Some aspects of the sectoral policy of public administration in the system of higher education (HE) are considered. It is shown that at the moment there are two main approaches to the study of the sectoral policy of public administration in the HE system: (1) reform; (2) political regime. The relevance of the article is due, on the one hand, to the need to search for and apply new forms and methods of sectoral policy of public administration in the HE system in the conditions of digitalization, and on the other hand, to the lack of theoretical and methodological research and empirical justification in the conditions of digitalization. The purpose of the research is the need to study the main directions of the implementation of the sectoral policy of public administration in the higher education system in the context of digitalization. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were completed: • To consider the specifics of the sectoral policy of public administration in the HE system. • Develop a questionnaire for an online survey and conduct a survey using Google docs of a representative sample of Russian university students. • To consider the impact of digitalization on the sectoral policy in the field of higher education. The scientific novelty lies in the author's interpretation of the current state, ways of development and analysis of the prospects of the sectoral policy of public administration in the system of higher education in the conditions of digitalization. Research methodology. The following methods were used in the work: analysis and synthesis, systematization and comparison, economic and logical analysis, as well as an online survey using Google docs of a representative sample of Russian university students.
Results. Some issues of the sectoral policy of public administration in the HE system are considered. It is shown that the changes that have taken place in the field of HE are similar to the transformations in other branches of state and municipal administration (SMA) and signal the upcoming new understanding of the role of the national state in society. New models of SMA also lead to a rethinking of the mechanisms of sectoral state financing, including in the field of HE. The influence of digitalization on the sectoral policy in the field of higher education is investigated. It was revealed that the student youth as a whole has a positive attitude to the use of digital technologies both in the HE system and in the SMA. Students' assessment of the characteristics of the electronic state is also very positive. It is shown that the modern sectoral policy of GMU bodies in the field of HE is actively influenced by digitalization in terms of the introduction of new technologies and changes in the format of communications (offline - online). The author expects even greater changes in the sectoral policy of SMA bodies in the future, especially in connection with the introduction of an e-government model based on the principles of «Good governance». For further research, the authors consider it relevant to study issues related to determining the most effective share of state participation in the HE system management.