ADAPTATION OF FOREIGN STUDENTS AT A REGIONAL UNIVERSITY: BARRIERS AND RESOURCES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17072/2218-1067-2026-3-76-89Keywords:
internationalization of education, regional universities, foreign students, adaptation, adaptation factors, adaptation policy, academic migration, migrationAbstract
In the context of the internationalization of higher education, the problems of international students' adaptation to the Russian educational environment and life in Russia are becoming increasingly pressing. From the perspective of some theoretical approaches to understanding adaptation, its effectiveness depends not only on the individual qualities of international students but also on factors "external" to them. Based on empirical data obtained through a series of expert interviews with representatives of the university community, the article identifies and analyzes the key factors that influence the understanding and effectiveness of international students' adaptation. On the one hand, this is influenced by university strategies regarding the internationalization of education, the motivation of universities / faculties / departments to attract international students, their recruitment and selection methods, and the organization of the educational process. It has to be noted that the structural dimension of adaptation (academic performance, migration support, and living arrangements) dominates in expert opinion, while the social and identity dimensions remain peripheral. On the other hand, the variability demonstrated by different groups of international students in terms of their motivations for studying in Russia, as well as the sociocultural characteristics of individual groups of international students, are of significant importance. Overall, all these factors influence adaptation in a complex manner and, in many cases, have an ambivalent effect, meaning they can simultaneously act as both barriers and resources for adaptation, depending on the context.
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