ATTRACTIVENESS OF A RUSSIAN UNIVERSITY FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS: MEDIA DISCOURSE APPROACH

Abstract

The modern world is characterised by globalisation and internationalisation, resulting in an increasing number of international students seeking higher education outside their home country. International students choose universities not only on the basis of their academic reputation, but also on the extent to which the university creates comfortable conditions for learning and integration of international students. Social networks, information channels and official websites of educational organisations serve as the main source of information about the university. In order to ensure competitiveness in the international education market, universities face the need to use a variety of media techniques to attract the attention of international students on these media platforms. Due to the changes in current global trends, higher education institutions in the Russian Federation are expanding the range of potential entrants, re-qualifying for Asian countries (China and India), and interacting more with students from post-Soviet countries. A theoretical study of university social media content, website and other information channels is required in order to identify the pragmatic potential of linguistic units that help information consumers to form a certain opinion about the attractiveness of the university. This research studies linguistic and extra-linguistic features of media texts aimed at attracting foreign students and expanding international co-operation.