Позитивные изменения. Том 3, № 3 (2023). Positive changes. Volume 3, Issue 3 (2023)

What universities can be called the leaders in developing the third mission in Russia? What kind of projects and new developments do they offer?

Yaroslavl State University, for instance, is expanding its close partnership with the regional resource center for NGO support, which is headed by Elena Isaeva. At the same time, YarGU promotes the third mission development among the universities in the Upper Volga macro-region as part of the “Priority 2030” program.

Another notable example of the third mission implementation is St. Petersburg State University, which has implemented a “clinical practice” format for its students. What does it mean, exactly?

Many are familiar with legal clinics run by universities, where students provide free legal advice to those in need. This helps upper-year students gain the necessary practical experience and get a better knowledge of the regulatory documents, while addressing various legal issues faced by the public.

The format of legal clinics has been picked up by more than one hundred universities in Russia.[39]

However, it is not just the legal clinic alone. St. Petersburg State University has 15 other clinics providing social services, psychological advice, conflict management, environment consultations, etc.[40]

I believe this format has a great future for the realization of the third mission of the university, wherein students and staff together solve urgent and important socio-economic problems while staying immersed into the process of education.[41]

What are the possible formats of impact investing in third mission projects?

The first pilot project, implemented in the impact investment format with direct government support, was called “Improving the Educational Performance results of School Students in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)”[42]. The project was organized by VEB.RF and implemented by NRU HSE.

The progress in educational performance was ensured through additional training of students, building individual educational trajectories, professional development of teachers and school management teams, development of professional communities, involvement of parents in the formation of various school projects and designing the children’s educational trajectories.[43]

This project is an example of what happens when a university that is highly competent in organizational development of general education gets involved in a social impact project. I suppose that universities could also bring substantial improvement in other areas, such as employment, accompanied living, and health care.[44]

How do we expand the participation of universities in impact investment projects and attract new partners to implement the third mission?

A truly strong university should be able to facilitate state-of-the-art knowledge and technology, the latest advances in global research and development today.

This is where the university can play a very important role, both as a potential implementing partner of social impact projects and as an expert acting on the customer’s side who can identify the right approach to solving a problem by providing preliminary examination of the solution proposed by the implementing partner of the social impact project.

You said at the start of the interview that the university is a non-financial development institution. Why?

The potential of higher education institutions participating in the formation and implementation of socio-economic development projects is based on their competencies in conducting high-level research and development, and in personnel training.

Putting this potential to use can turn them into a truly significant driver of economic development of cities and regions. The concept of the third mission is a good metaphor to describe this overarching objective.

Yulia Vyatkina

Editor, Positive Changes Journal

Экспертные мнения / Expert Opinions

«Обучение служением». Мировой тренд приходит в Россию

Татьяна Печегина, Алина Яшина

DOI 10.55140/2782–5817–2023–3–3–15–25