A social image of modern student youth: value aspects (by the materials of sociological research results)

Background. Modern student youth is one of the most important social and de-mographic resources of society, playing a key role in shaping the future development of Russiaʼs economic, cultural, and political spheres. In the context of rapid digitalization, ongoing global processes and challenges, social transformations, and changes in the labor market, studying the values, life priorities, and behavior of young people becomes particu-larly significant. Students, as the most active and mobile part of youth, serve as an indicator of social change, making their study an important area of sociological research. Analyzing their views, values, and life priorities helps identify current trends and predict the future development of society as a whole. The purpose of this study is to examine modern student youth based on sociological survey data and to identify changes in their value orientations, life attitudes, and social activity. Materials and methods. The study of the social portrait of contemporary student youth is based on the analysis of data obtained from two original sociological surveys conducted at different periods (in 2014 and 2024). The research pre-sents data from questionnaire surveys of student youth, which made it possible to identify their value orientations, life priorities, attitudes toward education, career, family, and social processes. To achieve the research goal, a systematic and comparative analysis was applied. Results. The study of the social portrait of contemporary student youth, based on sociologi-cal survey materials, revealed key characteristics, trends, and changes in the value orienta-tions and life priorities of this social group. The results indicate that modern student youth demonstrates a complex and multifaceted value structure. While maintaining a focus on material well-being and career success, they are gradually showing an increased interest in spirituality, creativity, and social responsibility. These changes reflect the students’ adapta-tion to new challenges and opportunities offered by contemporary society. Conclusions. The article demonstrates that modern student youth exhibit a complex combination of tradi-tional and contemporary values. Despite the continued importance of family, there is a growing emphasis on career, professional development, and financial well-being. Modern students display processes of adaptation to a changing world, a blend of pragmatism andspiritual aspirations, as well as an increasing role of individualism combined with social responsibility. These characteristics define both opportunities and challenges in shaping state youth policy aimed at supporting students as a key resource for the future of society.