AbstractBackgroundThe crisis that the modern university is experiencing today, is conditioned by the crisis of its idea as of a classical essence. The idea of university was formulated by W. von Humboldt, however, its history starts with the Greek-Roman era when the ancient philosophy in its cognitive attitude to the world saw its truth, leaning on intelligence that brought it to the harmony of beauty and good. In this quality, the idea of university was changing the university history. However, today, by rejecting any natural unity and integrity and also reconsidering classics, the postmodern views diversify the classical university and eliminate the possibility of its common form. Questions arise: can the common idea for the university be preserved in these conditions? Will it be preserved (and should it be preserved) by the postmodern culture? Is it possible today to have the unity of the university as a classical social and educational institution? Do modern university models (entrepreneurial, corporate, research, etc.) have their own idea?MethodsThe purpose of this article is to search for differences between the modern and classical universities. The comparative method is used.ResultsDistinctive characteristics (peculiarities) of the modern university have been discovered and described.ConclusionsA conclusion is drawn that there are transformations of the modern university forms in accordance with the conditions of the modern culture.