The New Academic Year to Begin In-Person for Everyone
In light of the epidemiological situation in Moscow, St Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, and Perm, and the fact that Rospotrebnadzor (The Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing) has not issued any new regulations, the new academic year will begin in an in-person format for all students regardless of their vaccination status.
At the same time, HSE students must follow established safety measures including a mask mandate and social distancing. No more than 50 people are allowed to be in a room at once, and at least a quarter of classes will be held in a synchronous remote format. When creating class schedules, it is recommended to allocate no more than three days per week for offline classes. Minors, MAGOLEGO, and university electives will remain in an e-learning format.
The university may change its attendance policy should the situation worsen. This will primarily depend on whether new directives or guidelines are issued by Rospotrebnadzor and the COVID Task Force. Our internal analytics show that students are well prepared and satisfied with the online format. A survey conducted between November 2020 and January 2021 by the Centre for Institutional Studies shows that 60–70% of HSE University students are satisfied with their online learning experience. We are keeping our finger on the pulse and listening to feedback from the student community, and we are ready to respond to any new developments.
I would also like to ask that any unvaccinated students please get vaccinated for the sake of their own health and that of others. I myself was vaccinated on my first day at HSE University. Vaccination is the only way to minimize the risk of serious illness and reduce the risk of infection not only for yourself, but for your colleagues, classmates, and teachers. Vaccination is the only route to ending this pandemic. For convenience, the university has set up a vaccination point at the on-campus first-aid station on Pokrovka. If you have any questions, please see the university website for more information — Coronavirus Live is a good starting point.