STUDYING IN A RUSSIAN UNIVERSITY: IS IT A CHALLENGE FOR THE STUDENTS FROM IRAN?

The article is devoted to the challenges the students from Iran face in the Russian educational environment. These challenges are caused by the necessity of the adjustment to the new conditions. A recent school leaver has to get accustomed to the new educational environment, which is often difficult due to the cultural and educational differences. The authors of the article consider the research to be important as the number of the students from Iran getting higher professional education in Russian universities is growing. The article focuses on the factors that could affect the adaptation process, in particular the teaching styles and the Russian language as the language of instruction. The research indicates that the teaching styles and educational approaches often differ in Russia and Iran that could possibly hinder the knowledge exchange. The authors analyze the results of the survey conducted among the 1st year Iranian students of RUDN University about their experience of learning Russian during their pre-university language course. The research helps to determine the effective pedagogical trajectory that provides chances for the students from Iran to overcome the language barrier and to enter the new educational environment smoothly.