International Youth Sessions: HSE University–St Petersburg Introduces Indian School Students to Russian Education
Why pursue higher education in Russia? How can you become a sought-after specialist in international relations? What initiatives do students carry out? The participants of the International Youth Sessions project spent a day at HSE University–St Petersburg to find answers to these questions.
International Youth Sessions is a large-scale project for promoting St Petersburg universities among international applicants. Since 2024, the city has welcomed school students from Serbia, Vietnam, the Republic of Cuba, and the CIS countries. For several days, prospective applicants get to know the cultural environment and leading universities in St Petersburg. This year, the project welcomed a new participant—India, with a delegation from the country visiting HSE University–St Petersburg. Senior students of St Xavier's School (Gurgaon) chose the university to explore the prospects of education in the sphere of international relations and political science.
'As I plan to apply to a Russian university, it's important for me to get up-to-date information about the system of higher education and available fields of study. The project did not just answer my questions but also allowed me to get to know St Petersburg and its citizens—they are very kind and sympathetic,' shared project participant Mahi Ketiani.
The delegation continued exploring on a tour of the Rope Shop building. The school students learned the history of the former Red Nailer factory and tracked its transformation into an innovative building of HSE University.
The International Youth Sessions participants also learned more about educational tracks from Aleksei Sorbale, academic supervisor of the Bachelor's programme 'Political Science and World Politics.' He explained that the English-taught programme focuses on practical tasks—participation in research expeditions and project work with representatives of academia, industry, and government bodies. At the beginning of studies, students get comprehensive training in the spheres of political science and international relations, and then engage in in-depth studies of one of the five politico-geographical regions: Europe, Latin America, China, the post-Soviet space, or the Middle East.
Aleksei Sorbale
Academic Supervisor of the Bachelor's programme 'Political Science and World Politics'
We don't expect senior students to know what they want to be after university, so we offer a wide range of hard skills. Graduates of our programme can pursue careers in international business, government services, or the non-profit sector, as well as develop their analytical skills. We provide a methodological basis and skills in project management, which you can apply to solve various tasks.
HSE University–St Petersburg is actively developing not just educational programmes for international students but also research partnerships with Indian universities. Such cooperation opens up new opportunities for joint work and experience exchange between the countries.
'India is a strategic partner of HSE University, and the leadership of leading Indian universities are not just colleagues but dear friends. We were glad to welcome school students from India at the Rope Shop building, to tell them about enrolment prospects, and show real-life examples of academic cooperation of the campus with world partner universities, in particular the University of Delhi,' underscored Dmitry Selivanov, Head of the India Unit at HSE University–St Petersburg.
HSE University–St Petersburg is developing partnerships with leading Indian universities, including top technological institutes in Delhi and Mumbai. Researchers from HSE University–St Petersburg also participate in large international initiatives, including the BRICS Network University, the Russian–Indian Network, and the Law Schools Global League.
