Cloud services and cloud platforms for university management: Current state and development prospects

Today, the transformation of the education system is largely associated with the use of cloud technologies. Many universities in Russia have already appreciated the advantages of cloud services (financial savings, flexibility and scalability, ease of access, security, etc.) and are implementing digital management platforms of different scale, complexity and, consequently, cost. The article discusses the key features of cloud technologies, types and models of clouds, their advantages and disadvantages. The highlights of using cloud platforms in the educational system are analyzed. The range of cloud management platforms for educational institutions created by Russian and foreign IT companies is presented. The most popular domestic cloud platforms were discussed: Galaxy University Management, 1C:University PROF, Tandem University, and Modeus. An overview of foreign cloud platforms OpenEduCat and Camu as well as a comparison of the use of cloud platforms in Russia and abroad is given. It is noted that cloud platforms for managing educational institutions are similar in their functionality. The main differences of domestic platforms from foreign comparables are related to the digital educational environment of the university. The existing problems of creating a digital educational environment of the university are analyzed, the main development prospects are identified.