Priority goals and objectives of modern education in the Russian Federation provide for the education of citizens who must have national and religious tolerance, respect for the languages, traditions and culture of other peoples. One way of achieving this is the development of children and young people respect for his culture and development on this basis of tolerant relations with other ethnic groups. In this regard, one of the most important components of modern education are courses which introduce young people to the history and culture of various ethnic groups. Such disciplines contribute to the improvement of the traditional training system, giving it the direction of the national-cultural differentiation in the formation and development of personality. In this respect, an important role belongs to the historical education of the universities, the priority of which is the introduction in the minds of young people a positive image of the spiritual heritage of previous generations, and their human potential can become the basis for the moral education of youth, instilling sustainable behavior and culture tolerant communication.

A great contribution to the development and introduction in educational process of courses related to ethno-cultural component of higher education has made historians of the Mordovian state University. N.P. Ogarev. Here is taught the course «History of Mordovia», whose main task is the study of the history of the native land, the knowledge of all periods of its development, which gives the ability to adequately understand and assess the current situation in the country and the world. It develops in students ' civic sense «Homeland», a friendly attitude towards people and society. The solution of these problems contribute chronologically sequential statement of the main socio-political and socio-economic phenomena and facts, study of the monuments of material and spiritual culture, biographies of prominent figures.

For students-historians also taught the course «The historiography of the Mordovian people». It forms a system of knowledge about the history of historical science that deals with the study of the Mordovian people about the factors that influenced its formation, the General mechanisms of folding, approval, and in some cases denial of certain historical concepts.

In addition to these elements in the block of national cultural disciplines for students of historical faculty also taught a number of special courses: «Seasonal rites of the Mordva», «Traditional ceremonial culture of the Mordva», «Sacred function of the Mordovian national costume» that introduce them to the basic elements of the culture of the Mordovian people and contribute to the formation of the youth of the foundations of national identity. This is achieved by increasing the interest of young people not only to contemporary cultural processes, but also to the history of his people.

For in-depth study of the history and culture of the peoples of the Finno-Ugric community the University has the direction of the M.A. program in the history and culture of Finno-Ugric peoples. Its members include courses that will acquaint students with various aspects of the development of the Finno-Ugric ethnic groups, starting with the period of their formation to the present.

Besides the fact that historians of the Mordovian University are actively involved in the development and teaching of national and regional academic disciplines in the University, they provide practical assistance in the development and testing of educational-methodical complex on the history and culture of Mordovia for high school. Having been instructed by the Ministry of education of the Republic of Mordovia, University teachers have developed a number of training materials for school discipline «History and culture of the Mordovian land». In 2007-2009 he published the textbook «History and culture of the Mordovian land» for 6 - 9th grade. In 2009 was published the textbook "Rodinovedenie" – an introductory course to explore the history and culture of the Mordovian land for 5th class. In addition to textbooks in 2009-2010 for scientific and methodological support of teachers in teaching this course, as well as for extra-curricular activities were written programs and books to read. Since 2008 in the framework of the project «My region of Mordovia», which is of educational nature published a series of books for children.

Thus, today in the Mordovian state University actively implemented in the learning process of the historical discipline national-cultural orientation, one of the priorities of which is to familiarize students with the history and culture of Jews and other Finno-Ugric peoples. This should help young people to understand and respect other cultures.