ИСТИНА

The purpose of this study is to analyze what motivated Chinese students’ choice of Russia as a country of training on different stages of bilateral relations. In the 1950's and mid 1960-ies more than 20 thousand Chinese students and professionals were trained in the USSR. Academic exchange was broken in the years of «cultural revolution» and re-established only at the end of the 1980-s in a new form of cooperation between Russia and the PRC, that has become more pragmatic. Rapid growth of trade and tourism, the demands of labor market in both countries gave a new lines for academic and labor mobility. The current Russian labor market due to demographic decline is characterized by the shortage of skilled manpower and technical staff. The situation in the labor market in China has also significantly changed. During the past decade structural unemployment is rising in China. Many Chinese graduates fail to find jobs in their chosen field in homeland and search for advantage abroad. Most likely within the next 20 years, the Chinese migration to Russia will increase. Interviews of Chinese students in Moscow State University show that more than 30% want to stay for work in Russia after graduate. Study abroad is a first step toward eventual settlement in the host country. But on their way from study-to-work students studying abroad usually face numerous socio-cultural problems. Training of Chinese students at Moscow State University shows that two greatest challenges to them are overcoming the language barrier and adaptation to the new reality. Research indicates the factors that impact the process of transforming Chinese students’ life code to the one that can facilitate postgraduate immigration.