CONTEMPORARY REGIONAL STUDENTS AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL, EMPLOYMENT AND MIGRATION PLANS

Unlike most Russian urban settings, Tomsk, located at the heart of Western Siberia is the University town. Tomsk State University founded in 1878 and it was the first institution of higher education beyond the Ural Mountains. At present, six national universities located in Tomsk form the basis of both the local economy and community. The universities attract students not only from the city of Tomsk and Tomsk region but from the other regions of Russia and from abroad. The percent of the student population in Tomsk is third biggest in the nation, giving the lead to Moscow and St. Petersburg only, practically each fifth person in Tomsk is the student, 50% of the students are from out of town, 9% are foreigners. Obviously the university students, being investors into the area, do affect social and economic life in both, the city itself and the region. Therefore, the important regional task is to keep "the cream of the cream" in the region. The article is dedicated to the life plans of students of the universities of Tomsk, namely their employment, educational and mobility plans. The article is based upon the results of sociological research, performed by the Departments of Sociology and Social work of Tomsk State University in September and October 2013 in the city of Tomsk.