Sociopsychological aspects of adaptation of Foreign Students in the conditions of Educational Migration

Introduction. In modern society, the issues of social adaptation of students in higher education institutions are becoming more and more relevant and significant. Entering the environment of a higher education institution is a complex and multifaceted process that requires students to adapt to new conditions. That is why the study of socio-psychological aspects of adaptation of foreign students in Russian universities is an important direction for the scientific field. In the framework of our study we considered theoretical aspects of social adaptation of international students, the problems they have to face, as well as students’ attitudes towards their studies and chosen specialty.

Objective. Analyze the sociopsychological aspects of adaptation of foreign students in the conditions of educational migration.

Materials and Methods. In this study, a survey method was applied: questionnaires and interviews. During the application of the stated methods, it is possible to identify the personal characteristics of educational migrants, to familiarize with the specifics of perception of difficult life situations by young people prone to experience, and to obtain information about the general satisfaction and dissatisfaction of educational migrants with educational activities and self-assessments of their performance in the course of social adaptation.

Results. The study involved 136 international students aged 18–25 years. During the course of the study, data on the prevalence of various barriers in the adaptation process were obtained by the survey method. They show that the greatest significance and difficulty for foreign students were first of all the problems related to language communication, the lack of knowledge of the Russian language. Accordingly, it involved the formation of problems with studies and worries related to the realization and well-being. Insufficient preparation of students for new conditions of the educational process can lead to stress, disorientation, and low motivation.

Discussion. As a result of the study, it can be concluded that sociopsychological aspects play an important role in the adaptation of educational migrants to new conditions and culture, which requires special attention and support from educational and social institutions.

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