Using digital technologies to create equal opportunities in higher education in the Russian Federation: COVID-2019 lessons

¹ Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie gory, 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia

^* Corresponding author: ORCID ID : 0000-0003-3427-7270

Abstract

The article examines the experience of higher education educational organizations of the Russian Federation in the development and implementation of digital tools and services to form equal access to educational content. The Anti-Crisis Measures adopted by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation to regulate the higher education sector are being evaluated to ensure that education is accessible and that the learning process is stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.Over the past few months, studies in higher education on the quality of digital solutions used and their adequacy during the spread of the pandemic of the new COVID-2019 coronavirus infection and the transition mainly to remote forms of educational services show a low degree of readiness to provide equal access to education and reflect the risks of social conflict. It is important to ensure the digital readiness of higher education organizations to provide quality educational services through the introduction of advanced domestic programs and technologies, including those with elements of artificial intelligence; training of teachers and the administrative staff of educational institutions. Particular attention is paid to ensuring access to education in the subjects of the Russian Federation, where students and entrants face difficulties in remotely studying national languages and national culture. The study proposes to consider, among other things, support for the creation and implementation of online educational courses in the languages of national minorities, the expansion of e-library services containing unique cultural and language content, taking into account the specifics of the region’s learners.