Head of private educational institution of higher education as a subject of creative approach to the pedagogical system development

Effective management of an educational institution of higher education directly affects the success of a university, its reputation, and its ability to meet modern labor market requirements. Private universities are developing in the conditions of strong competition with public and other private universities, which encourages them to improve their material and technical infrastructure, the quality of students’ training, and the use of advanced innovative technologies in scientific, educational, and socially oriented activities. The effectiveness of a private university's activities directly depends on the managerial actions of its head, who knows how to go beyond traditional approaches – to think creatively, find non-standard management solutions, inspire the team to new achievements in educational, educational or scientific activities. The purpose of study is to reveal the specifics of the head's creative approach to managing the development of the pedagogical system of a private educational institution of higher education. The author defines innovative methods, techniques and tools used by the head of an educational organization of higher education in the management of educational process, research activities, the information management system of the university, the sphere of university promotion in the media; professional and personal qualities of a private university head are theoretically justified and empirically revealed based on study conducted among 300 academic and administrative staff members at Kazan Innovative University named after V.G. Timiryasov.