The European Economic Crisis: The Continental Threats for the System of Higher Education in Europe

Currently Europe is passing through the very complex and interesting stage of its development. Low levels of socio-economic development of many countries in the European Union clearly demonstrate the necessity for essential changes in the most important areas of European society's life. The article is devoted to analysis of the current economic crisis in the European Union in 2008-2013 and its negative influence on the higher education system in Europe. The key continental threats and the possible ways of their diminution through the private-public partnership mechanism are described in the research. The author examines the key challenges to be faced by the higher education system in Europe in the near future: the search for alternative sources of financing, demand reduction, geographical restructuring of demand. The article describes the most promising market segments of higher education, taking into account the complex social and economic trends in the European Union. The main directions, which modern universities have to focus on to transform the mentioned challenges in additional opportunities, are given in the article.