Contemporary society makes it even harder to reflect upon the issues of education, as more and more people get higher education, and even study at professional retraining programs. The rise of popularity of online education platforms poses another set of concerns and confounds the traditionally clear model of educational relationship between the teacher and the student. In Russia, the legislative initiatives of the government gain momentum, while funding is constantly reduced. The author puts forward several crucial questions in order to consider the transformations of education and its social functions that we witness today. [This article was translated by Kenneth Cargill.]