The acceptance of global goals in the field of sustainable development has increased the need of forming a socially-oriented market economy. A new – social and investment – model of economic growth is required for the effective implementation of this theory in modern economic systems. The fundamental and main distinction between this model and classic economic development models is that the sources of growth are social investments – investments in people and an improvement in the population’s quality of life.

One of the highest-priority areas of social investment (including improved housing conditions, provision of social justice, financial assistance, and so on) is the stimulation of education. In the “knowledge economy,” education impacts job and career opportunities, as well as the quality of life, and shapes the human capacity of businesses and the economy, as well as their competitiveness and development prospects. Education is considered from an economic standpoint in existing studies of the relationship between education and economic growth. However, from a social standpoint, we see education as a director of social investments that contributes to a higher quality of life and the development of human potential.

Given the infrastructure function of education in the “knowledge economy,” advantages for economic growth are attained by increasing efficiency, not in the area of education but in the economy as a whole. The goal of this Research Topic is to figure out how education fits into the structure of a social and investment growth model. Scenarios of educational development and perspective mechanisms of education management as a director of social investments are compiled for this purpose.

This Research Topic accepts both fundamental research and applied studies in science. The articles should reflect the findings of the most recent studies in the field, as well as identify new research questions on this topic that should be solved and discussed by members of the modern scientific community.

This Research Topic will include a discussion of the three major issues that must be addressed to maximize the contribution of social investments in education to economic growth acceleration: scenario modeling, management, evaluation, and optimization of social repercussions.

1. Scenarios of education’s impact on the structure and characteristics of the social and investment growth model:

• Education and economic growth;
• Diversification of education;
• Formal and informal education;
• Digital education;
• Effectiveness of universities;
• Innovations in education.

2. In the structure of the social and investment model of economic growth, organizational and institutional processes and informal practices of education management include:

• State regulation of education;
• Education and labor market;
• Social role of education.

3. Cultural, institutional, and socio-structural factors of education development in the context of the social and investment growth model:

• Socio-cultural and institutional aspects of education;
• Legal aspects of the development of education;
• Education and socio-economic security.