Formation of students’ tolerance in the multicultural environment of higher education institution

The processes of globalisation and democratisation at the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st centuries put on agenda the task of developing new qualities in the younger generation: tolerant attitude to differences and everything that goes beyond the usual perception of certain ethnic groups. The problem of intercultural tolerance has been investigated by many Ukrainian scientists, but some aspects of the problem should be still discussed, including multicultural environment of higher school as a source for development intercultural tolerance. The aim of study is to define the terms "tolerance", "intercultural tolerance", "multicultural environment" and to reveal the peculiarities of the intercultural tolerance formation in future specialists. The following research methods have been used: theoretical methods (analysis of scientific sources for the systematisation and generalisation of available data); empirical methods (observation (direct and indirect) of the students' behaviour, participation in extra-curricular activities, communication with representatives of different nationalities). It has been revealed that the term "tolerance" is defined as respect, acceptance and proper understanding of rich diversity of the world cultures, forms of self-expression and ways of manifestation of a human individuality, which are promoted by knowledge, openness in communication, freedom of thought, conscience and beliefs. This is not only a moral obligation, but also a political and legal need. With regard to "intercultural tolerance", this term is often used in scientific literature alongside with the term "interethnic tolerance". It has been proved that multicultural environment of higher schools is very important in the development of intercultural tolerance of future specialists. Practical and theoretical value of the study has stated the necessity and possibilities of the intercultural tolerance formation in multicultural environment. Questions for the further investigation would be: the ways of creation of a multicultural environment in the system of higher and secondary education and its influence on the development of intercultural tolerance