Modern Russian urban planning system needs substantial changes. This changes are necessary because the Soviet experience in the field of urban planning does not correspond modern needs of Russian society. On the other hand Russia goes to the international job market in the field of urban planning and it is so necessary to know the most important global trends. The article is devoted to a brief review of global trends in the field of urban planning (urban development due to the emergence of new sub-activities and specializations, the numerical growth of the specialists in the field of urban planning, the development of ideas of national identity in the urban planning system). The article provides a periodization of the history of urban planning in Russia and other European countries. For the first time the most relevant global trends affecting the development of the Russian system of urban planning and urban planning staff training were analyzed and structured. There was made the comparative analysis of Russian and foreign developments, also there was given the author's assessment of the impact of trends in the Russian system of urban education.

Keywords: urban planning education, professional training for engineers, urban planning

This article analyzes the concept of "innovation potential" for educational institutions that produce professional training in the field of urban planning and engineering sciences. In modern Russian research practice the phenomenon of "innovation potential" is primarily considered in the context of economics. The author made the first attempt to define the innovative potential for the system of professional education through a detailed analysis of the specificity of the education. In this case, the innovation potential of educational institution is considered as part of the system: “an innovative climate - innovation activity - innovation potential” (determined for each institution separately). On the basis of the key features of urban development activities, which were the result of generalizations relevant Russian studies, a critical component of ensuring innovation is defined "innovation climate". As tools to support it proposed: the development of "horizontal" and "vertical" links between educational institutions, the formation of educational, professional and virtual clusters.

Keywords: urban planning education, innovation potential, innovative climate, educational cluster, professional cluster, virtual educational cluster