The article considers the priority tasks of the higher school of art education, such as: improvement of its structure, strengthening of personal orientation, technologicalization of the educational process. It is emphasized that the modernization of the system of higher art education, first of all, is projected on the problem of improving its content, which is one of the main indicators of the general condition and quality of the education system, its prospects and innovation. The basis of innovative behavior is proposed to consider the initiative as a kind of activity, creativity of the individual. The term "initiative" is given as an initiative, an internal motivation for new forms of activity, entrepreneurship, the ability to act independently. The various definitions of "pedagogical technology" are united by the idea that the meaning of this concept is the design and implementation of a reproducible learning process aimed at achieving goals. pedagogical technology allows to design the educational process in advance and, as an integral part of the pedagogical system, meets the demands of modern society. Diagnostics, efficiency, cost- effectiveness, projectivity, integrity, manageability − features that distinguish pedagogical technology from other pedagogical phenomena.