South Ural University’s scientists are developing a chatbot to help foreign students adapt

Scientists at South Ural State University (SUSU) have suggested a way to help foreign students adapt in Russia. An interdisciplinary team are developing «Socrates 2020», a digital assistant that will answer international students’ questions to help them adapt to the new environment.

The variety of languages, cultures and traditions has become the hallmark of the largest university in Chelyabinsk region. However, it is often difficult for foreign students to adapt to new conditions. Lectures in a foreign language, cultural differences, new routines of everyday life – all this is a potential source of stress that reduces the effectiveness of education at university.

The idea of designing the chatbot belongs to Sergey Borisov, Doctor of Philosophy and Professor of SUSU’s Department of Philosophy. The scientist says that working with foreign students allowed him to compile a list of issues that each of them has regularly faced. Eventually he came up with the idea of developing a digital assistant that could help students in real time. At the end of January, the chatbot passed the first stage of testing. The updated version should appear in April this year.