‘It Will Be Interesting’: Happy Knowledge Day!
In September 2026, HSE University–St Petersburg welcomed more than 2,500 first-year bachelor's and master's students. Deans and alumni welcomed the newcomers and shared their wishes and advice on how to make the best use of their university years.
Adrian Selin
Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities
'Dear first-year students! I am sincerely happy to welcome you to HSE University–St Petersburg and to our school in particular. Your life here will be different from the one you had at high school; I am sure that it will be more vivid and interesting for everyone. You need to team up with each other, as the horizontal ties you make during your student years are the best ticket to your future. Our university, our campus, and our school are the best places for a start in life.'
Anton Ilyin
Dean of the School of Law
'My warm greetings to the students of HSE University. There are fun days ahead! A lot of new meetings, impressions, knowledge, troubles, joys, concerns, and delights. Love each other, your professors, the university, and science—and you'll succeed.'
Evgeny Zelenev
Director of the Institute for Asian and African Studies
'Dear first-years and future experts in Asian and African Studies! I am sincerely happy that you've made the right choice and decided to connect your fate with Asian and African Studies, a diverse and creative educational and research area. Just like us, your future professors, you saw huge prospects hidden in studying the countries of Asia and Africa, the Global South, which is consistently and persistently becoming the subject of historical development and the global economic and political leader.
Your predecessors, students of previous years, came up with the inspiring motto: 'The East is Enchanting!' We can't argue with that, but I would also add that the East is a fate which, once chosen, is something you believe in so strongly that the culture and life values of its peoples also become your own in some way. This is the essence of Asian and African Studies.
May you enjoy your studies at the Institute for Asian and African Studies, overcome all difficulties, and strengthen your conviction that you've taken the right path. Godspeed to you!'
Mitya Kharshak
Dean of the School of Art and Design
'Guys, congratulations! This is the start of an important new stage in your life, where you have deliberately chosen your future path. Now, we are colleagues. With each completed project, you will gain experience and knowledge, try things and make mistakes, experiment and reach your goals. The School of Art and Design will always support you in the search for your own language and your aspiration to turn your ideas into real projects.
During your university years, it is important not just to get into a profession but also to understand what you are interested in, learn to ask your own questions, and not be afraid to go beyond the ordinary. Don't waste your time on the fear of failing others' expectations—it is much more important to keep your curiosity, look carefully at the world, search, and create a place for yourself in it. May you be brave in your experiments, be free in your search, and find people with whom you can do truly important things. We will always support you!'
Tatiana Lezina
Dean of the School of Economics and Management
'Dear first-years, today you enter a very important stage of your life—a time for new knowledge and big opportunities. Study not just for grades; education is especially vital in the age of AI because in-depth knowledge, critical thinking, and an ability to ask the right questions help people to become the creators of solutions, not just users of technologies. Find your interests—try new things, ask questions, make mistakes, look for answers, and do not be afraid to go beyond the ordinary.
University is not simply lectures and exams, but also a community of students and professors where you can meet like-minded people, mentors, and friends and create something new together. I wish you a vibrant student life, bold ideas, and true friends! May the years at HSE University–St Petersburg become an important part of your journey. Welcome!'
Alexander Sorokin
Dean of the School of Social Sciences
'Dear HSE students! May this academic year become a time of growth, inspiration, and new opportunities for each of you. The School of Social Sciences has prepared a lot of events and activities both for the students of our school and the whole HSE family: international research conferences, forums, fieldwork, expeditions, real-life cases, and partner projects.
Try new things, ask questions, take part in contests, implement ideas, and set ambitious goals. These are the steps which make up your unique university path. I wish you success, new achievements, and vivid impressions!'
Anton Zarubin
Dean of the School of Computer Science, Physics and Technology
'Dear first-year students, I congratulate you on the beginning of an important stage and welcome you to the St Petersburg School of Computer Science, Physics, and Technology! Remember that the university and our faculty will always support your bravest ideas, scientific searches, and personal undertakings.
Abandon the fear of mistakes and self-doubt. During your studies, try not just to get a fundamental basis but also to find like-minded people. Focus on things that truly inspire you and boldly move forward!'
Not only did deans share useful advice for incoming first-years, but so did recent graduates of HSE University–St Petersburg.
Konstantin Iliashchenko earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at the School of Economics and Management, and in 2026, he was awarded the title of the best St Petersburg graduate. Konstantin has numerous awards from national and global conferences and is a participant of the Science Republic project for student academic development, the Skills Demand and Artificial Intelligence research and study group, and academic mobility programmes in Italy and Turkey.
'For students, the main fear is missing something. But in fact, the point is not to open every door, but to stop pulling each doorknob relentlessly. Don't try to be everywhere and grasp at everything; otherwise you might explode or burn out. Do what brings you joy and benefit.
Your years here will be eventful and quick. You can't be late for the meeting with yourself, but I am sure that the future you will say more than once that they would have liked to prolong the happiness of being here and now. So enjoy every moment without the feeling of a constant chase.’
Kirill Yankin is a graduate of the School of Law and a student of the Master's programme 'Law and Public Administration.' During the five years of his bachelor's programme, he participated in conferences of the Legislative Assembly of St Petersburg, won numerous moot courts, worked twice as a lecturer at the Open Law School, and got his works published in scientific journals from the VAK list and the White List.
'Don't hesitate to be curious! Join the discussions during classes, participate in contests and scientific conferences, and broaden the horizons of your presence. It will help you not just complement your portfolio with qualitative results but also to choose your career path. I would recommend making more acquaintances both at the university and beyond, as in the future, they may become your colleagues or close friends.'
Mikhail Strezhnev is a graduate of the Bachelor’s programme 'Applied Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence' and a holder of a scholarship from the Russian government and T-Bank. He works at Sber on an AI agent for identifying flaws in code.
'Enrolment at HSE University–St Petersburg is a way to find yourself, be surrounded by like-minded people and inspired people, and make useful connections. The university builds bridges between students and companies, which helps you to make the first steps in your career. Make friends, communicate, learn, and try something new. Then, when graduating, you will suddenly realise how much you've achieved during your studies.'
We invite you to continue exploring the university in an informal setting at the main student festival of the autumn, HSE SPB Day. See you on September 5 at Sevkabel Port. The festival starts at 4 pm. Register here.
