Features of motivation for obtaining higher education, leading motives, motivational structure are investigated. The relevance of the research is determined by the influence of the motivation peculiarities on the success in studies educational activities and subsequent work. The students of the first courses of full-time education of 12 universities of different regions of Russia took part in the research. N = 559. The analysis of such indicators of central tendency as median, mode and arithmetic mean was used to assess the relative importance of motives. Correlation analysis and cluster analysis were used to identify the structure of motivation for obtaining higher education. Motivation for obtaining higher education was defined as a distant, external to the training activity, an anticipatory motivation. The motives for ensuring material well-being in the future, professionalization, self-realization are the most significant. The structure of motivation includes two clusters of motives that are grouped around the motives of material well-being and self-realization, and a separate motive of professionalization. The motives of the first cluster can be marked as motives for socialization. Motives of the second cluster can be marked as motivation for individuation.

The article gives information on the main results of the II All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference with international participation “Social psychology in the educational space”, held in October 2017 at the Moscow State Psychological and Pedagogical University. Present-day trends in the development of social psychology of education are presented, and current trends in research in this subject area are highlighted. The author emphasizes that the development of professional ties between various specialists — school psychologists, teachers, heads of educational institutions, researchers and teachers of higher educational institutions, training teachers and psychologists — is a necessary condition for the effective improvement of the modern educational space.

The article presents a report on the V All-Russian scientific and practical conference with international participation commemorating M.Yu. Kondratyev “Social psychology: issues of theory and practice” held on may 12—13, 2020 at the Moscow State University of Psychology & Education. The main events of the scientific forum are outlined, its main directions and results are described. The expediency of such measures for the intensification of socio-psychological research and practical application of their results for the purpose of the most complete, justified construction of psychological science, practice and education is confirmed.

This article explores approaches of constructive and effective collaboration among a school psychologist and other stakeholders in the education process. Effective collaboration among all stakeholders such as students, teachers, admins, parents, and psychologists is the key point to offer a “whole child” education. High motivation for learning, positive behavior, and excellent academic results greatly depend on the strong collaborative culture and atmosphere in the school building. The presented dialog of MSUPE professors and Dr. Cottle, who has many years of experience working in American schools as a school counselor, demonstrated main points of the counseling program via social-emotional support to students at one given school. This shared experience of the school counselor is an invaluable piece of information for Russian researchers, practitioners, and especially for new professionals. This article presents a dialog among three parties which invite a reader to explore this topic from the point of view of Russian and American professionals.

The article illuminates the most important outcomes of research activities carried out by Mikhail Kondratyev. It reveals the relevance of his research for the development of concepts of social psychological processes that take place in closed communities, of relations of authority, as well as for the diagnostics and correction of relationships of interpersonal significance in groups of various types. The paper also reviews the main stages of Mikhail Kondratyev’s scholarly and teaching activities and highlights his major contributions to the further development of research in social psychological problems of small groups and interpersonal relationships that emerge within them.