SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FOR UNIVERSITIES

The coronavirus crisis has huge impact on higher education, as well as on the economy and the lives of millions of people around the world. The immediate consequences and inconveniences will intensify as the coronavirus has spread to nearly every country and affects more and more people. The research aims at analyzing the socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for universities. In order to analyze the socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for universities, an analysis of scientific literature, analytical reports of international organizations in the field of higher education (European Students' Union (ESU), national academic exchange services), consulting companies, and opinions of experts in the field of higher education has been carried out. The article analyzes the opinions of scientists on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global and national higher education systems. Based on an expert survey, the impact of the COVID-19 viral spreading on the activities of higher education institutions is analyzed, and the consequences of the pandemic for universities, as well as changes in higher education, are predicted. It is shown that the COVID-19 pandemic will cause restructuring of the structure of students' mobility and will be a serious problem for society, individuals and higher education. It is proved that, on the one hand, COVID-19 has triggered a global crisis, which, on the other hand, can become an impetus for the transformation of educational systems and science, as well as contribute to the development of new strategies and mechanisms.