Foreign language teaching for postgraduates in the context of new educational conditions: problems and perspectives

The year of 2014 witnessed the adoption of new educational standards aimed at modernizing the system of postgraduate training. The legislative amendments involve foreign language teaching. The article analyzes problems and prospects that arise in the postgraduate study provided by a scientific organization in connection with these changes. The practical course of foreign language is to ensure training of a specialist, speaking a foreign language as a means of implementation of research activities in the foreign language environment and a means of intercultural communication; a specialist who understands the importance of adequately mastering a foreign language for creative, scientific and professional activities. The case study of the postgraduate study at the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of Russian Academy of Sciences shows its intention to provide post-graduates with a level of foreign language proficiency that will allow them to participate in the work of international research groups to address scientific and scientific-educational problems and use modern methods and technologies of scientific communication in a foreign language. The paper proves the necessity to form a new system of teaching foreign language at the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of RAS. It shows that high demands should be made not only on graduates, but also on their supervisors, as well as teachers conducting classes in foreign languages. The article proposes measures aimed at developing graduate students’ language skills and skills enabling them to lead scientific and professional activity in the foreign environment.