Regional scientific-educational complexes of Russia: problems and study prospects (the Western Siberia scientific-educational complex of 1875 - 1950s)

In the paper a short review of the basic problems in studying the regional science and higher education system in their connection with the main all-Russian historical tendencies is presented. Here we consider the role of the Siberian science and higher education (system of preparation of highly-skilled personnel) in the economic development of Siberia (broader - the so-called ''internal colonisation''), in sociocultural region development, and in general for the country modernisation processes. Besides, for the deeper analysis of internal logic of the research object evolution the concept ''centre-peripheral'' relations in the science organisation system is involved. The most significant stages in respect of new knowledge reception as priority directions of the further methodological and concrete historical scientific search are designated. The authors' conclusions emphasise the specific place and role of Siberia in the critical epoch connected with forced renewal of interrupted modernisation of the first half of the 20th century. The analysis of the major factors and features of state modernisation accompanied by the ongoing colonisation of the vast region allowed to reveal the second important subject - scientific, technical and teaching personnel. We make an attempt to verbalise the socio-political and socio-cultural roles played by the local scientific and pedagogical community in these processes. The description presented on the basis of the system analysis of the basic pluses and minuses of the system of science and higher education in Siberia, its main achievements, revealing the reasons of its failures allow to draw a basic conclusion that the development of the regional scientific-educational complex, first of all, was caused by the objective problems that both the state and the region (if to consider it as a certain geosocial whole) faced. Thus, the main contradiction slowing further development and application of the scientific-educational potential accumulated by the region was the lack of mechanisms of independent self-control, statement and solution of perspective tasks, transregional integration caused by hypercentralisation of management and redistribution of economic and personnel resources, characteristic for the science and higher education management system that had been formed by the end of the stated period.

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