A systematic approach to pedagogical support for the adaptation of international students to the socio-cultural environment of the university

Abstract

The study is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the system of pedagogical support for foreign students in the process of their adaptation to the socio-cultural environment of Russian universities. The relevance of the topic is due to a significant increase in academic mobility and the internationalization of higher education, which requires the development of effective support models for foreign students. The purpose of the research is to develop and empirically verify an integrative model of pedagogical support that takes into account academic, psychological, social and cultural aspects of adaptation. The tasks include identifying key barriers to adaptation, analyzing the effectiveness of existing support practices, and developing a comprehensive intervention system. The methodology is based on a mixed approach combining quantitative and qualitative methods: longitudinal questionnaires (n=428), semi-structured interviews (n=47), focus groups (n=12), and an analysis of the institutional practices of 8 Russian universities. The empirical base was made up of international students from 34 countries enrolled in various educational programs. The results demonstrate the high effectiveness of a systematic approach to pedagogical support, which includes four interrelated components: linguistic and cultural (coefficient of influence 0.74), academic (0.68), socio-psychological (0.82) and information technology (0.63). The developed model made it possible to reduce the rates of academic maladaptation by 37,2%, socio-cultural maladaptation by 42,8%, and psychological maladaptation by 29,5%. The study makes a significant contribution to the theoretical substantiation of adaptation mechanisms and offers practical tools for universities seeking to improve the effectiveness of work with international students. Further research may be aimed at personalizing support, taking into account the ethnocultural specifics and the educational profile of students.