Abstract: This article analyzes the Federal State Educational Standards of Higher Education from the perspective of substantive component that contributes to the formation of civic qualities and civic position of the students. It is noted that in modern political and socioeconomic life, the Russian Federation gives priority to the development of youth activity in the conditions of building civilian, democratic and constitutional state. Young people should be competent in order to be engaged in the country’s socially useful events to the fullest and make conscious political choice.  Higher education institutions play a considerable role in preparing educated and critically minded citizens, who possess high level of responsibility and patriotism. The goal of this article is to establish the the pedagogical conditions for the formation of civic position of students of higher education institutions. Analysis of the standards and existing normative legal acts allowed outlining the key priorities vectors in the development of higher education system of the Russian Federation. One of the crucial tasks of higher education system is to improve competitiveness of higher education institutions of the Russian Federation, as well as develop general cultural and professional competencies of future specialists. However, despite legislative consolidation on the federal level of the importance of development of civic position, the direct requirements for the results of formation of civic position among students are indicated only in part of the Federal State Educational Standards for Higher Education.

Abstract: The present article conducts a retrospective analysis of the origins of the institute of witnesses in the Russian Federation. The author consistently reveals the main stages in the establishment and development of this institution. It was found out that the starting point for public involvement in the criminal proceedings at the legislative level was the 1649 Council Code, while the 1864 Charter of Criminal Proceedings can be considered to be the foundation for the development of the existing institute of witnesses. In addition, the author separately studied the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Codes of the RSFSR and the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation. In preparation for the work general scientific methods of research were applied, such as analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, as well as special research methods, including historical, comparative legal and formal-legal. The author mainly focuses on the currently topical regulations regulating the involvement of citizens as witnesses in criminal cases. The positive and negative aspects of the adoption of the Federal Law №23-FL dated March 4, 2013 have been analysed. It is concluded that the activity of the witnesses is still widely ranged, due to the lack of the necessary clarifications of the new law.