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Igna O.N., Afanasyeva Y.Y. Academic difficulties of Chinese students in the study of Russian as a foreign language at a technical university in China (joint double degree program). Pedagogical Review. 2026. Issue 5 (69). P. 36-46

Understanding academic difficulties, predicting and preventing them, and evaluating them by students themselves is extremely important for the effectiveness and quality of the educational process. This problem is relevant in a scientific and practical context. This relevance increases in the context of professional training of foreign students, conducted both in their native and non-native languages (foreign). Russian theorists and practitioners in the field of Russian as a Foreign Language (RFL) have long documented the typical linguistic and speech errors made by international students studying in Russia; these errors primarily stem from differences between the students’ native languages and the target language, as well as the challenges associated with the adaptation process. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the academic difficulties of Chinese students (bachelors) studying Russian as a foreign language at a technical university within the framework of a joint dual degree program (Russian and Chinese universities) in their country. Russian Russian studies include language disciplines (for example, writing, audio-visual course), professionally oriented language disciplines with general technical and narrow-profile topics and terminology (for example, professional Russian, advanced Russian), combined with technical disciplines, implemented by specialized subjects in Russian. The educational program provides for the study of such disciplines during the first four years of the program. The theoretical significance of the study lies in expanding knowledge regarding the difficulties foreign (Chinese) students encounter when comprehending and evaluating course material; the findings offer practical value for developing syllabi and organizing educational support for Russian as a Foreign Language (RFL) courses taught at universities abroad.The academic difficulties identified by Chinese students (future engineers) studying Russian engineering at the Technical University of China have been identified at the levels of language aspects and types of speech activity, subjects studied, and interaction with Russian-speaking teachers. Some of these arguments are ranked. The needs of such students in terms of subjects and subjects studied have been identified.

Keywords: academic difficulties, future engineer, technical university student, Russian as a foreign language, learning Russian as a foreign language by Chinese students