Published: 15 January 2014
The questions of characterization of the role of a higher educational institution in the conditions of the "average" city, as one of the major institutes defining the vector of social and economic development of municipality, promoting formation of "growth points" of the territory on the basis of the use of the intellectual and creative potential of the population are considered in the article. The analysis of the social and cultural activity of the higher education institution on the example of Shadrinsk teachers' training institute is carried out on the basis of the use of methods of the content analysis and the sociological inquiry of students, the main motivational installations of studying youth are defined, the reasons of their desire to leave after study for other residence are allocated, the main perspective activities of the higher education institution as social institute are defined.