Permanent reforms of the higher education system in Russia, the on-going transition from the entrepreneurial university model to efficient inclusion of Russian universities in the worldwide market of educational services through ascension into the group of top universities in various rating systems act as the real driving force of non-stop restructuring in the corporate labour market and formation of university innovation infrastructure. Therefore, our research was intended to analyse the chronological transformation of various university models based on the global experience, and to estimate the potential of their innovation infrastructure during every phase of development. Historical and genetic approach, and benchmarking methods were employed in the research as efficient tools of education marketing intelligence.The results obtained allow a justified conclusion that transition of the models and mission of modern universities is mediated by social trends related to the development of knowledge economy, digital economics, and expansion of Industry 4.0.