Participants of ‘Cultural Cafe’ at HSE University-St Petersburg Share Their Experience of Academic Mobility in South Korea
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.
Guests from South Korea—Minseok Kang, Hyeyoon Oh, Taehee Kim, Nawon Lee, and Heera Kim—talked about their culture, life in Seoul, and studying at South Korean universities. The participants also learnt about the experience and heard some advice from students of HSE University-St Petersburg: Ekaterina Yakovenko and Yana Skublova (students of the International Bachelor's in Business and Economics) and Daria Lebakova (of the Bachelor's in Asian and African Studies).
'A record number of participants came to this meeting of the Cultural Cafe. We hope that our students' interest in South Korean culture will grow, and that we will attract more active participants to mobility programmes,' says Irina Komarova, event organiser and manager at the International Student and Alumni Centre. 'In the future, we plan to introduce our students to the cultures and educational opportunities of other countries.'
Daria Lebakova, who studied at Chung-Ang University, had some recommendations for future participants of the academic mobility programme: 'It's important to prepare an emergency fund and carefully study information about the host country. I'm grateful to the programme for the unforgettable experience and new acquaintances who will stay with me forever.'
The event sparked great interest among HSE students. 'Though I am only in my first year, I actively study the educational opportunities abroad and hope to apply for the academic mobility programme next year. The Cultural Cafe offers a wonderful chance to learn about mobility programmes. This is not the first such meeting I've been to, and I will eagerly follow the development of this project. I wish luck to the International Office, the speakers from South Korea, and all the students who have already applied or are still planning to apply for the programme,' shared Diana Rybakova, student of the Bachelor's in Business Informatics.
At HSE University-St Petersburg, the сall for academic mobility in the аutumn semester of 2025 is open till February 28. Students can apply to HSE partner universities, including those in South Korea. More details are available on the official social media pages of the International Office.