Abstract
This article examines the process of transition of the higher education system to distance learning in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the uniform transition to distance learning, higher education institutions differ in the strategy of its organization. As a result, an analysis was made of the country's higher educational institutions and the measures they have taken to transfer teachers and students to online education. The analysis highlighted a number of challenges faced by higher education institutions during the transition to a new format of distance learning, including the lack of infrastructure and material and technical base, difficulties in adapting training materials to the new format, lack of staff qualifications and experience of remote work. Taking into account the above problems, the pandemic showed the need for additional budgetary funds for the development of a digital educational environment, professional development of the teaching staff, as well as for the creation of jobs at universities for students who lost their jobs during the crisis, which allowed them to pay for tuition and related costs. Thus, given all the abovementioned difficulties in the transition to distance learning, for the full functioning of higher education institutions and to prevent a potential increase in unemployment, an increase in costs is necessary. This article also discusses proposals on the need to make appropriate changes in management and financial models in the field of education.