The role of social and cultural interaction between Russian and Chinese students in changing the educational space of the Russian university

Abstract Students as a special social group can be considered as a guide of interaction between the partner countries of Russia and China as representatives of different cultures and different mentalities. Interaction between Russian and Chinese universities in the scientific and educational sphere has specific features and reflects the general mechanisms of functioning in social and cultural environment. The socio-cultural context of such interaction is the life activity of megalopolis, regional features and it is related to the socio-cultural traditions of people relationship. The general purpose of the study was to identify changes in interaction between Russian and Chinese students studying in a Russian University. The study conducted in Russian and Chinese Universities. The research methodology combined both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The primary data was collected using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Three hundred and ninety respondents – Russian students and five hundred respondents – Chinese students, were questioned on the basis of quota sampling. Depths interviews were conducted with 20 experts. The study has revealed some actual issues and tendencies of social interaction in the educational sphere. It has a temporal character and it is developed in a single educational environment of universities-partners of Russia and China. The study has identified the structure of social interaction, consisting of five levels: 1. At the level of connectivity, social relations between social and ethnic groups (in this case, Russian and Chinese students) are established on the basis of their values. 2. At the level of translation, understanding of the values of another (different) culture through the interpretation of cultural codes (cultural signs) takes place. 3. At the level of transcendence, transition from one’s cultural system to another, the development of positive experience and knowledge of another cultural system take place. 4. At the level of adaptation, an interiorization, application in behaviour and activity of values of other cultural system take place. 5. At the level of inter cultural dialogue, an organization of effective and fruitful cooperation between social and ethnic groups and their representatives based on an understanding of the universal values takes place. The five levels of social interaction identified by researches in the joint educational environment of Russian and Chinese universities allow not only to find out the content components of the structure of social and cultural interaction, but also to consider its dynamics and development. Our research has identified a set of factors that affect the functioning of the interaction between Russian and Chinese students structure: geopolitical situation, cost and quality of education, adaptation of training courses for foreigners, comfort of the educational environment of University, the complexity of learning of the host country language, the prestige of education. This model of interaction between social and ethnic groups of Russian and Chinese students being representatives of partner universities is confirmed by the real practice of scientific and educational cooperation between Russian and Chinese universities. Joint forms of University work have been successfully tested and activities that have become events of inter cultural dialogue have been organized.