processes. The practical significance of these findings lies in their potential use by government bodies, higher education institutions, and the research community to evaluate the effectiveness of the higher education management system.

Keywords: budget policy, higher education management model, management architecture, Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, Ministry of Education of Russia, non-departmental organizations, state assignment

Category: 08.00.00 Economics

Article reference:
Paklina T.N. The governance architecture of russian higher education: from a monolithic vertical to a hybrid network model // Modern scientific researches and innovations. 2026. № 11 [Electronic journal]. URL: https://web.snauka.ru/en/issues/2026/11/105282

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