The modern system of higher education considers extracurricular activities of students not only as a tool of socialization, but also as an important factor in the formation of personality, professional competencies and civic responsibility. Extracurricular activities of students are a complex social phenomenon in which issues of education, socialization, leisure and upbringing intersect. Its analysis through the prism of sociological branches allows for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of influence on personal development and social processes. Based on modern branches of sociology, this study seeks to show that extracurricular activities are not just an addition to the educational process, but an important element of social interaction that shapes students as active participants in society. Since extracurricular activities are traditionally considered in the context of the sociology of education, a more comprehensive approach will reveal other important aspects of this concept.

Professional self-determination of schoolchildren is a process aimed at identifying their own interests, abilities and goals in choosing their future professional activity. School education involves creating certain conditions for this choice to be made. At present, the state puts forward certain requirements for general education organizations in matters of organizing career guidance work. The purpose of this article is to assess the effectiveness of the professional choice of schoolchildren by senior employees of general education organizations of the Sverdlovsk region.
In the conducted study, the empirical method was a questionnaire survey. The study involved 886 senior employees of general education organizations from all municipalities located in the Sverdlovsk region.
According to the results of the study, senior employees highly appreciated the need and importance of the process of professional self-determination of schoolchildren, noting its significance for a successful career and personal development. In schools of the Sverdlovsk region, various types of career guidance events are held to help students make the right professional choice. When analyzing the effectiveness of professional self-determination of schoolchildren, the heads of educational organizations give preference to formal characteristics (entered/not entered, to a university/college/technical school) rather than to a more in-depth analysis, including the effectiveness of profiling or the quality of career guidance work. Thus, the results of the study indicate the importance of conducting career guidance events in schools, analyzing the results of professional self-determination of students and the need for further efforts to improve the effectiveness of this process.

The transformation of communication processes is primarily related to the increasing influence of information technology in the educational environment. Not only is the university switching to online communication platforms, but applicants are also defining their communication style. Modern applicants are young people of generation «Z» who were born and raised in an established online communication system. Online communication has its limitations and peculiarities, including anonymity and uncontrolled flow of messages from different communication channels.
The purpose of the study is to study the independence and lack of independence, involvement (activity / passivity) of applicants in the communication process with the university.
The results of the analysis of the communication process between the university and applicants are presented on the basis of surveys conducted by applicants from Nizhny Novgorod universities in the summer of 2023 and the summer of 2024.
A typology of applicants’ communication strategies is proposed based on the preferred method of communication with the university and the influence of other subjects (parents, teachers, schoolmates and friends) or factors on this process. These indicators determine the strategy of applicants aimed at independent communication with university representatives without the participation of other interested parties and non-independent communication with the participation of the applicant’s immediate social environment.; There is also a choice between passive communication with the university (viewing information about the university on the website and on social networks) or active (meetings with university staff, attending university events). The assessment of the independence of applicants in the communication process with the university and the socio- demographic, behavioral characteristics of «independent» and «non-independent» applicants is given.

The content of the article reflects the importance of career guidance activities in an inclusive school. In the introduction, the authors outline the key areas of implementation of media practices relevant for the successful socialisation of modern children, including children with special health care needs (hereinafter — SHC). The aim of the study is to determine the social and professional factors that influence both teachers’ readiness for this activity and determine the possibilities of students themselves to successfully carry out their professional choice due to the potential of modern media space. The methods of collecting primary social information, data analysis and systematisation were used. The results of the study revealed the existing experience in the implementation of career guidance activities of teachers and parents’ perceptions of it. Scientific novelty consists in the representation of the data of the sociological study, as well as in the description of the potential of media practices in work with children with disabilities.

Based on the results of a sociological survey in 2023 among preschool education teachers involved in the implementation of the pilot educational project in Ugra «Campsite Kindergarten School», the article examines the issues of its timeliness and prospects. For the first time in the autonomous okrug, such a remote format in the field of education of representatives from among the indigenous peoples of the North is being implemented with the support of digital technologies and is due to the continuation of the IT-Camp project implemented in 2019. The article describes the organization of the campsite project as a new form of distance education for preschool children living in the territories of traditional nature management.
The sample size is 11 respondents. The systematization and processing of sociological tools were implemented on the domestic software platform «Vortex».
In the aggregate opinion of teachers, the social effectiveness of the project is noted and the degree of its importance at the moment for solving the issue is clarified.

The article examines the concepts of «quality» in general, «quality of education» and its normative component; the main approaches and sociological theories of the quality of education (professional education), its indicators and criteria; characteristic features of the quality of pedagogical education. The key criteria and indicators of the quality of continuous pedagogical education.

The development of partnerships between educational institutions and businesses to enhance the quality of specialist training is becoming increasingly crucial given the skills shortage in the Russian labor market. This article examines the role of industry and regional clusters in fostering collaboration between employers and vocational education institutions.
The aim of this article is to identify the organizational potential of the cluster approach in the interaction between employers and educational institutions for training skilled workers.
The research methodology is based on the cluster approach, which allows for the identification of effective interaction mechanisms among participants in the educational process. The empirical basis of the study includes statistical data related to the implementation of the federal project «Professionalitet» and an analysis of the results of focus groups conducted among participants in the «Construction» cluster of the Sverdlovsk region.
The article presents the dynamics of the creation of educational and production clusters in the regions of Russia. Analysis of the focus group results revealed effective forms of interaction between educational institutions and employers, and provides an expert assessment of the quality of graduate training. The scientific novelty lies in the expert analysis of internal organizational problems of the «Construction» cluster, presented from the perspective of key enterprises in the region’s construction sector, the educational community, construction associations, and the Ministry of Construction of the Sverdlovsk region. The formulated recommendations will improve the interaction between education and the real sector of the economy to address the important state task of training highly qualified workers.

The article examines the theoretical foundations of the analysis of the value component of the development potential of civil servants of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the results of an empirical study of the assessments of the value component of the development potential by employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Sverdlovsk region. The analysis of interpretations of the development potential of civil servants of internal affairs bodies and their professional values is carried out, a typology of values is given, on the basis of which an empirical research toolkit has been developed. The article presents the results of the author’s empirical research, the purpose of which is to analyze the opinions and assessments by employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Sverdlovsk region of the value aspect of the development potential of employees of internal affairs bodies.

The article describes an experimental study of the motivational structure of scientific and pedagogical staff of Surgut State Pedagogical University based on the F. Herzberg test. A comparative analysis of the motivational structure of scientific and pedagogical staff of three age categories has been carried out. The result of an experimental study is presented, the key components of the motivational structure of research and teaching staff are identified, depending on their age cohort.

The problem of professional stability of athletes of higher achievements is considered through the prism of the concept of health saving, which is of interest to a greater extent among specialists in the field of medical research in the field of sports, which prompted the author to a sociological analysis of the problem of maintaining the health of athletes of higher achievements. Based on the theoretical approaches to the study of health M. Lalonde and N. A. Lebedeva- Nesevrya, a sociological study «Professional longevity of high-performance athletes» was carried out with the use of questionnaire survey of athletes (n=400 people; sampling was carried out by the «snowball» method) at the Department of General Sociology and Social Work of NNGU named after N. I. Lobachevsky in 2023–2024 in order to assess health saving as a factor of professional stability of high-performance athletes. As a result, the following were revealed: the riskiness of sports activity, the state of health of athletes, the typology of common diseases, the problems of realization of the concept of health saving of athletes in the Russian Federation, the most demanded specialists in the process of athlete functioning in the subfield of high-performance sports and beyond. Based on the personal practical experience of athletes, it is concluded that health is the most scarce resource in the process of realization in the subfield of high-performance sports due to the high level of injuries, chronic diseases, and disability. In the post-sport stage the occurrence of diseases caused by labor activity in the sport of highest achievements does not decrease, which actualizes the problem of the demand for medical and social support of current athletes, as well as those who have completed their sports career. Increasing the level of effectiveness of rehabilitation services for athletes just rising to the Olympus of glory (candidates for master of sports) is important for preserving the integrity of the professional community of high-performance athletes, which reflects the novelty of the study.

The relevance of the topic stems from the shifting role of higher education instructors in the context of a digital society. The authors present their own case study addressing the challenge of digitally transforming pedagogical competencies to meet the evolving needs of new generations, adapt to «alternative didactics,» and manage the increasing workload on university educators. The article aims to test a technology for developing digital pedagogical competencies among university teachers, using the case of Ural Federal University (UrFU). The theoretical framework of the study integrates a broad range of concepts, from classical theories to constructivism, blended learning, and heutagogy, supported by references to relevant sources. The analysis substantiates the necessity of redefining teaching methodologies and the instructor’s role as both a bearer of digital and pedagogical competencies and a collaborative partner equipped with socially relevant qualities for contemporary student cohorts.
The practical significance lies in the proposed methodology for training higher education teachers based on a modern didactic model. This methodology is embedded within a technology for developing digital pedagogical competencies, which the authors argue should involve three key stages: (1) assessing the current level of mastery of pedagogical theory and practice (breadth and depth) and identifying gaps in digital pedagogical competencies; (2) designing and approving a continuing professional education (CPE) program informed by empirical research findings; and (3) evaluating learning outcomes among the target audience before and after training.
The empirical component includes results from measuring digital and pedagogical competencies of early-career teachers through interviews and surveys. Findings from the initial empirical phase informed the development of a professional development program, Professional Mastery of University Teachers: Modern Approaches and Practices, designed using backward design. The program aims to integrate subject-specific knowledge with digital and didactic tools through innovative teaching methods. Comparative analysis of pre— and post-training surveys revealed significant progress in trainees’ digital pedagogical competencies.
The article contributes to the methodology and practice of «digital didactics» within rapidly evolving information-educational environments.

The modern media space of both the Ural Federal District and the Russian Federation as a whole has changed dramatically by now. The digitalization of the media has created many challenges that media actors should respond to. The social demand for media has changed, the working conditions of a professional journalist have changed, and the tools with which information is extracted, processed, and disseminated have changed.
In this regard, the purpose of the article is to highlight the key problems of practical journalistic activity from the point of view of media actors and professionals.
Empirical data obtained as a result of the survey confirm that respondents do not see competition from «citizen» journalists, do not pay enough attention to the threats of media digitalization and the specifics of working in a convergent editorial office, do not know the criteria for evaluating community journalism, and strive to work in the traditional paradigm. The data obtained and the conclusions drawn from them may be useful for media actors, researchers and media educators working on the formation of a holistic media personality.

Life start is a concept that denotes the period of early youth (from 15 to 18–20 years), when the necessary potential is formed, ensuring integration into the social structure. It includes cultural traditions borrowed from the older generation, as well as material conditions designed to be reproduced in the process of further social existence and enriched by personal innovations. The article analyzes the phenomenon of the origin and formation of the ancient Greek civilization as an example and pays attention to the factors that influenced the uniqueness of the life start of young people. The social stratification of society in the concept of Plato, where three main estates are distinguished, is considered. The role of education in the formation of an ideal citizen and his compliance with the program requirements of his estate is analyzed. A new system of educational methods appears, which significantly changed the social structure of society. The factors influencing the success of life start in the process of self-realization are determined. To determine the role of life start in the process of self-realization of the individual, the concept of «life capital» is introduced. The complex influence of age, social and psychological aspects on the formation of the starting position of modern youth in the social system of society is studied. The role of awareness of one’s own interests in the formation of life capital and making vital decisions is considered. Particular attention is paid to the basic components of life capital, including education, health, professional skills and social connections. The work analyzes the relationship between the quality of life capital and the success of subsequent self-realization of the individual. At the end of the article, the mechanism of accumulation and transformation of various elements of life capital in the conditions of modern society is considered. The role of the early period of life in the formation of the fundamental basis for further development and self-realization of the individual is determined.

Today, students’ employment cannot be considered only as a negative phenomenon that hinders learning, and we must turn a blind eye to this, and we must work together to solve this problem. The urgency of the problem is directly related to the socio-economic development of modern Russia. There are crisis phenomena in the country, which are characterized by a decrease in the standard of living of the majority of the population. As a result, students are forced to turn to additional earnings in conditions of extremely low scholarships, a decrease in the number of budget places and the spread of paid education. In view of this, the authors conducted a sociological survey among students in order to determine the number of working students and their motives for employment. As a result, it was revealed that many students strive to combine study and work in order to independently cover their personal needs, as well as to pay for education expenses. The authors of the article state that due to rapidly growing inflation and stricter labor market requirements, the category of «working student» will become permanent for Russian universities, which means it will require special attention and resolution of this issue.

Cinematography is one of the simplest forms of modern art; it reflects the events of usual life of Russians. For this reason, the author of the article has found it not only interesting, but also important to understand how modern Russian cinema is able to influence the society. The purpose of the research is to study cinema as a channel for construction national identity (from the perspective of cinema experts and expert in national politics). The author of the article has conducted an expert poll (n=9), which revealed the views of cinematographers and specialists in the implementation of national policy on the state of the modern Russian film industry, the need to increase films about the lives of ordinary Russians, about the peoples, provincial cities and culture of the country.

In the context of the demographic crisis, improving the birth rate situation requires an integrated approach aimed at stimulating parenthood. For the effective impact of pronatalist measures, a targeted impact on target groups is necessary, therefore, the purpose of our study is to classify attitudes towards a (childless) lifestyle. As part of this goal, the authors conducted a qualitative semi-structured interview with 36 childless respondents aged 20 to 49 years. The survey data made it possible to classify the main attitudes towards childbirth and the causes of these attitudes. The classification proposed in the article will help to develop effective programs aimed at changing reproductive behavior, taking into account the needs of individuals and married couples. This, in turn, will help create more effective tools to increase fertility and raise children.
An important aspect of assessing the effectiveness of government measures to increase the birth rate is to take into account not only statistical data on the number of newborns, but also the problems of forced childlessness. It is this category that counts.

The article examines the impact of artificial intelligence technologies implemented in production and management processes of modern organizations on the activation of social exclusion. Based on the analysis of the results of domestic and foreign studies, the key areas of this impact are identified and characterized: the actual displacement of individuals from the labor relations system (replacement of employees, causing technological unemployment, and scaling up of discrimination practices in the hiring process based on artificial intelligence solutions), as well as the creation of multiple prerequisites for such displacement (negative psychological consequences of regular interaction with new technologies to the detriment of social interactions, the development of labor alienation in the context of the involution of professions and ineffective personnel decisions). 
A comparative analysis of transformations in the Russian and foreign labor markets is carried out in light of the introduction of artificial intelligence, the attitude towards these transformations among representatives of the AI industry and society as a whole. A conclusion is made about the fundamental role of the state in reducing the risks of social exclusion in the context of the expected «total algorithmization».

artificial intelligence, social exclusion, labor relations, HR processes, labor market, technological unemployment