Social efficiency of research (SER) conducted by higher educational establishments (HEEs) contributes a lot to improving the educational process, the quality of training of specialists, and the teaching skills of scientific and pedagogical staff. A holistic approach in the system of assessment of the efficiency of HEEs’ research, which is interpreted by the authors of the article, makes it possible for HEEs to completely adapt to market requirements, to make adequate managerial decisions and obtain relevant results. The system and structural approach was used in the study, which led to functional and effective application of theoretical provisions, scientific principles and conceptual positions for developing the author's version of forming HEEs’ holistic approach based model of SER. For the assessment of SER, a holistic approach based theoretical and analytical model has been suggested, which integrates 4 subsystems: target, provision, regulatory, management subsystem, which can be assessed by parameters, indicators and criteria of social efficiency of research results (SERR). The authors have suggested a system of criteria of SERR. On the basis of the elaborated system of criteria assessment of SERR of HEEs, the authors have constructed a structural and logical scheme of SERR assessment, which shows that on each stage of SERR development by means of comparison of the market needs and opportunities of HEEs and rational distribution of endowment funds it is possible to achieve maximization of the SERR generalized criterion value. A formal description of the main components of the constructed theoretical-analytical model of the SER has been made by means of using the economic and mathematical model and the dependence of its components has been analyzed.