Abstract
Purpose. The article examines the problems of preserving the cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic and, more broadly, the Arctic in the context of modernization programs for the education system of Russia and its subjects. Results. Using the example of the Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts (ASICS), the main trends in the development of ethnocultural education in the unified socio-cultural space of Russia at the turn of the 20th – 21st centuries are traced. These trends correlate with government policy aimed at meeting the educational needs of the peoples of Russia in general and the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic in particular. It is noted that cultural heritage is not only a pillar in the affirmation of current values, but also a resource for the development of regions and the whole country. Educational programs of ASIC and regional, national, and international projects implemented on its basis correspond to this trend. They show the great role of higher education in the formation of a harmonious relationship between ethnic and national identity. The analysis of ASIC’s educational activities shows how since its formation in 2000 it went from a branch institute of culture and arts to the leading institute of culture, arts and creative industries in the Arctic zone, meeting the prospects for the progressive development of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic and Russia as a whole. Conclusions. Currently, ASIC is the only university in the Far North of Russia in the field of arts, culture and creative industries; it meets modern trends in the development of the education system and plays an important role in the transformation of the environment and quality of life in the Arctic macroregion.