Abstract: Due to globalisation and the fast growing number of international projects and assignments companies are in some way involved in international negotiations and therefore they have to deal with intercultural issues. In recent years, for students and teachers alike, the main goals of mobility have been learning and teaching in different environments as well as learning languages and benefiting from cross-cultural experiences. The paper is based on research which analyses the instance of meeting individuals from different cultures as a source of conflict; it looks into the interactions concerned, the values, beliefs, assumptions and behaviour of the parties involved. The purpose of this study was to identify important elements that the Polish, Ukrainian, Greek and Hungarian students experienced while studying together with international students. This is based on a quantitative (online questionnaire) primary research, conducted at universities in Poland, Hungary, Greece and Ukraine. Based on the results of the research we can gain information in order to prepare to reduce cultural shock and adaptation time for foreign students in their new environment.

Abstract: The main goal of the focus group discussion is to improve the preparation of the university for the process of internationalisation. The universities need to prepare for receiving an increasing number of international students. During this process we would like to minimize the potential problems that the students and lecturers might encounter. A project – specifically the Stranger – was initiated by a team of educators from Poland, Greece, Hungary and Ukraine. The project team produced booklets to help the various stakeholders of the internationalisation process prepare. One of them is to guide foreign students through the reception process. The title of the booklet is: “What should I know before I go to a foreign study/foreign exchange?” The result of the focus group interviews helped in the development of the guide for students who want to study at a foreign university. The booklet was preceded by initial research carried out in three groups of respondents: university administration having contact with foreign students, research and didactic staff conducting classes with foreign students and students from a host country who study together with foreign students. The results of the focus group interviews were intended to identify all potential problems in the new environment that might be eliminated if students were properly prepared before embarking upon studying in a foreign university.