Abstract
The article is devoted to the issues of comprehensive adaptation of foreign students in Russian regional universities. Existing adaptation and mentoring models are often fragmented, focusing mainly on linguistic or psychological support, while the interaction among governmental migration services, ethnic diasporas, and religious organizations remains insufficiently studied. This paper presents an empirical analysis of the effectiveness of the “total mentoring” approach implemented at Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University. The study is based on data concerning the university’s activities, where more than 300 foreign students are currently enrolled, as well as on the experience of cooperation with ethnic diasporas and religious organizations in the city of Magnitogorsk. The findings demonstrate that continuous interaction with diasporas reduces everyday and cultural shock; however, it also creates risks of ethnic clustering. The authors concludes that mentoring is highly effective during the first months of foreign students’ stay, but it requires continuous updating and coordination among all participants involved in the adaptation process. The proposed model can be applied to other regional universities, taking into account local specificities.
Keywords
Adaptation of foreign students, total mentoring, educational and methodological support, ethnic diasporas, religious needs, Muslim students, financial support, migration regulation, Magnitogorsk.