Distinctive features and functional peculiarities of research universities are discussed. The development program of the Lobachevsky National Research University of Nizhni Novgorod is presented. Main activities aimed at improving educational, research and innovation activity, development of personnel potential, infrastructure and university management system are described.

The main methods of approach to the choice of priorities of development of the Far East federal university are formulated. The offers of creating of the Far East "Silicone valley" on the base of Far East federal university are grounded.

The difference between modern and classic universities as corporations is discussed. Corporative culture is considered as an instrument for development and efficiency of university in dynamic competitive environment. The system conception of corporative culture is offered. It includes functions and levels of corporative culture. The model of corporative culture as «toposes» («locations» or «territories» with boundaries and passages) is offered. The way for step-by-step forming of corporative culture from precedent to tradition is considered.

Range of problems of innovation development in region programs of development is discussed. Target models of the region innovative programs are presented and analyzed with the viewpoint of system of innovation file. The author considers the quality of universities strategies and the opportunity of transformation of Russian universities into the kernel of innovative region system.

The characteristics of forming of federal universities as champions of innovative education are considered. The necessity of using the principles of corporative social responsibility in the capacity of strategy priority of federal universities development is proved on the base of analysis.

The problems of the new kind educatioMl institution buildings are discussed. The management, scale, and points of knowledge economy contact are marked as key questions.

This article explores the process of annual development program report preparation by federal university. Risk analysis of report creation, endorsement and approval phases is done based on proposed process description. Probable negative implications of undesirable outcomes are described. The attention is paid to typical problems the universities face while preparing a report and the guidelines on risk mitigation are proposed. As a basis for the analysis the authors use some real examples of universities' functioning as well as best business practice, adapted to the goals and objectives of federal universities.

The article gives an overview of the key ideas that can lay a foundation of organizing student extracurricular activities at a higher education institution. The extracurricular activities are based upon use of development potential of environment. The article defines the cycles which a student passes during his time at university, defines the priorities at each cycle relying upon nature of relation between students and development environment of a university.

The basic components of organizational culture allowing students to be interesting and attractive to society, to establish mutual relations in the student's environment and with academic staff, to develop ability to elocutionize, to articulate competently one's ideas orally and in writing, to show creative activity, to learn to manage one's own time, to master the planning methods of personal work are considered.

Regression models of dependence between the number of the first grade pupils, the number of basic and complete secondary school graduates on one side and the birth rate with a time shift on the other side are investigated and described. On basis of the regression analysis, a forecast of the number of basic and complete secondary school graduates for years 2010-2020 has been made.

The paper outlines the specific features of the main customer groups in higher education including graduate and postgraduate students and their parents, local society, employers and other enterprises. Their comparative characteristics are being discussed such as the place and the role in the relationship with the higher educational institution and the perspectives of the further development, the diversity of needs and demands.

The mathematical way of ranging of students on progress is offered, proceeding from the purpose put by dean's office of faculty. Ways of improvement of quality of study of students are described due to introduction of this way. Offers on perfection of the acts determining the organization of training of students in higher educational institutions are brought.