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Challenges Make You Stronger: London Faculty Members Assess ICEF Students’ Performance in 2020

Challenges Make You Stronger: London Faculty Members Assess ICEF Students’ Performance in 2020

© ICEF

HSE ICEF students annually are awarded prizes and commendation letters from the University of London for their academic achievements and internationally top-ranking exam scores in the international double degree programme. In addition, University of London faculty members note the high level of our students in comparison with other students from around the world.

Despite the significant adjustments that had to be made to the study process and the administration of exams under the pandemic, ICEF students performed even better than in years past. ‘We would like to especially congratulate the ICEF students for their hard work and such high achievements in this difficult year,’ said representatives of the University of London's international programme. The ICEF students’ impressive scores on the international exams both further the international prestige of HSE University and demonstrate the high potential of Russian students and teachers.

About the programme:

The HSE ICEF Bachelor's Programme was established in 1997, bringing together the academic resources of institutions of economic training that are leaders in their respective countries — LSE (London School of Economics / University of London) and HSE University. Graduates receive a international education, which is reflected in the two diplomas they earn – one from each university.

The programme includes courses offered by the University of London as well as courses required for a Russian diploma in economics. In addition, students have their choice of a range of elective courses that allow them to tailor their studies to their interests. The programme is English-taught.

Over the course of their studies, ICEF students are actively involved in the research activities of the university and can develop their research skills while taking additional advanced courses in ICEF Academia.

The international professional support for the students of the programme is provided by the ICEF Career Centre.

The most prestigious form of recognition from the University of London is the Awards for Academic Achievement, which are awarded to the best of the best in the world for each specialization of the University of London. 9 ICEF students received awards in 2020: Artemy Kozhemyakin, Kamila Shafigullina, Maxim Litvinkov, Anastasia Belugina, Alina Bondarovich, Albert Belkov, Christian Redin, Maxim Sayenko, and Aldiyar Dzhulamanov. In 2018 and 2019, Awards for Academic Achievement were awarded to 8 ICEF students, respectively.

Top students also receive Commendation Letters; this year there were 51 of them. The number of ICEF students who earned the highest scores in the world in subjects (Topper / Special Topper) almost tripled to 28 people. In 2019, 10 ICEF students were top-ranking. Traditionally, students receive first place for the highest scores in several disciplines: macroeconomics, econometrics, industrial economics, introduction to economics, mathematical methods, and statistics. But in 2020 they also became the best in the world in new subjects that they took for the first time: corporate finance, banking and finance principles, asset pricing, and financial markets. Students of the specialization ‘Mathematics and Economics’ excelled in algebra and mathematics.

Kamila Shafigullina and Albert Belkov, just like last year, were awarded in two categories at once: Awards for Academic Achievement and Topper. In the latter, they were recognized for earning the highest scores in macroeconomics and econometrics. In addition, in 2020, Kamila became a laureate of the Student Research Paper Competition in the nomination for best undergraduate research paper in finance. The Academic Achievement Awards ceremony will be hosted by the University of London in 2021 for the first time and will take place online in March.

Kamila Shafigullina, 4th-year student

I chose ICEF because I wanted to get a high-quality international education in economics and finance and practice my English every day. A significant motivating factor was the opportunity to receive diplomas from two strong and recognized universities at the same time.

In accordance with my Unified State Exam scores, I entered HSE with a minimum tuition discount, but at the end of my first year I received the maximum tuition discount (75%) and still have this tuition rate now. Self-discipline, especially in the current environment of distance learning, and interest help me in this. Most often, I earn my highest scores in courses that I’ve chosen on my own since these are the courses that will help me find answers to questions that interest me and prepare for a specific area of specialization in the future.

After graduating from ICEF, I was planning to get a job in the financial and economic sphere. However, an interest in discovering new things and my achievements in research – in particular, my awards from the University of London and winning HSE’s Student Research Paper Competition – have fueled a desire to continue my studies in a foreign Master’s programme. I am confident that the opportunities ICEF has given me will be useful both in my professional life and my personal life.

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