The contribution investigates the influence of higher education institutions graduating specialists in the field «Engineering, technology and technical sciences» (engineering universities) on the formation of technological potential and competitiveness of regions. The purpose of the study is to identify possible strategies for the development and strengthening of the engineering profile of the region by analyzing the relationship between the management of engineering universities and the level of technological and innovative development of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation (RF). The authors use quantitative research methods: statistical analysis, ranking, data visualization and descriptive statistics. The research methodology is based on the cluster development model, complements the theory of innovation and the theory of regional development. The authors analyzed 681 organizations of higher education in the engineering profile, ranked higher educational institutions with the allocation of twenty most influential engineering universities, as well as the distribution of federal districts (FD) of the RF by the share of the reduced contingent of engineering universities. Also, within the framework of the research methodology, an analysis of the influence of engineering universities on the prospects for technological leadership of regions was conducted, using the following comparative indicators of innovative and technological development of the region: the share of personnel engaged in scientific research and development, the share of advanced production technologies developed by the region, the share of innovative goods produced by the region.