A comprehensive model of pedagogical support for the socio-cultural adaptation of foreign students in Russian universities: an integrative approach and empirical validation

Abstract

The intensification of educational mobility on a global scale actualizes the problem of effective adaptation of international students to the socio-cultural environment of the host university. Modern research captures the multidimensional nature of this process, which includes academic, social, psychological and cultural aspects. The inadequacy of the existing mechanisms of pedagogical support for foreign students, the fragmentation of the approaches used and insufficient consideration of socio-cultural specifics determine the scientific and practical importance of developing a comprehensive model of adaptive support. The purpose of the research is to theoretically substantiate, develop and empirically validate an integrative model of pedagogical support for international students, taking into account the transformation of the educational paradigm in the context of the internationalization of higher education. The methodological basis of the study was based on systematic, competence-based and socio-cultural approaches, which allowed for a multidimensional analysis of adaptation factors. The empirical base included data from the longitudinal monitoring of the adaptation processes of 412 foreign students from 27 countries studying at 5 Russian universities in the period 2021-2023. The methods of questioning, psychodiagnostics, expert assessment, as well as statistical analysis using correlation, factor and regression analysis were used. The results of the study demonstrate the statistically significant effectiveness of the developed model: the integral coefficient of adaptation of the experimental group exceeded the control one by 37.8%; academic performance increased by 24.3%; socio–cultural competence - by 31.6%; psychological well–being - by 29.4%. The key factors of successful adaptation were identified: personalized trajectory of support (r=0.78), phased adaptation measures (r=0.72), interdisciplinary interaction of support subjects (r=0.69), digital support of adaptation processes (r=0.64). The practical significance of the research lies in the development of a technological map of pedagogical support, differentiated by stages and adaptive tasks, applicable in a wide range of educational contexts.