Abstract:

Structural shifts in mobility are an indicator of integration processes and testify to more and more developing rivalry of different countries for students in the international education market. According to UNESCO, by 2025 the number of students studying abroad can reach 7 million people. In a number of countries, revenues from the export of education are so large that they are, in fact, budget-forming.

Thus, the problem of attracting foreign students from other countries is crucial. Universities have to develop a new strategy to promote educational services and the national education system to the international market. To do this it is necessary to understand the reason for foreign students’ decisions to study in a particular country and the university, and the way of getting information about the country and the university.

The article discusses peculiarities of international communications as a tool for promoting education in foreign markets. The paper presents a study aimed at determining the current situation of perception of education and countries, factors influencing the choice of the university and determining the optimal set of international communication tools. According to the study, the most effective channels for the dissemination of information on international educational products are highlighted and the content features for international students are identified.

During the study the way of on-line international communication by Russian and Brazilian Universities was analyzed and it was found that the differences in international promotion by Russian and Brazilian Universities are largely related to existing standard way of promotion, new communication technologies are used in limited ways, and all provided information mostly is not adopted for international target audience.

The analysis is made on the basis of theoretical and empirical data, both available in free access and author's data. The methodology of the research is based on the system-structural principles of the analysis of international communication in the education sphere from the point of the management approach. Methods of data collection are analysis of scientific literature, content analysis of Internet sources, questionnaires and administrative staff of several universities.

Keywords:

International communication, University promotion, foreign educational market, students' choice, digital communication, Russian and Brazilian Universities' site.