Abstract: The subject of this research is the determination of factors that estimate the demand for Russian higher educational facilities among foreign students. The authors carefully examine these factors. An important element of information supports of management decisions aimed at increasing the demand for Russian higher education among foreign students, taken at the level of separate universities, as well as the level of national system of education, is the identification of significant factors that substantiate the choice of university by the foreign applicants. The goal of this work lies in determination of the factors that estimate the demand for Russian universities among foreign students by means of statistical analysis of monitoring indicators of the higher educational facilities. The conducted research allows concluding that the non-CIS students value such aspects as the type of university ownership (preference is given to the state educational facilities), its academic activities, as well as the level of development of international relations; the employment rate of university graduates matters insignificantly. In respect of the students from CIS countries, no reliable correlative links that allow making conclusions on the factors of choosing one or another Russian university were acquired.

Abstract:  
This article examines the influence of megatrends and generated by them major global tendencies of social development upon the system of education in Russia. The subject of this research is the response of education system of the Russian Federation with all its peculiarities, merits, and flaws to the effect of global megatrends of social development. The authors provide the definitions of the notion of “megatrends”, examine the key tendencies generated by such megatrends, as well as figuratively divide all tendencies onto natural and artificial. The main conclusion of this work consists in highlighting of the crucial megatrends of global social development with further determination of the tendencies resulting from these megatrends. Each megatrend is capable of originating at least one or several tendencies, which in turn, can be conditionally divided onto the tendencies of artificial or natural character. Authors’ special contribution into the research lies in elucidating the response of education system upon the produced by megatrends tendencies.