n the issue of improving the educational development of cadets in military institutes.

Relevance . In the context of increasing uncertainty in the professional functioning environment of future officers, the modernization of the educational development processes of cadets seems important and necessary. The purpose is to reveal the directions of improving the educational development of cadets in Russian military institutes. Objectives : to explore theoretical approaches to methodological substantiation of the problems of improving educational development, to clarify the author's approach to revealing the essence of this phenomenon; to present and analyze a number of empirical research data, to clarify the directions of improving the educational development of cadets. Methodology . The research is based on a structuralist-constructivist methodological approach based on relevant sociological material. A specific methodology of sociology was also applied (data from a sociological survey were used). Results . The study proves that in modern conditions it is necessary to activate two directions of improving the educational development of cadets in military institutes. The first area is socio-economic (increasing material benefits, stimulating educational and professional formal and informal practices of students). The second direction is educational and cultural (development and implementation of programs for proactive educational growth of cadets' professional potential, strategic focus not only on comprehensive improvement of the development of professional knowledge, skills in the present, but also on their correction relative to the needs of future development strategies of the military organization). Conclusions . In the context of the modernization of the military educational system, the professional competence of military actors cannot be assessed within the limited range of military professional knowledge, specific skills and abilities. These traditional educational complexes should be integrated and complemented by a set of military cultural capital: service and labor motivational preferences, cultural values of military creativity, active initiative, and innovation in the process of solving assigned service and labor tasks.