The article analyses the role and influence of the modern Russian university on the formation of value paradigms such as civic identity, patriotism and ideas about Russian statehood among today's Russian youth, in the context of socio-political transformation. The research is relevant due to the increased attention of the state apparatus and the academic community to identifying the ideological foundations of young people. This is also due to the introduction of the compulsory university discipline 'Fundamentals of Russian Statehood' in 2023, which aims to familiarise young citizens with the comprehensive formation of the Russian statehood paradigm. The article outlines a set of problems identified during the practical implementation of the course in the South of Russia: excessive theorization, difficulties in interdisciplinary integration, differences in motivation of students in various fields of study, as well as the specifics of the perception of the patriotic agenda of students from new regions of the Russian Federation. Special attention is paid to the gap between a sufficiently high level of declarative patriotism and the heterogeneity of the formation of civic competencies among young people in different regions, which at this stage requires serious refinement and the introduction of more flexible educational forms. The empirical basis of the study was the results of an interregional sociological survey of students from the South of Russia: Rostov and Belgorod regions, the Republic of Crimea, Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, as well as other new subjects of Russia. The paper analyzes the images of Russia formed in the youth consciousness, their attitude to citizenship and patriotism, the practices of historical memory of the Great Patriotic War (WWII), the perception of modern threats and the assessment of a Special Military Operation (SVO). The data obtained indicate a stable connection between all regions of Russia with regard to the understanding and formation of civic identity, alongside the simultaneous regional differentiation of forms and levels of patriotic self-awareness. This paper examines the role of higher education in the formation of Russian statehood by exploring how the memory of the Great Patriotic War is transmitted as a key value and identification resource in the civic socialisation of students. The authors conclude that Russian universities are the most important agents in translating civic and value orientations. However, the effectiveness of this function depends on the teaching staff, practices and regional specifics being adapted to the needs of young people.