Alexandra Alexandrovna Sidorova

The article is devoted to the problems of the development of higher education in the digital economy, in particular, to the possibilities of using blockchain technology in universities. The proliferation of modern information technologies has a serious impact on the essence of the processes in which they are being implemented, as a result of this, causing changes in the organizational structure, regulations and qualification requirements. In this regard, it seems relevant to analyze the blockchain — a technology that is new for the education sector and has, according to a number of experts, high potential. The article examines the mechanism of blockchain, the main components of the blockchain in the educational process of the university, and also provides a detailed analysis of the bene this and risks of these technologies. The main advantages of the blockchain are the decentralized storage of data and the impossibility of changing or deleting them, which is especially relevant due to the increase in the volume of data, accelerated by the massive transition to distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Limitations of the use of blockchain are: problems associated with ensuring the security of the use of the blockchain (from a technological point of view), insu cient public awareness of the essence of the blockchain, as well as its frequent negative perception (due to the erroneous equating of this technology exclusively to mining and operations with cryptocurrency). At the same time, the use of blockchain in universities seems promising, in view of the general trend of digitalization of education and the development of digital educational organizations (organizations in which intermediary structures are replaced by algorithms and information systems), but at this stage it will be limited to certain areas related to the organization of storage of large data array.

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential benefits and risks arising in the process of university-business cooperation (UBC) from the perspective of three key actors — universities, commercial companies and the state. Advantages and limitations are grouped into four categories: financial and economic (gaining or losing additional income and other financial benefits / losses from cooperation), organizational or administrative (changes in the organizational structure, business processes, use of human potential), related to the main activity of organizations (the quality of the organization’s mission implementation), as well as image-building (the organization’s position in ratings, brand recognition, goodwill). The analysis showed that a competent assessment of the resources available to organizations, understanding of differences in corporate culture, studying best practices of similar projects’ implementation, and also legal support of these relationships, which will help to avoid many risks and negative consequences in the future, are of great importance for the success of university-business cooperation.