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DOI: 10.15507/1991-9468.030.202601.049-076

UDC 378 - 057.21

Diversity of Mentoring Practices in the Training of Highly Qualified Specialists

Yulia A. Pluzhnikova
Cand.Sci. (Ped.), Associate Professor of the Chair of Corporate Economics and Business Regulation Law, Kolomna Institute (Branch) of Moscow Polytechnic University (408 Oktyabrskoi Revolutsii St., Kolomna 140402, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2031-4165, Scopus ID: 57216300784, Researcher ID: AAQ-7471-2020, SPIN-code: 7543-6400, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Maria A. Erofeeva
Dr.Sci. (Ped.), Professor, Professor of the Chair of Pedagogy, Moscow University of the Ministry of the Interior of the Russian Federation named after V.Y. Kikot (12 Akademika Volgina St., Moscow 117437, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7176-513X, Scopus ID: 57205236527, Researcher ID: AAB-8232-2022, SPIN-code: 9462-7369, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract
Introduction. The need to improve the quality of graduate training in the higher education system through a mentorship system determines the relevance of the topic. However, in Russian pedagogy, the factors of effective institutionalization and scaling of various types of mentoring activities in higher education are insufficiently studied. The aim of the study is to identify and systematize mentoring practices in Russian universities aimed at training highly qualified specialists, as well as to determine ways to productively institutionalize and scale up mentoring in higher education.
Materials and Methods. Regulatory legal acts, domestic and foreign literary sources were analyzed based on systemic, activity-based, and historical methodological approaches. The obtained data were summarized and systematized using tabular and graphical methods. The empirical basis of the study consisted of the results of an expert survey (34 participants from 13 regions of Russia) aimed at examining the signs of systematization in the implementation of mentoring in universities, as well as the relationship between the diversity of mentoring practices and the factor of formalization and institutionalization of mentoring. The processing of primary data was carried out using descriptive statistical methods, which allowed identifying the main trends in the organization of mentoring activities in domestic universities.
Results. An analysis of regulatory and legal documents reflecting the foundations of state policy of the Russian Federation in the field of mentoring, including in higher education, was conducted. It was determined that an effective mentoring model in a modern university represents an integration of a stable formal structure and flexible informal content, with a complementary nature of mentoring institutionalization and diversity of its types. The variety of mentoring practices indicates the flexibility and adaptability of mentoring as a socio-pedagogical technology for training highly qualified specialists in universities. Factors influencing the provision of a variety of mentoring practices in universities were identified, and ways to scale up best practices were proposed taking into account the digitalization of society.
Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the conducted study contribute to the development of the scientific and pedagogical foundations of mentoring in higher education, encourage large-scale research on mentoring activities in domestic universities, and the study of regional characteristics and network interactions between universities to identify and disseminate best practices. The practical significance of the study lies in the development of a systematized description of the types, formats, and channels for scaling successful mentoring practices, which can be used by university management for assessing the current state, designing, and developing their own mentoring systems, as well as training and supporting mentors.

Keywords: personnel training, mentoring, mentor, mentees, highly qualified specialists, mentoring practices, formats of mentoring activities

Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

For citation: Pluzhnikova Yu.А., Erofeeva М.А. Diversity of Mentoring Practices in the Training of Highly Qualified Specialists. Integration of Education. 2026;30(1):49–76. https://doi.org/10.15507/1991-9468.030.202601.049-076

Authors’ contribution:
Yu. A. Pluzhnikova – conducting the research and investigation process; specifically visualization; writing the initial draft.
M. A. Erofeeva – conducting the research and investigation process; formulating the scientific problem, research purpose and objectives; specifically critical review.

Availability of data and materials. The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the authors on reasonable request.

All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Submitted 13.09.2025;
revised 10.11.2025;
accepted 17.11.2025.

REFERENCES

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