Per Capita Expenditures in the Budget Financing of Higher Professional Education in Russian Regions

Abstract

Government financing of higher professional education increases every year. Nevertheless, even given the increasing significance of higher education for the socio-economic development of the country, the federal legislation contradicts the ways in which constitutional guarantees in education are actually implemented. The state does not carry out its responsibilities with regard to providing students with a free education, nor with regard to guaranteeing equal rights of all citizens to education no matter where they live. This is evident from the disproportions in the per capita financing of students. The existing differentiation of the budget expenditures (per student) cannot be explained by current legislation, by traditional statistical research methods, or by international practice.