First-year students’ problems affecting adaptation to a public university in Kazakhstan

Abstract

This study examines some of the difficulties that first-year students in higher education face as they adjust to the university life. The primary objective of this study is to determine which events and programs aided first-year university students to integrate into their new educational environment and become accustomed to their new surroundings. The participants in this research are first-year students at M.Kh. Dulaty Taraz Regional University who initiated their hybrid (online and offline) studies in the 2021-2022 academic year. For the purpose of acquiring data, the authors provided a survey to 270 first-year students and conducted additional interviews with 15 of them. The findings examine the attitudes, expectations, and experiences of first-year university learners, as well as the support from institutional agents, interaction with their instructors, and community involvement, among other factors related to a successful and productive first year of education. Findings of this study will be helpful to the institution’s administration, faculty, and staff in determining the most effective method for easing first-year students into the routines and culture of university life. Based on the findings and results, a number of recommendations for the assimilation of first-year university students have been developed and presented in this paper.