Is Russia a New Homeland or Pleasant Memories for International Students?

The article explores the possibility of retaining foreign university graduates in Russia, considering the countries they come from and their motivation for pursuing education in Russia. The theoretical foundation is based on the theory of social construction, examining Russia’s image abroad as an attractive destination. The study aims to evaluate the relationship between the type of motivation for studying in Russia and the willingness of foreign graduates to stay and work in the country. To achieve this, the following steps were taken: identification of key motivational factors for educational migration, based on the perception of Russia; analysis of factors influencing the choice of Russia and St. Petersburg as higher education destinations, taking into account the students’ countries of origin; assessment of the impact of external and internal motivational factors on the desire to remain in Russia after graduation. Research design: qualitative-quantitative. Empirical base: an online survey of international students from St. Petersburg universities (N = 436), 7 focus groups in 5 St. Petersburg universities (N=46). Methods of analysis: regression analysis, pairwise comparisons, qualitative analysis of focus group materials. Key findings. It is necessary a separating the two contours of educational migration – the “entry” factors and the “post-educational retention” factors. The image of Russia as a technologically advanced country influences graduates’ decisions to stay after completing their studies. The perception of Russia as a custodian of culture motivates applicants to choose the country but does not necessarily lead to the decision to stay and work there. This indicates an asymmetry in motivation: what attracts applicants does not always retain graduates. Future research directions include analyzing the link between Russia’s image as a guardian of traditional values and the motivation for international educational migration, as well as analyzing the language factor’s influence on the decision to stay in Russia.