The book examines the problems of the relationship between universities and national education systems in specific historical, cultural and political conditions. The role of education in the value systems of a number of European countries is shown. The main attention is paid to the study of the conditions for the emergence and problems of the development of classical universities in pre-revolutionary Russia. At the same time, the formation of the theory and philosophy of education in Russia is revealed. The discussions of the 19th - early 20th centuries on the place and role of classical universities in the history and culture of Russia, on the purpose of general and special education have been analyzed. The formation of university scientific schools and their influence on domestic and world science, culture, on the features of specific universities, their actual status are shown. The role of universities in individual provincial cities of Russia is considered. The noted processes are presented in persons on a historical and cultural background of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries using large factual material. For specialists and a wide range of readers.