The main trends, directions and problems of the deve-lopment of engineering activity in modern society in the context of its global informatization and the development of a new scientific and technological revolution are considered. The necessity of socio-humanitarian orientation of this activity in the interests of ensuring the safety of man and society in a new environment saturated with new equipment and new technologies is shown. This environment forms a new way of life for people, radically changes their traditional ways and forms of communication with each other, as well as ideas about the quality of life, space and time. All this requires a deep scientific under-standing and adequate content of the education of engineering specialists, in which humanitarian components must necessarily be present. The intellectual potential of Russia, which can be used to solve this urgent and complex problem, is shown.
engineering activity; informatization of society; scien-tific and technological revolution; intellectual potential of Russia; engineering education.