In the information space of universities, mechanisms for constructing the virtual society of the Metaverse into the educational process become important elements in the successful preparation of students. The elements of the Metaverse are able to solve problems in a number of requirements for the content and structure of higher education. The positions of augmented reality developers are consistent with the demands of the younger generation studying at the university.  Especially in the processes of studying the laws and patterns of the future profession, mastering skills for critical thinking, consolidating the skills of applying the laws of logic with rational argumentation in communication with society and structuring feedback, applying legal and ethical norms.  Thus, at the present stage, the strategies of regional universities and educational programs emphasize the need to provide students with access to augmented reality experience and communication tools.

The purpose of our research was to characterize the current problems of a regional university and identify the criteria of the educational space and the factors influencing it for the possible transformation of the university model into an educational ecosystem.

The article presents a review of the literature characterizing the possibilities of elements of the Metaverse and educational ecosystem for the student community and the teaching staff of a regional university.  Examples of successfully implemented projects in higher education with functioning elements that provide continuous education at the request of employers in Kazakhstan are given.

In our opinion, the results presented in the publication create an opportunity to identify alternatives in modernizing the content and structure of the educational space of a regional university in order to achieve a competitive advantage and attract intellectual youth to the organization, including the implementation of continuing education projects.