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HSE University–St Petersburg is proud of its graduates. Our alumni pursue careers in a wide variety of fields—from academia and public policy to creative industries and international development. Each story is unique, filled with ambition, perseverance, and meaningful change. Today, we are excited to share the story of Giovanny Simon Machado—a graduate of the Master’s programme 'Applied and Interdisciplinary History "Usable Pasts"'. Now, he is a professor at the Department of Social Work at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. This May, Prof. Machado came back to Russia as a participant of the HSE University–St Petersburg International Partners’ Week 2025. Read on to learn more about his experience of studying and living in Russia and how it has changed his life.

The International Ambassadors project at HSE University-St Petersburg is a dynamic initiative, which empowers international students to represent the university in their home countries around the world. Established to build cultural bridges and strengthen the university’s global presence, the programme recruits highly motivated students who are passionate about international education and willing to share their HSE experience through events, outreach campaigns, and personal engagement. Ambassadors serve as cultural connectors offering firsthand insights into student life, academic opportunities, and the unique environment which define HSE University. The project also aims to foster long-term international cooperation and attract more diverse and talented applicants to one of Russia’s leading research universities.

Dao Khanh Linh, exchange student on the track 'Economics', came from Vietnam for one semester. During her studies at HSE University-St Petersburg, she found new friends, fell in love with the Russian language and made a list of top places in St Petersburg. Read on to find out about her plans for the future, work at the International Partners' Week and other interesting moments.

The large-scale international forum gathered representatives from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America in St Petersburg. Apart from the intense business programme with expert discussions, signing of agreements, and creating international collaborations, guests of HSE University–St Petersburg got to know the cultural heritage of the Northern capital—seeing the city from the Neva and visiting the Hermitage, Tsarskoye Selo, and other significant sights.

The honoured guest of the HSE St Petersburg International Week was Yogesh Singh, rector of the University of Delhi. He held a discussion with employees of two international mirror laboratories and also delivered an open lecture for students and professors of HSE University 'India-Russia: Friendship of Ganga and Volga'.

The building of HSE University-St Petersburg on Kantemirovskaya Street hosted a festival devoted to the culture of Arab countries. The event featured presentations of traditions, national dances, and dishes by students from Iraq, Algeria, Chad, Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.

Alexander Sorokin, Dean of the St Petersburg School of Social Sciences, presented the results of a joint Russian–Malaysian mirror laboratory project in social entrepreneurship at the second meeting of the Russian–Malaysian Working Group on Education, Science, and Technology at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).

HSE University–St Petersburg has held the grand award ceremony for the winners and prizewinners of INTO HSE 2025, which was organised with support from the Russian House in Jakarta. The competitions took place in Surabaya and Jakarta and served as an important step in developing educational cooperation between Russia and Indonesia.