No abstract

The number of foreign students educating in Russian universities is increasing every year. With the growing number of such students, the issue of their adaptation becomes more re levant, because that adaptation also determines the success of education. The substantial role in this process falls to the share of universities and their educational system, which in the initial stages is aimed at accelerating the adaptation of foreign students to everyday life in Russia, also to provide high-quality and promising education.The article presents the results of a study conducted in order to investigate the features of sociocultural adaptation, the difficulties, which are faced by students during their education period and their expectations, coverage of the place and role of universities, therefore, and scientific and pedagogical staff. To achieve an accurate result, we conducted a survey of international students from the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People’s Republic of China studying at Russian universities. 107 students in total (45% Azerbaijani students and 55% Chinese students) from leading Moscow universities participated in the questionnaire-based survey, the age cohort of respondents ranged from 21 to 35 years. Analysis of the results of the survey made it possible to determine the main types of adaptation of students to identify objective and subjective factors of sociocultural adaptation, to compare the principal features of foreign students from Azerbaijan and China in order to understand the main problems of intercultural communication of students from different ethnic groups. The relevance and uniqueness of the study are based on cross-cultural differences between the studied groups, which made it possible to identify both principal and specific features, and their significant difference from Russian culture.The authors of the article concluded that the acceleration of the process of sociocultural adaptation is possible, first of all, through the study of the Russian language and pre-departure training in their homeland, which includes studying of Russian culture, history, traditions and specifics of intercultural communication. Based on the results of the study, the authors proposed recommendations for the formation of a system of measures aimed to optimize the processes of sociocultural adaptation, including well-organized training and teaching, as well as involvement of foreign students in the social activities of the university.

The goal of this research is the comparison of identity factors that contribute to strengthening and determination of affiliation of an ethnocultural group in a foreign language environment. The subject of this research is the examination of peculiarities of language factors as an element of preservation of identity and identification of a minority ethnocultural group of Molokans residing in the territory of Azerbaijan since the early XIX century. The author reviews certain identity structures of the Molokans that assist preservation and unification of the group. Research methodology is based on the sociolinguistic practice, surveys and interviews carried out in the rural localities Ivanovka and Novosaratovka, as well as places of residence of the Molokans in Azerbaijan. The scientific novelty consist in comparative study of Molokans in the two regions of Azerbaijan, their views upon identity, lifestyle and living conditions, and linguistic peculiarities. A conclusion is drawn that Molokans consider themselves Russians; the role of language within the identity structure of Molokans plays a crucial role; language factor dominates in formation of ethnic identity and ethnic mentality, which develops in the early childhood. The results of this work can be valuable in studying the language factor as the basis in preservation of identity of small-numbered peoples after migration.