Key areas of management activities in universities and scientific organizations in the context of developing profiles of soft skills

Abstract

The article examines the differentiation of management profiles in higher education and scientific organizations. The relevance of the research is determined by the growing role of management personnel in the context of the transformation of Russia’s higher education system and the expansion of managers’ areas of responsibility.The aim is to identify functional areas of management activity most distinct in terms of required competencies and to substantiate the feasibility of developing independent soft-skills profiles for them. The research is conducted in a focus group format involving 15 experts: senior officials of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, university rectors, vice-rectors, directors of research organizations, and their deputies. The discussion resulted in a final list of ten areas of managerial activity, ranging from academic affairs and research to security management and human resources. The authors also identify behavioral performance indicators for leaders and key professional competencies significant for each functional specialization. Additionally, the article outlines general behavioral features of successful managers across all domains and criteria for identifying high-potential candidates for inclusion in the managerial personnel reserve.The research results can be applied to the development of assessment, selection and leadership development programs in the scientific and educational sector, as well as to formulating qualification requirements for the talent pools of universities and research institutions.