In the article the authors conduct the analysis of capacities for Russian universities to meet the requirements claimed by the Russian Ministry of Education which sets the aim to reach the first 100 lines of World University Rankings. In the stepwise manner the authors describe ranking criteria, particularly QS, and tailor them to the Russian system of education evaluating at the same time universities’ capacities to achieve these criteria in the timeframe of the following 7 years. In its turn, proposed some initiatives to bridge the “gaps” that are mostly connected with increasing academic mobility among students and professors and integrating scientific input to educational programs. As a conclusion the authors promote the idea that modernization of higher education in Russia should take into account the requirements of the ranking systems but with the aim at perceiving them as challenges to improve the system as a whole, keeping national values and traditions

The article emphasizes the educational potential of wikis for learning foreign languages. It focuses on students' collaboration based on integration of different types of activities within a highly motivating blended learning environment where learners can interact and share their ideas. The study aims to understand if wikis could enhance online collaboration and positively affect students' attitudes to group work. It tries to explore the level of participation and contribution of students in wiki-based activities, as well as their attitude to this type of online collaboration.