COVID-19 was the catalyst for many processes that were actively developing in the previous period, including the further introduction of distance education in Russian higher educational institutions. Russian higher education has faced new challenges due to the total transition to distance learning in the face of the pandemic. In March–May 2020, a sociological study was conducted in a number of universities in Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Moscow. The research purpose was to identify the main challenges universities faced during the pandemic and the prospects for the further development of distance education in Russian higher education. The study used the qualitative and quantitative strategies: a questionnaire survey of students (N=500) from different fields of study (social, humanitarian, technical, economic ones) who received distance learning experience during the pandemic; in-depth interviews with teachers of Russian universities (N=20), frame analysis of students’ cases on their daily practices in online educational interaction (N=42). The study made it possible to identify the challenges faced by Russian higher education in the total transition to distance education in a pandemic: the need to adapt students and teachers to work online (80% of respondents’ answers); decline in the quality of education (62.7% of respondents’ answers); changing the role of a teacher in the educational process (68% of the respondents’ answers); digital divide in the digital culture of the younger and older generation of teachers (67% of respondents’ answers); etc. A number of contradictions were recorded in the further implementation of distance education in Russian higher education. Considering that the policy towards digitalization in Russia has now been declared a priority, higher education cannot remain aloof from technological progress. Besides, the further introduction of distance learning should take place with overcoming the challenges and contradictions faced by Russian higher education during the pandemic, while maintaining the national achievements of Russian higher education, acquired over its long history.

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The article provides a comparative analysis of digital educational platforms used in the practice of Russian and Chinese universities. Our conclusions are based on the comparative data on Russia and China published in the reports of UNESCO, International Labour Organization, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Council of Europe and European Economic Community (EEC), Asia-Pacific Programme of Innovation in Education for Development (APEID). In addition, the article provides data from two sociological studies carried out by the authors themselves. The first study was conducted between January and February 2020. The study was conducted by means of a survey, personal interview (N = 600). Students from Moscow, Ekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk and Tyumen took part in the survey. The quantitative research data were supplemented by in-depth interviews with Chinese graduates of Russian universities (postgraduates, master’s students) in the amount of 50 pieces (N = 50). Also in March — May 2020, we conducted a sociological survey in the universities of Ekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, and Moscow. In the course of the research we interviewed 500 students who had gained experience in distance learning during the pandemic. Qualitative research — in-depth interview method (N = 20), average duration of the interview is 90 minutes. Informants were the faculty of higher educational institutions of Yekaterinburg, Moscow and St. Petersburg. Frame analysis of cases was also conducted (N = 42). The analysis of these cases made it possible to identify the most popular digital technologies in the educational process, as well as their main advantages and disadvantages.