The issues concerning economic modernization, the overcoming of technological backwardness, the securing of competitiveness and sustainable growth based on the development of scientific and technological potentials, the increase in the efficiency of its use become especially important for Russia, as well as for its regions. The most important condition for resolving the issues concerning the innovation development of the economy is to enhance the quality of human capital. The most significant factors in this process are the following: improvement of education quality, especially higher professional education; promotion of people’s entrepreneurial activity, increase of investment in human capital, efficient use of scientific potential of universities and academic research. The article studies different approaches to the concept of human capital, existing in economic literature, specifics of investments in human capital; it analyzes the conditions for enhancing the quality of human capital, substantiates the need to support small enterprises of the region and its role in the innovation development of the economy. The article reveals the problems existing in this process and possible solutions, as well as considers the role of academic science and scientific potential of universities in dealing with the problems of innovation development of the region’s economy and improving the quality of human capital.
Solving the tasks stated in the article, the author used analytical and statistical methods of research, scientific publications of domestic and foreign scientists on this issue. Research results can be used while implementing the concept of the region’s innovation development
Keywords
innovation development, human capital, quality of human capital, entrepreneurial activity, investment in human capital, monitoring of educational services, quality of education, scientific
potential of universities