Socio-economic model of the new system of higher environmental education in Russia

Alla Guslyakova ^1,2* Konstantin Isaev ¹ Tatyana Ledashcheva ¹ Nailya Valeeva ¹ Nina Guslyakova ³

• ¹ Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia
• ² Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow, Moscow Oblast, Russia
• ³ South Ural State Humanitarian Pedagogical University, Chelyabinsk, Russia

The article addresses the ongoing reform of higher environmental education in Russia, initiated by the May 2023 decree no. 343 on improving the country’s higher education system. This reform introduces a new structure of basic and specialized university education, emphasizing its environmental profile as a priority. The goal of this study is to evaluate and analyze the socio-economic dynamics of the emerging system of higher environmental education in Russia using mathematical graph theory. Graph theory provides a powerful tool to model and assess complex systems, allowing for a quantitative understanding of the relationships and interactions within the education system. A working hypothesis was proposed to examine the efficacy of recent academic reforms, focusing on their impact on sustainability education at the university level. The study’s results reveal that 89.1% of respondents consider themselves environmentally conscious individuals committed to sustainable practices. Furthermore, 94% believe that university students should actively engage in creating a sustainable and healthy academic environment. Statistical data from the graph analysis identified key nodes influencing the system's performance, such as domestic state policy (20.84), foreign state policy (21.4), global demand for environmental specialists (21.01), environmentally caused diseases (16.00), and foreign language proficiency (12.50) as a means of accessing global knowledge. The findings demonstrate that Russia is striving to align its educational reforms with global trends in sustainable development. Universities must prioritize environmental education to address the country’s ecological challenges effectively. The socio-economic model proposed in this study confirms that the reform is relevant, well-timed, and has significant potential for long-term success. However, the study also identifies potential risks, such as policy inefficiencies and external socio-economic challenges, that could limit the effectiveness of the new system. It is recommended that future research focus on addressing these risks to enhance the system's resilience and ensure its alignment with sustainability goals. The model developed in this study offers insights that could also inform similar educational reforms in other countries.