'Rhythms of Africa': HSE University-St Petersburg Brings Together Guests from 15 Countries at International Festival
HSE University-St Petersburg hosted the African Festival. The Rope Shop Educational Space welcomed guests from Morocco, Nigeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana and other countries. During a panel discussion, representatives of businesses and leading St Petersburg universities discussed ways to enhance relations between Russia and Africa, while international students shared stories of their career success.
HSE African Fest is an annual event organised by the International Student and Alumni Centre. The project's mission is to introduce students, employees, and guests of HSE University-St Petersburg to African culture and to strengthen relations between the countries.
Olga Gaidova
Director of the International Student and Alumni Centre
'The pilot season of the African Fest took place in 2025 and gathered more than 100 students from almost 20 countries. This year, we have increased the scale and become a platform for a panel discussion between the representatives of higher education and business. We hope that this dialogue will help the participants to learn something new, not just about the culture of another country but about their own one as well', comments Olga Gaidova, director of the Centre.
The topic of the Fest 2026 is 'Roots, Rhythm & Relations: Russian-African Collaborations in Education, Sport, and Creative Industries'. The representatives of the business and academic community discussed the role of educational projects in the cooperation of Russia with the countries of the African continent.
Omaji Paul Omojo, rector of the Admiralty University of Nigeria and co-chairman of the Russian-African Universities Consortium, highlighted that Russia had been supporting the development of African countries for centuries.
'Nowadays, academic partnership is still a strategic tool. Our task is to develop an efficient cooperation model, which would become a part of the large system of relations between the state, business and society of both countries', underscored Omaji Paul Omojo.
Marina Matetskaya, academic supervisor of the Master's programme 'International Business in the Asia-Pacific Region', emphasised that HSE University supported the tradition of academic exchanges founded in the Soviet period. The number of students from African countries at HSE University-St Petersburg is increasing every year, and the educational track is designed to meet the needs of employers. Alumni can build their careers both in Russia and in the global market.
Kouassi Kouame Modeste worked in the public sector of Côte d'Ivoire, and now, he is developing a division of a Russian water purification company in Africa. He believes that the competencies in business, power economy, IT and engineering will be in demand in any country.
Students from different countries on the African continent shared their personal stories about moving to Russia. Obinna Innocent Emenari, graduate of the Master's programme 'Arts and Culture Management' at HSE University-St Petersburg, confessed that at first, the adaptation was hard for him. However, the immersion in the active life of HSE University-St Petersburg helped the students to find friends and new hobbies. Now, Obinna develops applications in the sphere of generative artificial intelligence.
'Only through hardship can we reach the stars. HSE University-St Petersburg taught me to show myself and gave me the necessary knowledge and skills to build a successful career', added Obinna Innocent Emenari.
The festival participants agreed that an open educational environment was the key to efficient intercultural communication and successful professional self-realisation of international students in Russia.
On the second day, the Rope Shop Educational Space hosted the official part of the festival, which brought together almost 200 guests. The programme included poster presentations, workshops on drumming, Ankara batik and afro-beat dancing.
During the day, guests had a chance to get to know the history and traditions of 15 countries. The exhibition stand of Central Africa offered a workshop on face painting; the representatives of Ethiopia treated the guests to coffee; and the Nigerians invited them to try traditional dishes.
'I spent a whole day with wonderful people. Thanks to HSE University-St Petersburg, I found out what Africa 'tastes' like and learnt more about its history and traditions’, shared Burhan Ud Din, a guest of the Rope Shop Educational Space from Pakistan.
The students introduced guests not only to the everyday practices but also to the centuries-old heritage of their countries. Thus, at the exhibition stand of Western Africa, Danso Enos Adrian, 2nd-year student of the Bachelor's programme 'Applied Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence', told the guests about Adinkra—a symbolic language, with the help of which the peoples of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire decorate their clothes and ceramics.
The festival finished with the award ceremony for festival participants and a performance of the dance club 'Afrodance'.
Ivana Angjelovska
Manager at the International Student and Alumni Centre
'Art, dancing and cultural monuments united students of HSE University-St Petersburg and other universities in the city by creating the festive atmosphere and a chance to communicate. The festival highlighted the importance of cultural diversity and demonstrated one more time that, regardless of our roots, common values and respect for the culture can bring people together', summed up Ivana Angjelovska, manager at the International Student and Alumni Centre.
