First Alumni of the TVU - HSE Dual Degree Track

Anastasiia Ivanova, Anastasiia Soboleva and Oliver Tomassi have become the first alumni of the Dual Degree Track, co-organized by the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg.

The Dual Degree Track was launched in 2018, allowing the students from the BA Programme in Global Governance and BA Programme in Political Science & World Politics to spend a year in St. Petersburg or in Rome, respectively. Upon successful graduation, they obtain two diplomas simultaneously – from both universities.

In 2018/2019 Anastasia Ivanova and Anastasia Soboleva spent a wonderful academic year in Rome, while the Higher School of Economics in St. Pete’s welcomed Oliver Tomassi from TVU for an unforgettable experience. This year these three pioneers of the DDT have successfully defended their final theses before the international board, and now they are about to receive two bachelor’s degrees.

The DDT track has become an incredible opportunity for the students to acquire new knowledge and experience beyond their major focus. As Anastasiia Soboleva notes, the Global Governance programme "presents a favorable opportunity to dig into the “global” aspect so prominent today. From this perspective, a person can gain knowledge and experience that is not particularly underlined in the PS & WP Programme – especially it refers to those desiring to work in INGOs. Besides the content, the mode implies a big deal of time dedicated to self-study, which, at least in my case, has contributed to improving self-discipline". For Anastasiia Ivanova the brightest moments of her study in Rome are associated with the off-campus activities: “We visited a waste treatment plant, a hospital, a refugee center, and even the Italian Air Force Academy in Pozzuoli. These trips helped me to see how the organizations work in practice.” Both students have been impressed by the wonderful academic environment of TVU, the enthusiasm and expertise of the faculty, as well as the magnificent Italian culture. Oliver Tomassi considers his year at HSE as “demanding, but enriching”. As he emphasizes, “It has been one of the few opportunities I got in life to project my understanding of the world through a different pair of lenses. The programme is intense, but the support from the professors and staff from both universities supported me all the way”. 

The academic supervisors of the partner programmes are also positive of the DDT and its outcomes. As Dr. Anna A. Dekalchuk, the head of the BA programme in Political Science & WP, mentions, participating in the DDT definitely helps students broaden their horizons and take a more interdisciplinary perspective on the world around us. “I am very happy that together with the wonderful colleagues from Rome we have made the DDT a reality for the students from both St. Petersburg and Rome. It takes a lot of effort to run the track and this is the reason why I am really thankful to our colleagues at TVU, since together we are always able to find solutions to those obstacles which such endeavours are often accompanied with.”

To see all this joint work together of several years finally take shape in the success of our three students gives immense satisfaction. We had then, and we have today, a goal, of making these two incredibly important cultures of the planet, the Russian and the Italian, interact even more, build together even more. So far so very good, we are delighted of seeing them grow and going into the world carrying our two nations in their heart

Prof. Gustavo Piga
The Global Governance program Founder and Coordinator, TVU

Now the alumni are going to continue their education, and they believe their DDT experience will contribute greatly to their success at the master’s level.

"I would like to continue studying at the HSE in St. Petersburg. Now I am choosing between two programmes – “Business and Politics in Modern Asia” and “Comparative Politics of Eurasia”. But whatever programme I choose, the experience I got in Tor Vergata will be helpful and relevant. I got in touch with new views and theoretical models, had an opportunity to communicate with active professors and students. The interdisciplinary and multicultural profile of the Global governance programme made me a more curious and confident person".

Anastasiia Ivanova

"I have been enrolled in the CEU’s one-year Political Science programme, and, I think, knowledge acquired in the double degree programme will be reflected in one course or another. For instance, environmental engineering, gender studies or health management represent demanded realms in Europe nowadays, while some other courses, such as political philosophy or statistics, are a very good auxiliary to HSE’s ones. Aside from all that, a year in TVU seems to me useful in terms of enhancing overall erudition".

Anastasiia Soboleva

"I am currently following a MSc in Global Development at Copenhagen University. Having completed a year of postgraduate studies, I can say that studying in two extremely different systems has fully prepared me for my future studies. I am considering to start a PhD next year and I feel that the DD track will surely play in my favour for future applications". 

Oliver Tomassi