The movement and integration of foreign people in a foreign country have always been
important issues for shaping modern and prosperous societies, economies, and higher
education. Since an increasing number of young people are moving to study in foreign
higher education institutions, the examination of the factors determining the integration
of foreign students such as foreign language proficiency, openness, and how better
learning outcomes can be supported and achieved are important research areas.Therefore,
the aim of our research was to investigate the extent to which foreign language proficiency
and personality traits such as adaptiveness, integrativeness, active social life and
openness to the host culture determine the integration of foreign students in higher
education institutions (Hungarian University of Life Sciences and Agriculture (MATE),
University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN)) in two countries (England, Hungary).According
to our research results, language proficiency of foreign students positively correlated
with extrovert personality traits such as adaptiveness, integrativeness, active social
life and openness to the host culture in the academic environment. However, personality
traits of introverted personality types (passivity, introversion) restrict inclusion
and integration in the academic environment, even if these traits were combined with
very good English language proficiency.To sum up, our research has found that although
foreign language proficiency is essential and vital for the integration and inclusion
of foreign students in a higher education institution in a foreign country, personality
traits such as adaptiveness, integrativeness, active social life and openness to the
host culture determine the success of the integration and inclusion of foreign students
in the academic environment. Consequently, extroverted foreign students who are more
adaptive, integrative and open to the new culture integrate more successfully at university
than introverted foreign students, regardless of their foreign language proficiency.
Therefore, trainings and coaching sessions are recommended to help the inclusion of
foreign students, focusing on the development of skills of coping strategies and social
networking tools.
