HSE SPB Day has been held at Sevkabel Port in the open air. HSE students were congratulated on the beginning of the academic year by the trustees, faculty deans, and the rousing HSE Dance Club. The first-years had an initiation ceremony, participated in activities from student clubs, and danced to popular songs on the Gulf of Finland. They received well wishes from the professors, representatives of large companies and, of course, student organisations. Find out how the first-years spent the day and what they remember most about the event.

HSE University continues to develop its international relations with the best Asian universities. At the request of Thammasat University (Thailand), a special short-term educational programme in ‘Russian Language and Culture’ has been created at the HSE St Petersburg International Office.

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.

During the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, HSE University-St Petersburg hosted Sheikh Ahmed bin Nasser bin Jasim Al Thani, Ambassador of Qatar to the Russian Federation. In the building on Griboyedova Canal Embankment, the ambassador and an international delegation participated in the opening ceremony of 'Corner of Qatar'.

Choosing a profession is hard, and not everyone can do it straight away. Such was the case with Taş Elif Esra, an exchange student who came to HSE University from Turkey. Esra started her education in translation studies before finding her passion in sociology. Find out why she decided to change her major and what motivated her to take part in the mobility programme in this interview.

Since her school years in Kazakhstan, Darya Bashlayeva has dreamed about HSE University. Now, several years later, her dream has come true—she came to HSE University in St Petersburg under the exchange programme. She is currently studying the Chinese language, Asian literature and Political Science. Read on to learn more about Darya's story.