The article discusses the aspects of the implementation of the «International Student Club» organiza-tion into the extracurricular activities of an educational institution with the aim of integrating foreign students into a foreign language educational environment
foreign students, adaptation and integration of foreign students, student organizations, international club, dialogue of cultures
According to a statement by Konstantin Mogilevsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, dated October 20, 2025, «more than 414,000 foreign students are studying in Russia» [1]. According to the expert, this number will only increase in the coming years. Such interest from foreign citizens can be attributed to the quality and accessibility of Russian education. A wide range of specializations and programs, as well as comprehensive support from the Russian government, help foreigners realize their idea of studying in Russia.
A Russian education diploma opens up broad prospects for foreign citizens not only in Russia but also abroad. However, a diploma is only the final stage of education, preceded by a long and sometimes stressful process. Stressful factors in this case can include not only academic difficulties but also social and psychological factors such as moving to another country, immersion in a foreign culture, and communicating in a foreign language (Russian).
Integrating international students into the extracurricular activities of the educational institution facilitates a more rapid adaptation process and helps them overcome the aforementioned stressful factors. Extracurricular activities at the university are typically implemented by various student organizations (e.g., the student council, the student trade union, a sports club, or the academic community) in conjunction with the institution's students policy department. Representatives of these communities and organizations within the university are ready to provide maximum support to international students who join their organizations. However, international students do not always feel comfortable in an environment where there is a lack of national representation. In other words, once they join such an organization, international students once again become someone standing out from other members for various reasons, such as a lack of language skills. Considering that the activities of most such student associations are conducted in Russian, staying involved in all the organization's processes and interacting with its members becomes extremely challenging for an international student who does not speak Russian or whose Russian proficiency is insufficient.
An international club based at a specific educational institution could be a solution to this problem. In this paper, the authors consider an international club as a non-profit, voluntary student association that facilitates the integration of international students into the social and academic environment through cultural exchange and language practice. An international club can serve as an important link in intercultural communication between students from different countries, regions, and industries.
The International Club can work in several areas:
- organizing integration events for foreigners (informational meetings, excursions, master classes, quests, film screenings, etc.);
- organizing national holidays for international students;
- practicing communication in the club members' languages;
- consulting on paperwork and dormitory accommodation (with the assistance of the Student Affairs Department).
It is important to note that the international club's work is aimed not only at the adaptation and integration of foreign students into the educational, scientific, cultural, social, and economic spheres of the Russian Federation, but also at fostering friendly ties, continuity, and mutual respect between representatives of Russian culture and students from other countries.
Thus, taking into account all the aspects mentioned above, it can be concluded that an international club based at an educational institution is no longer an exception to the rule, but an important and necessary tool for achieving academic success for students, building intercultural dialogue, and integrating international students into the social and educational environment.
1. Mogilevskiy, K. Minobrnauki: v vuzah Rossii obuchaetsya bolee 414 tys. inostrannyh studentov / K. Mogilevskiy. – Tekst: elektronnyy // Redakciya sayta TASS. – Moskva. – 2025. – URL: https://tass.ru/obschestvo/25396379.
