Symposium Objectives:

• Understand the themes of this particular meeting in the context of previous Universities Project discussions, and the evolving nature of the Russian university system.
• Consider the role and effectiveness of universities in terms of a broad spectrum of social and civic responsibilities, with the aim of achieving a balanced contribution to society.
• Prepare for the implementation of the major themes of the reform strategy, especially in relation to regional complexes, and the creation of research universities.
• Better understand the above possibilities through a carefully structured analysis of relevant experiences in Russian, West and Central European, North American and other world settings, with a view to distilling evidence of good practice for use in the Russian context.