The aim: To analyze the problem of university management in the cultural and philosophical aspects. Materials and methods: The research was conducted in the form of a written questionnaire. Students were supposed to give a single answer to each question. The survey was conducted in September 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 academic year at Ternopil National Medical University. It encompassed 274 second-year Ukrainian students of medical, dental and pharmaceutical faculties and Institute of Nursing and 228 first, second and third year foreign students, who have come from the USA and study at the faculty of foreign students and International School of Medicine. Although the number of foreign students who participated in the survey was small, we believe that the number of respondents was sufficient enough to draw conclusions about the general trends in the issue under study. Results: Analysis of responses given by Ukrainian and American students allowed us to single out certain trends and specific differences in their outlook and professionally relevant persuasions and attitudes. A positive peculiarity is that the main motive that prompted Ukrainian students to choose a medical profession was that they believe it to be humane and noble (36%). Despite this, many students consider other important criteria when choosing a profession; particularly that it is prestigious and well-paid (21 % and 13 % respectively). The negative sign is that relatively big amount of students in the comparison with Western countries (the USA in particular), indicate that the occupational choice was influenced by their parents’ desire (14 %). Conclusions: The role of pedoetology as one of the priorities of pedagogical science and practice, which should generalize managerial aspects, has been proved. The experience of university education of the USA in the questions of educational management has been analyzed. An overview of the basic concepts relevant to the management of American higher education has been conducted. The features of university management in the USA in modern conditions have been characterized. The differences in the field of professionally significant value orientations between Ukrainian and American students have been investigated. The emphasis is given to the role of teachers’ philosophical culture in successful teaching and learning.