Tag "ideas & experience"

The HSE News Service spoke to Prof. Maxim Nikitin, Deputy Director of HSE ICEFand Academic Director of the Master’s in Financial Economics, about the college’s international student body and burgeoning partnerships with foreign universities. We also spoke to Minghao Yan, a graduate from China who was awarded the highest marks for the defence of his master’s thesis on gambling behaviour.

Daniel Minasian came from Armenia as an exchange student to spend a semester at HSE University–St Petersburg. Majoring in Korean Studies, Daniel chose courses offered by the Institute of Asian and African Studies. Read on to discover how his exchange studies went and what this experience brought him.

The end of the year is a natural time for reflection on the past and planning for the future. With the winter holidays almost here, the HSE News Service has been asking international students to share their experiences and take stock of the year gone by. In this instalment, master’s students Raihanulla Moghmand and Isaac Sarfo talk about traditional New Year celebrations in their home countries, explain what they’ve learned from life in Russia so far, and share some warm wishes for their fellow students.

Ahead of the holiday season, the HSE News Service talked to some international students about their reflections on the past year, expectations of the year to come, and plans for the winter break. Below, Hasnain and Syed, both from Pakistan, talk about their experiences as international students in Moscow, share their tips for successful personal growth, and send wishes to their fellow classmates.

Mohammed Yassir Ali Osman, from Sudan, graduated from HSE’s Master’s Programme in Population and Development. He is now a doctoral student at the HSE Doctoral School of Sociology and conducts research at the Laboratory of Social and Demographic Policies at the Vishnevsky Institute of Demography. Recently he presented his dissertation on the migration intention of African students in Russia. In this interview with the HSE News Service, Mohammed Yassir Ali Osman shares the highlights of his research, his future plans after completing his PhD, and his advice for prospective researchers.

Warda Tariq, from Pakistan, completed her Master’s in Data Science at HSE University–Moscow in 2024. She is now undertaking a PhD at the Faculty of Computer Science while working remotely as an AI/ML developer. Warda spoke to the HSE News Service about blending theory and practice, what an HSE education provides apart from academic knowledge, and her advice for making the most of university.

Anna Gonzales, a Peruvian graduate of the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at HSE University, completed her Master’s in International Business in 2024. Currently based in Moscow, she works remotely as Marketing Team Lead at Digital Tide, an international IT company. In this interview, Anna reflects on her academic journey at HSE University. From landing her first job as a student to advancing through roles in marketing and technology, Anna shares her insights on cross-cultural collaboration and the lasting value of her HSE education.

Ziyuan Zhu, from Beijing, China, is an international PhD student at the Institute for Public Administration and Governance at HSE University in Moscow. In this interview with the HSE News Service, Ziyuan talks about how studies can influence one’s outlook on life, comparing public service models in different countries, and why being a Chinese student in Russia is advantageous in research.

Practicing and teaching yoga, chilling in Moscow parks, writing academic papers, travelling around Russia, and volunteering—these are only a few of the things HSE international students have tried over their summer break. Now, as they are getting back to studies, the students reflect on their summer experiences in academic work, professional development, travel, and leisure.

On September 1, campuses across Russia ring in the new academic year with the traditional ‘first bell’—flowers for teachers and welcomes for first‑years—while international students at HSE University share how studies begin in their home countries, from Ghana’s Akwaba week to China’s student club fair, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s blue-and-white uniforms, and India’s Teachers’ Day.