Contemporary state of spiritual and moral values in higher educational institutions of Russia

Issues connected with the need of prior spiritual and moral upbringing in higher educational institutions are considered in the article. The main categories are defined: spirituality, morality, spiritual and moral education, spiritual and moral values. It is analyzed what place is allocated to questions of spiritual and moral upbringing in the state documents devoted to the higher education. Student survey with the purpose of revealing the main tendencies of pedagogical work at Engineering and economic institute of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the relation of students to educational and general ethics of behavior has been carried out and the results are presented. The novelty of this research is caused by reconsideration of the old ideas and methods and the search of new concepts and methods in different social conditions taking into account the changed system of the higher education in Russia. Methods of the state documents analysis and sociological poll consideration are used in the form of group paper and online questioning. Analysis of the main state documents: the federal law «On Education in the Russian Federation», Federal state standards of higher education, «The concept of spiritual and moral development and education of a Russian citizen identity», «Strategies of development of education in the Russian Federation until 2025 (project)» confirms that today the Russian policy in education defines upbringing as a priority, and formation of civil liability, legal consciousness, spiritual and moral values and culture, initiative, independence, patience, ability to successful socialization in society are put forward as the major tasks. At the heart of students` upbringing there has to be spiritual and moral education of students as the firm basis of the human soul temple. The author comes to the conclusion that it is expedient to return to the earlier successfully developed pedagogical work used in Russian system of higher education. If necessary, it should be modified in relation to an educational institution, its educational purposes and contemporary conditions. The highlights of higher school moral and spiritual pedagogical work are briefly listed.