Regional universities in the cross-border space: problems of a legal status and a classification

The study is devoted to the problem of legal status and the types of regional universities in the cross-border space. The article analyzes the regulatory experience of the status of regional universities in Russia and Kazakhstan, specifically focusing on the crossborder regions. The authors conclude that regional universities play the role of key centers of scientific, educational, and socio-cultural development in border regions, training the personnel in the field of management and economics. In a number of countries of the world, regional universities in a cross-border space act as a platform for international communication and integration, as well as a factor in the retention of territory and cultural presence. The paper notes the positive experience of establishing the status of supporting universities in the Russian Federation in the cross-border regions of the Federation, particularly in the Altai Region and the Pskov Region. Support universities in these regions become the centers of educational and cultural development, attracting talented people from the regions of neighboring states.