Evaluating the impact of short-term Russian language and culture programmes on adult learners

Abstract

The dissemination of the Russian language and culture is a key objective of Russian education within the framework of the state soft power mechanism. The purpose of the article is to analyse the implementation of short-term programmes on the Russian language and culture at Northern (Arctic) Federal University. Short-term language programmes provide adult learners with an opportunity to gain knowledge of the Russian language and culture. The study showcases the theoretical and methodological framework for teaching Russian as a foreign language the context of promoting Russian education abroad. The research focuses on examining significant issues related to teaching the Russian language and culture to foreign citizens in the present-day socio-political context. The changes that have occurred in the process of implementing programmes for teaching Russian to foreign citizens from 2020 to 2024 are outlined. The research offers a case study of the Russian language and culture programmes and the statistical data for the 2020-2024 period. Participants’ survey data are analysed. The study contributes to the development of modern approaches to teaching Russian as a foreign language in the framework of international education initiatives. The results of the analysis can be used to adapt existing approaches to the internationalisation of education and to develop a strategy for recruiting foreign students for professional education programmes at Russian universities.

Keywords

• russian language and culture programme
• russian as a foreign language
• soft power of education
• education internationalisation
• export of education
• foreign students
• recruitment to universities