Culture as a Bridge, Not a Barrier: Expert Session by the School of Arts and Humanities at HSE’s International Partners Week

From May 19 to 23, HSE University — St. Petersburg hosted International Partners Week, an event aimed at strengthening the university’s ties with global partners and fostering collaboration in research and higher education. This article provides an overview of the expert session Bridging Cultures, organized by the School of Arts and Humanities in St. Petersburg.

International Partner Week at HSE University — St. Petersburg

Photo: Sameed Ali

As part of the International Partners Week, HSE — St. Petersburg welcomed 100 representatives from leading universities across 23 countries. The School of Arts and Humanities hosted the session Bridging Cultures: Enhancing Intercultural Competence in Higher Education and Business, featuring speakers from HSE campuses in St. Petersburg and Perm, as well as from universities in Brazil and Switzerland. The discussion brought together participants from Brazil, Egypt, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico, Oman, Serbia, Switzerland, and Vietnam.

In addition, the School introduced its new Centre for Russian Language and Culture and held the «Viva o Brasil!» festival, during which the Media Communications programme presented a new track titled Latin America in the Global World: Business, Politics, and Communication.

The session Bridging Cultures: Enhancing Intercultural Competence in Higher Education and Business brought together experts from academia and industry to discuss building cultural bridges, fostering international partnerships, and launching cross-border projects. «Today, the topic of intercultural competence is particularly relevant: global challenges demand not only linguistic flexibility but also a thorough understanding of cultural contexts. During the panel session, we explored how academic collaboration can foster better mutual understanding between countries and regions, and what practical steps need to be taken in education to train professionals capable of working effectively in multicultural environments», summed up the session moderator, Natalia Ursul, Academic Supervisor of the bachelor’s programme Texts, Languages, and Digital Tools.  

The event began with a talk by Martin Klotz, a representative of the Swiss International Business School, who outlined key approaches to developing intercultural competence in business and education — ranging from Edward T. Hall’s Cultural Iceberg model to Richard Lewis’s classification of business cultures.

Martin Klotz

Swiss International Business School

It is important to raise awareness of other cultures already in the classroom. I often ask my students to talk about symbols, rituals, and values of their own cultures. Developing intercultural competence helps bridge communication gaps. I believe this is now one of the most essential skills, along with building trust and adapting to different business practices—not just Western ones.

The importance of trust in developing relationships with foreign partners was also emphasized by Gleb Pozhemetsky, Head of Business Development at FESCO and Chair of the Academic Council for the Master's Programme Strategic Management in Logistics and Supply Chains. In his talk, he paid special attention to the management of diverse teams.

Gleb Pozhemetsky

FESCO, Chair of the Academic Council, Master's Programme in Strategic Management in Logistics and Supply Chains

Flexibility in resource use is essential. When we begin working with representatives of a culture unfamiliar to us, we never rely on past solutions. Instead, we develop new approaches tailored to the specific context, while making sure the team stays united. For example, when working with colleagues from Japan, everything unfolded exactly as described in books. We assigned roles and anticipated how the dialogue might develop. Knowing the specifics of Japanese negotiations, we identified the key decision-maker on their side — and, as expected, it was the quietest person in the room.

The session also explored historical examples illustrating intercultural communication in a global context. Academic speakers shared stories about gifts presented to Joseph Stalin and Valentina Tereshkova, visits by Latin American delegations to the Soviet Union, a novel by Jorge Amado, and much more.

Nikolai Ssorin-Chaikov

Academic Supervisor of the Master's Programme Global and Regional History

Global history is a core part of our academic identity. Our Master's programme is taught in English and attracts students from various countries who come to study history and anthropology. In doing so, we build a bridge to the global world and to different regions, historical periods, and interpretations of how people from diverse cultures perceive that world

Giovanni Machado

Federal University of Pernambuco (Brazil)

As a foreigner who has spent some time living in Russia, I have noticed not only how communication helps one adapt to life in a different country, but also how it changes the way you perceive your own culture. I began to notice things that connect me to my home country — things I had never paid attention to before. In my view, those who design exchange programmes should keep in mind that international students find themselves isolated from their native culture. It is important not only to help them adapt to a new environment, but also to support them in maintaining their own identity

The role of international students—whether participating in global projects or pursuing higher education in Russia—emerged as another key focus of the expert discussions. Elizaveta Smirnova, Academic Supervisor of the programme Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication in Business at HSE University – Perm, shared her experience of coordinating international student projects. Within the framework of these initiatives, students not only improved their foreign language skills but also deepened their understanding of other cultures and engaged in discussions on various topics during online meetings.

Elizaveta Smirnova

HSE University — Perm

We launched projects with two universities: Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Colombia) and Universidad Panamericana (Mexico). Opportunities like these give students invaluable experience—they motivate them to study more effectively, increase their intercultural awareness, and serve as a powerful tool for enhancing language and communication skills.”

Anastasia Kolmogorova, Academic Supervisor of the programme Language Technologies in Business and Education, in turn, spoke about the experience of Si Liu, a first-year master’s student from China. To help her adapt to life in Russia, keep up with a demanding Russian-language curriculum, and immerse herself in the local culture, Anastasia invited her to take part in a project with the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve.

Anastasia Kolmogorova

HSE University — St. Petersburg

The core principle of our programme is learning through practice. That is exactly what we tried to implement in Si’s case. Our team travelled to Vladimir and Suzdal to explore one of the projects we are currently working on. During this field trip, Si gained a much deeper understanding of Russian culture — from experiencing overnight train travel in a shared carriage to discovering the unique architecture of Suzdal. Later, she successfully presented her part of the team project to our colleagues at the museum.

The final presentation of Bridging Cultures was delivered by Mikhail Tyurkin, Academic Supervisor of the Media Communications programme. He spoke about a collaborative project with Lovely Professional University (India), which included a student trip to India and the production of a documentary film titled «Tell Me, Guru!». The film explores the concept of teaching and learning, featuring interviews with twenty professionals from across Indian culture and education — from the film industry to the IT sector.

Mikhail Tyurkin

HSE University — St. Petersburg

Collaborations like this give students the chance to grow both professionally and personally. As media practitioners and researchers, we now aim to build bridges, not walls — seeking common ground and mutual understanding between nations and cultures

The Bridging Cultures session is a vivid reminder that culture is not an obstacle, but a resource — and a foundation — for building sustainable international cooperation. The educational practices, research initiatives, and student projects shared during the session show how intercultural communication can be effectively integrated into the learning process, professional environments, and everyday interactions. Today, developing intercultural competence calls for a combination of theoretical knowledge, hands-on experience, and a multilingual educational setting. This approach prepares a new generation of professionals who are open-minded, adaptable, and ready to thrive in a global context.