Marina Baryshnikova — Candidate of Sciences in Pedagogy, Deputy CEO of the National Training Foun­dation. Address: Bld. 1, 7 1905 Goda Str., 123022 Moscow, Russian Federation. E-mail: baryshnikova@ntf.ru

Elena Vashurina — Candidate of Sciences in Economics, Leading Expert at the International Of­fice of Kazan Federal University. Address: 18 Kremlevskaya Str., 420008 Ka­zan, Russian Federation. E-mail: evashuri@mail.ru

Elza Sharykina — Candidate of Sciences in Economics, Deputy Director of the Center of Exper­tise and Consulting, National Training Foundation. Address: Bld. 1, 7 1905 Goda Str., 123022 Moscow, Russian Federation. E-mail: elzagrishkova@gmail.com

Yuri Sergeev — Candidate of Sciences in Pedagogy, Head of the Analytical Research Depart­ment, National Training Foundation. Address: Bld. 1, 7 1905 Goda Str., 123022 Moscow, Russian Federation. E-mail: sergeev@ntf.ru

Irina Chinnova — Candidate of Sciences in Engineering, Associate Professor, Project Executive, Department for Vocational Education and Science Development, National Trai­ning Foundation. Address: 18 Kremlevskaya Str., 420008 Kazan, Russian Fede­ration. E-mail: chinnova@ntf.ru

Efforts in providing expert and methodological support for the implementation of flagship university development programs in 2016–2017 yielded a specific-purpose flagship university model and four generic flagship university transformation models: regional technology leader (RTL), regional comprehensive university (RCU), industry sector leader (industrial university) (IL), and trans-border region university (TBRU). The article provides distinctive features of the four models, analysis of the regions where specific types of models pre­vail, and the results of model testing.

As it has been found, flagship universities basically develop along two gene­ric models, RCU (classical universities, nearly half of the project participants) and RTL (engineering universities, one third of the flagship universities). For most universities, the type of transformation model pursued is strongly related to their current status and external environment characteristics. However, a number of universities fall in between and cannot be classified neatly under any particular model due to some specific external and internal factors. In this case, universities may use elements of more than one transformation model at once, yet the choice of model should first of all be based on the regional factors that determine the position and role of the flagship university in terms of the priority areas of regional development.