‘It’s Almost Impossible Not to Meet People and Make Friends as an HSE Student’
Victoria Ramos Gonzales, from Bolivia, fell in love with Moscow after visiting the city in 2022. Now, as a student of the ‘Master in International Management’ programme at the HSE Graduate School of Business, she researches management systems with a focus on Latin America. In this interview with the HSE News Service, Victoria talks about choosing to study at HSE University–Moscow, presenting her research to experts at a seminar, and finding the confidence to use Russian in daily life.
‘HSE Offers a Lot, Not Just Academically, but Also in Terms of Community and Unexpected Opportunities’
Zhou Jinyu, from China, is a fourth-year student of the Bachelor’s programme ‘Data Science and Business Analytics’ at the HSE University Faculty of Computer Science. On March 5, 2026, Zhou Jinyu delivered the report ‘Exploration of Object-Centric Process Mining Using Object-Centric Sequence Diagrams’ as part of the PAIS Lab seminar. In her interview with the HSE News Service, she spoke on her research topic, how object-centric process mining lets data reflect reality, and her overall experience of studying at HSE University.
‘A Universe of Ideas’: Master's Student from Cameroon on Studying in Russia and the Multicultural Environment at HSE University–St Petersburg
Kingsly Nji Nche enrolled in the Master's programme 'International Business in the Asia-Pacific Region' at HSE University–St Petersburg after studying journalism in Cameroon. Read on to find out how the media is related to economics and what the advantages of studying at a multicultural university are.
‘The Identity of a Political Community Is Not Fixed—It Is Continuously Constructed and Contested’
Wang Yali has been interested in Russian language and politics since her time as an undergraduate at Peking University. After graduating with a degree in Asian and African Languages and Literatures and a second degree in International Relations, she pursued a Master’s in International Relations at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at HSE University–Moscow. She is now pursuing a PhD at the Doctoral School of Political Science, examining Russian narratives of ‘East,’ ‘West,’ and its own place among them.
‘Collective Action Can Lead to Real Progress for Rural Women Everywhere’
Gabriella Leelee Enchill is a third-year student at the HSE University Doctoral School of Sociology. She has a bachelor’s in Integrated Community Development from the University for Development Studies in her native Ghana and a master’s in Population and Development from HSE University. Her current research focuses on gender inequality in rural Ghanaian communities. Gabriella spoke to the HSE News Service about what her studies have uncovered about inequality in the region, how women can gain agency by banding together, and why studying these communities helps empower women around the world.
‘Students Face Similar Challenges While Working on Their Theses’
The HSE News Service spoke to Prof. Maxim Nikitin, Deputy Director of HSE ICEFand Academic Director of the Master’s in Financial Economics, about the college’s international student body and burgeoning partnerships with foreign universities. We also spoke to Minghao Yan, a graduate from China who was awarded the highest marks for the defence of his master’s thesis on gambling behaviour.
Exchange Student From Armenia on His Studies at HSE University–St Petersburg
Daniel Minasian came from Armenia as an exchange student to spend a semester at HSE University–St Petersburg. Majoring in Korean Studies, Daniel chose courses offered by the Institute of Asian and African Studies. Read on to discover how his exchange studies went and what this experience brought him.
‘Life Is for the Brave’: HSE University–St Petersburg Student from Mexico Wins StudRussia Competition
Gisel Sarahi Vergara Herrera, second-year student of the Master’s programme ‘Arts and Culture Management,’ became a winner of the StudRussia all-Russian competition for international students. Her project was awarded the first prize in the ‘Creative Spirit’ category. Read on to find out about Gisel’s work and experience of participating in such a large-scale contest for international students.
‘Growth Often Happens Quietly, When No One is Watching’
The end of the year is a natural time for reflection on the past and planning for the future. With the winter holidays almost here, the HSE News Service has been asking international students to share their experiences and take stock of the year gone by. In this instalment, master’s students Raihanulla Moghmand and Isaac Sarfo talk about traditional New Year celebrations in their home countries, explain what they’ve learned from life in Russia so far, and share some warm wishes for their fellow students.
‘The Greatest Reflections Often Come in Conversations with Classmates over Tea’
Ahead of the holiday season, the HSE News Service talked to some international students about their reflections on the past year, expectations of the year to come, and plans for the winter break. Below, Hasnain and Syed, both from Pakistan, talk about their experiences as international students in Moscow, share their tips for successful personal growth, and send wishes to their fellow classmates.
Submission Deadline: March 1, 2026