The research explores theoretical, organizational, contextual and procedural aspects of international activity of public universities in the USA, and defines the possibilities for using positive practices of international activity of American universities in the context of reforming education in Ukraine. Firstly, the author establishes the state of research on international activity of US universities and clarifies research concepts and terminology (university international activity, globalization, internationalization of higher education, comprehensive internationalization, international partnership), outlines theoretical foundations of international activity of public universities in the USA. Secondly, the stages of development of university international activities in the USA are highlighted. Thirdly, the study reveals the specifics of university international activity management in the USA at federal, state and institutional levels. Fourthly, it provides a thorough analysis of contextual and procedural foundations of university international activity in the USA, defines the principles, rationales, directions, types and forms of international activity. Finally, the research substantiates possibilities of adaptation and application of US positive practices in international activity and its management in Ukraine. The scientific novelty and theoretical value of the obtained results is the following: for the first time in Ukrainian Pedagogy a comprehensive research of the organizational and educational foundations of international activity of public universities in the USA has been carried out. Research works on the subject by Ukrainian scholars have been analyzed, the definitions of the main concepts of the research are provided. Six stages of historical development of university international activity in the USA are defined and characterized. Organizational foundations of university international activity in the USA at different levels are defined. At the federal level the principal governmental and public entities engaged in management of international activity are defined, the instruments of international activity regulation by federal government as well as the main subjects, directions and forms of its regulation by non-governmental organizations are highlighted. At the state level the directions of state governments engagement in international activity management are outlined and at the institutional level four models of organization of international activity are singled out: centralized, distributive, coordinated and integrated. Upon comprehensive analysis of contextual and procedural foundations of international activity of American universities, the principles, rationales, types, directions and forms of international activity of US universities have been identified. The research provides recommendation to be used in the context of development of university international activity in Ukraine at the national, regional, institutional and individual level and suggests a prognostic model of international activity development. The practical value of the research consists in the possibility of application of its theoretical concepts and conclusions on theoretical, organizational, contextual and procedural foundations of international activity in US universities while teaching the courses in History of Education, Comparative Education, Pedagogical Management and using its materials for developing national and institutional strategies of international activity development in Ukrainian universities.
