Alumni

Studying Public Policy at HSE has been a great opportunity for me. I have learned a lot about the relevance of public policy and how it is connected to human rights, which is a passion of mine. Being in contact with teachers and classmates from all over the world while in Moscow has been a unique experience. It is amazing how much you can learn from people who experience realities completely different to your own. Furthermore, HSE offers many opportunities in terms of socialization, cultural exchanges, sports, etc., which have made this whole experience even more valuable. Moreover, the staff at HSE are just amazing and always ready to help! The theoretical and practical knowledge I have acquired so far at the University has helped me to further develop values such as respect and tolerance, as well as cultivate my own character and practical skills.
I am really happy to be part of the HSE community!

Study at HSE?
'It’s possible! I came to HSE in 2011 to study in the ‘Applied Political Science’ Bachelor’s Programme, which is now part of the Political Science Department of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The study process is not simple, especially at HSE. I don’t know if people not connected with ‘Vyshka’ even know about this. I often hear people asking, 'Is it possible to study at HSE?’, or 'How do you survive there?’ However, if we are going to be objective, we can see that many students graduate from HSE every year, with some of them even going on to pursue master's degrees here. Others go on to do other things, while others take a gap year. All of this shows that studying at HSE is possible, but only if people take it seriously. HSE is a platform for researchers. The framework of a research university fosters not only research conducted by scholars and professors, but also students, who are, to a certain extent, also engaged in research. Upon arrival, even first years can join research groups or work at laboratories where they can take part in existing projects, or they can also develop new projects. HSE students know that a term paper is not an essay that regurgitates the thoughts and words of others (which is prohibited anyway). Instead, it should be original research, which has been conducted according to specific scientific rules and parameters. In defending a term paper, a student defends his/her own work, which was done over the course of the year, thereby showing the skills acquired and how this new knowledge can be applied.

As a second year bachelor’s student, I realized that I wanted to do something that hasn’t been sufficiently studied by other people. With this in mind, I started studying the issue of paternalism. My focus is both philosophical and psychological, but also applying sociological methods, thereby giving me another wholly different perspective. I conducted a survey among students of five Moscow-based Universities (a sample of 300 people), and then analyzed the data and made conclusions. I continued further and, in the following year, I conducted the same survey in St Petersburg. The methodology my academic supervisor and I developed helped me to accumulate research data for my graduation paper. So, after three years of research, we generated a sample of 900 people who answered our questionnaire. An article eventually appeared in the Socis journal, published by the Russian Science Academy. Publications are very important for researchers, and HSE provides a lot of opportunities for research, as well as publishing results. 
HSE – a platform for various types of self-development
2013 was the year right before the Winter Olympics in Sochi, and HSE was one of the universities that provided a base for preparing staff of the Olympic Broadcasting Services Company (OBS), which is the host broadcaster for all Olympic Games held around the globe. I was able to win a contest and be hired as an assistant to the OBS crew working out of the Iceberg Skating Palace. I worked with the Canadian OBS TV team, which filmed figure skating competitions, and the Korean team, who worked on short track speed-skating events. This was a great job experience, working in real time with the knowledge that billions around the world would see the same thing while at the ice rink or in the broadcast van. I also made many friends from all around the world. I think this is a key point for my CV.

HSE – alternative approaches in play
When my bachelor’s studies were coming to an end, I had to focus on choosing the right master’s programme. The programme that interested me when I was a third-year student was ‘Political Analysis and Public Policy‘. This programme name sounds impressive in itself, but when you read further, you learn that it is quite a bit more than it seems: students from countries, lectures in English, internship opportunities, and double degree programmes with the best universities in Europe. According to HSE’s rules, it is possible to get accepted to a master’s programme not only through the standard application process, but also based on your performance in subject-specific competitions for alumni and students. As a third-year year bachelor’s student, I decided to get ready and take part in a competition. I became awardee and even received an invitation for enrollment. However, I transferred while in the fourth year of my bachelor’s. In March 2015, I participated again and was declared a winner. So, this meant I could enrol in the programme without taking entrance exams.

The Department of Public Policy – a unique place
Coming to HSE in September as a master's student, I felt the warm atmosphere of the department. All are together here: professors and students of both years. My mates from undergrad say they do not even know all their master's programme classmates; they do not know the second-year students. At our department we all know each other and are always collaborating. As a member of the Student Chamber, I helped organize Non-Violence Day and Human Rights Day. Lecturers from international organizations gave lectures, and students from other departments visited us. This means we are doing something really important if people are interested. In conclusion, I would like to say that studying at HSE is not only a possibility, but a must!