The academic success and integration of linguistic minority students represent a multifactorial construct; however, particular attention should be paid to factors that can be influenced within the university system itself. Among these, language proficiency stands out as a core determinant — serving both as the foundation for cognitive and academic operations and as a gateway to cultural understanding. While demographic and social factors are often fixed or less subject to change, language competence remains a systemically manageable factor that can be purposefully strengthened through institutional policies and educational interventions aimed at supporting student adaptation. The present study examined the adaptive mechanisms of students enrolled in multilingual university programs, focusing on the relative weight, interaction, and effects of linguistic proficiency across different domains of adjustment. Regression analyses revealed that language proficiency was a significant positive predictor of interpersonal communication (β = .313, p < .001), academic performance (β = .287, p = .001), personal involvement (β = .226, p = .012), and ecological adaptation (β = .232, p = .010). These findings confirm that language functions not merely as a communicative tool but as a systemic factor underpinning students’ academic success, socio-cultural integration, and overall well-being within the university environment.

Authors:
Mzia Tsereteli, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia
Ia Aptarashvili, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia

About the Presenter(s)
Mzia Tsereteli is a doctor (habil.) in Psychological Science, a professor of Educational Psychology of the faculty of Psychology and Educational Science at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Professor Tsereteli leads the Institute of the Educational Psychology; she is the director of MA and PhD programs in Educational Psychology. She teaches fundamental subjects such as Cognitive Psychology and Educational Psychology, as well as the Quantitative and Qualitative research methods.
From 2006, as an expert of educational assessment and evaluation she has been involved in the Georgia’s educational reform; in 2009-2011, she managed Georgia’s ongoing National Assessment Projects (funded by World Bank); in 2012-2013 she was an expert on the project “The Development of Primary Education in Georgia” (Chemonics International, USAID); in 2017-2022 - evaluation expert of “Law Education Program” (Project Harmony, Georgia);in 2013-2023 she directed the National Research Project “Eurostudent Georgia”.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mzia-tsereteli-bb56b4b5/

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mzia-Tsereteli

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