Academic Vector of Soft Power: The Role of Slavic Universities in Eirasia’s Humanitarian Integration

Introduction. In the context of the transformation of international relations, the concept of «soft power» is gaining strategic importance as a tool for building long-term humanitarian influence. Unlike the use of force, soft power is implemented through a system of educational and cultural practices that ensure trust, identity and attractiveness of the state. A special place in this process is occupied by the academic vector of soft power, where the key intermediaries are Slavic universities These universities represent a unique institutional model of humanitarian integration and serve as a channel for cultural and linguistic interaction between Russia and the CIS countries. The degree of study of the problem remains limited, which determines the scientific novelty of this work aimed at revealing the role of Slavic universities as an instrument of academic diplomacy and humanitarian integration in Eurasia.
Methods and materials. The research is based on the theoretical and methodological approaches of neorealism, liberal institutionalism and the concept of soft power by J. S. Nye. They were supplemented by modern developments by Russian authors. Analytical, comparative-historical, and structural-functional methods were used, as well as content analysis of regulatory legal acts and strategic documents regulating the activities of Slavic universities. The empirical base consists of official materials from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, data from the websites of Slavic universities, and publications by leading Russian curatorial universities reflecting the institutional mechanisms of humanitarian cooperation.
Results. The analysis has shown that Slavic universities are effective institutions of academic diplomacy and humanitarian integration. Their activities contribute to the strengthening of cultural and linguistic community, the development of academic mobility, the formation of professional communities of graduates and the implementation of joint educational and research projects. These mechanisms form a stable humanitarian presence of Russia in the Eurasian region and increase the effectiveness of the academic vector of soft power in comparison with traditional channels of cultural influence.
Conclusion. The academic vector of soft power should be considered as an independent direction of Russia's humanitarian diplomacy. Slavic universities ensure the institutional stability of the humanitarian space, combine scientific, educational and cultural resources and form a positive image of Russia as a center of humanitarian attraction. The development of interstate educational models of cooperation confirms that academic diplomacy is one of the most effective instruments of Russia's foreign policy and humanitarian leadership in the Eurasian space.