The research is devoted to the analysis of the prospects for the development of the scientific, technological and educational complex of Russia, the motives and conditions for the inclusion of the Russian Federation in the global scientific and technological race. At the base of the study is the work in the style of "presenteeism" with the texts of documents adopted at the federal government level in 2016-2018, expert assessments of scientists, scientific and technical workers of academic institutions and universities, officials of state bodies and universities that have different views on the original positions and prospects for the scientific, technological and educational development. The main result of the research is the presentation of the fact that the Russian example of efforts to develop the scientific and technological sphere has, from our point of view, one peculiarity of principle in the context of globalization, to which we should take a closer look. Today Russia is becoming a country where at a new socio-economic and political stage an active search for state support for various forms of scientific, technological and educational development is taking place in conjunction with private and individual models of influence on this area. It conceals the content of the conflict and the tension between the state bureaucracy and the academic community.