Traditions and innovations in development of modern higher education : integration or opposition?

The article is devoted to the analysis of the basic regularities in formation and development of higher education in terms of trends in the preservation of pedagogical tradition and the implementation of pedagogical innovations. The essence of actual traditions is considered as reflecting the characteristics of common culture development in human civilization and their relationship with pedagogical innovations. The main focus is on the clarification of the concepts themselves – the educational tradition and innovation.