Tag "international students"

HSE University–St Petersburg is proud of its graduates. Our alumni pursue careers in a wide variety of fields—from academia and public policy to creative industries and international development. Each story is unique, filled with ambition, perseverance, and meaningful change. Today, we are excited to share the story of Giovanny Simon Machado—a graduate of the Master’s programme 'Applied and Interdisciplinary History "Usable Pasts"'. Now, he is a professor at the Department of Social Work at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. This May, Prof. Machado came back to Russia as a participant of the HSE University–St Petersburg International Partners’ Week 2025. Read on to learn more about his experience of studying and living in Russia and how it has changed his life.

Eurasia is not just a geographical term. It is a geopolitical space where history has shaped—and continues to shape—the fate of entire continents. From the dissolution of the Soviet Union to the shifting influence of great powers like China, the EU, and the United States, the region offers a rich laboratory for studying how politics works in practice.Today, understanding Eurasia is more relevant than ever. Global energy politics, post-imperial state-building, war and peace, authoritarian resilience, democratic backsliding—these are all phenomena that play out across the vast space from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. At HSE University-St Petersburg, the master’s programme ‘Comparative Politics of Eurasia’ equips students with theoretical tools and empirical knowledge to study these dynamics critically and comparatively. To explore why students choose this field—and how they envision using it—we spoke to several students of the programme, as well as a professor whose academic career is rooted in the region.

HSE University is not only about studies—it gives students much more. Enowmanyi Samuel Ayuk, a second-year student of the Master’s programme ‘International Business in the Asia-Pacific Region,’ came to Russia from Cameroon. With a background as an award-winning debater and a passion for leadership, he enthusiastically contributes to the life of HSE University–St Petersburg: he has become an international ambassador of the university and a member of the HSE University Student Council. In this interview, he shares his story and impressions of his studies.

Tobias Vilhena de Moraes is a historian working at Museu Lasar Segall inSão Paulo, Brazil, and a faculty member of the Institute of Philosophy and Human Sciences at the University of Campinas. He is now working on a master’s degree at HSE University-St Petersburg.

The building at Griboyedova Canal Embankment hosted a meeting with international students from the South Korean universities of Chung Ang and Kyung Hee, as well as HSE students who went to South Korea on an academic mobility programme.

In 2025, HSE University-St Petersburg opened the Centre for Russian Language and Culture at the School of Arts and Humanities. The centre offers various courses for international applicants, the largest of which is the 'Pre-University Programme', a Russian preparatory course for those intending to enrol in full-time bachelor's and master's programmes. Read on to find out more about the centre's activities, courses, and study conditions.

Armine Abrahamyan studies philosophy at the Russian-Armenian University in Yerevan. She came to St Petersburg under the mobility programme to expand her horizons and live up to her motto of 'never limit yourself'. This aspiration for new knowledge and experiences led her to HSE University-St Petersburg. Armine shared her impressions of the university and explained how studies in Russia and Armenia are different.

There are a lot of opportunities for international students to come to St Petersburg for a semester under the mobility programme. Anh Ngo Quang is an exchange student from Foreign Trade University in Vietnam who is currently studying International Economics at HSE University-St Petersburg. In his interview, he talks about his impressions of the St Petersburg campus, HSE students and teachers, how Russian and Vietnamese education differ, and his plans for improving relations between Russia and Vietnam.