UDC: 
378.1
Sidorova Tatiana V.
Кандидат педагогических наук, Cand. Sci. (Pedag.), Assoc. Prof. of the Department of General Pedagogy, pedagogical institute, Buryat State University named after Dorzhi Banzarova, botkina@yandex.ru, Ulan-Ude
Rodionova Olga Yu.
postgraduate student, Irkutsk State University, yura_rodionov@mail.ru, Irkutsk

Student mobility from China to Siberian Universities: Determinants and Barriers (case study of Irkutsk State University)

Abstract: 
The article focuses on the qualitative transformation of the academic mobility of students from the PRC to regional Russian universities against the backdrop of deepening strategic partnership between the two countries. A steady shift in the focus of attraction from capital centers to Siberian universities is noted, requiring a rethinking of the determinants and barriers of this process. The purpose of the article is a comprehensive analysis of new factors of educational choice, identification of the structure of adaptation difficulties, and development of a practice-oriented model of support for Chinese students using the example of Irkutsk State University. The research methodology is based on an integrative approach, including comparative analysis, quantitative method (survey of students with multilevel sample stratification), and qualitative methods (expert interviews with administrators and teachers). The interrelationships between academic performance and the degree of socio-cultural adaptation are revealed: students who actively participate in intercultural events and establish contacts with their Russian peers demonstrate higher academic results. This pattern is clearly evident in the second and third years of study, when the initial everyday difficulties have already been overcome. One of the reasons for the slow pace of student adaptation is the inconsistency in pedagogical interaction between the teacher and the student in the organization of teaching methods. The results of the research demonstrate a reorientation of motivation from cost and proximity factors to unique program specialization and career prospects in cross-border cooperation. A paradoxical and persistent language barrier in professional communication among 89,5 % of students was identified, as well as a complex of interrelated academic, socio-cultural, and psychological difficulties. In conclusion, the necessity of transition from disparate measures to systematic work is substantiated, and the concept of a three-modular adaptation system (academic, socio-cultural, professional modules) is proposed as an effective solution. Practical significance is confirmed by the testing of system elements, which reduced academic attrition by 40 % and increased satisfaction with the educational process.
Keywords: 
academic mobility; Chinese students; Siberian universities; language barrier; adaptation; educational migration; modular adaptation system; Russian-Chinese cooperation
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