'It is a unique opportunity to engage in an interdisciplinary academic experience'
The Double Degree Master’s programmes agreement between HSE University (the Master’s Programme in Science, Technology and Innovation Management and Policy of the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge) and State University of Campinas (the Master’s Programme in Business Administration of the School of Applied Sciences) was signed in February 2024. For master’s courses at University of Campinas, HSE University students can choose one or two semester(s) among the two years of study planned for the conclusion of the course, besides the first semester of their first year, which must be spent at HSE University.
This year, the very first three students from HSE University have traveled to Brazil to participate in the Programme. Below is the story of Carhuallanqui Parian Boris Senin, the second-year Master’s student from Peru.
The State University of Campinas, commonly called Unicamp, is one of the top public universities in Campinas, Brazil. It is ranked #232 in QS World University Rankings 2025. The University is divided in three campuses in different cities (with Campinas being the main campus, Limeira hosting the Faculty of Applied Sciences, and Piracicaba with the Dental School). Unicamp is composed of a total of 24 units, 10 of which are institutes and 14 are schools. It is also home to 22 interdisciplinary centers. Unicamp is responsible for around 15% of Brazilian research and produces more patents than any other research organization in Brazil.
Please tell us a bit about yourself. What were you doing before joining HSE University?
I was born in a small town - San Martín de Pangoa, which is a very challenged placed that greatly depends on coffee and agriculture. Therefore, from early childhood I learned how hard life can be for people coming from small towns and how it is to struggle with money every day. Then my family migrated to a bigger city – Huancayo – for educational purposes. The educational level in Huancayo is much higher and it is even comparable with Lima. I finished high school and university there; I graduated from the Continental University with the degree in Industrial Engineering being in the top 5% of my class. After that I started working as an administrative assistant at the textile company that exported alpaca wool to the USA and Europe and was responsible for quality assurance. Back then I also started to learn English and found out that working as an English teacher would give me twice or three times more money than what I was making as an engineer. I eventually switched my job to an English teacher in one of the best English language centres in Peru and did an internship at the University of Florida as a teaching assistant.
My objective though was to go abroad and pursue a master’s degree. I applied to universities in Russia, Germany, Canada and Australia and was admitted to all of them, but I decided to go to HSE University in Moscow through the Open Doors scholarship. HSE University was on top of my priority list because of the wide range of opportunities it offers. And an opportunity to get a double degree had the most influence on my decision (before 2022, STI Programme had double degree programmes with South Korean, Dutch, and German universities).
Why did you decide to join the “Science, Technology and Innovation Management and Policy” programme?
It was the consequence of many different factors. I wanted to study something related to management but then I realized that STI would be an even better option for me because of the things that I have not faced before – I could explore innovation, its definition, and strengthen the skills and myself so that I would be more competent in the market; I would be able to put into practice more of my creative thinking, which I consider as one of my weak skills.
And the programme absolutely met my expectations. I have learned so many new topics – what research is and how to do it, how to set and develop a research question. The courses of Prof. Mikhail Gershman on STI Policy and Prof. Jonathan Calof on Competitive Intelligence were of particular interest, as well as the course on Theories and Concepts of Foresight by Prof. Alexander Chulok.
What was your motivation to participate in the Double Degree Programme (DDP)? What was the application process like?
My main motivation was the big opportunity that it represents - to get a second master's degree in such a short period of time, and Unicamp was my choice because of its University Technological Innovation Center. Its strong focus being complement to HSE Master’s Programme in Science, Technology and Innovation influenced me in elaborating my individual track in career and deeper learn innovations and its management system. Moreover, as the citizen of Peru I am well acquainted with Latin American culture. As Peru is rather close to Brazil, I can travel home to do research for my master’s thesis on social innovation projects in rural areas of Peru. Right now, I am collecting data and developing my master’s thesis, which I will be writing with Prof. Bruno Fischer from University of Campinas.
The application process was fairly simple and fast – we had to write a motivation letter and propose a master’s thesis topic that could be feasible to write at the University of Campinas. The most challenging part was the interview where we had to “defend” our motivation to study here.
What were your first impressions of the country and the Campinas university?
My first impressions about Brazil were that it is Latin America, which means it is not so clean and kind of chaotic. My first impressions of the main campus of Unicamp - I was speechless because of the extension of this university. It is indeed a university city and everything within it is very well organized and maintained.
What courses are you taking this semester? And what are some differences between the education process in two universities that you noticed so far?
Since it is the master’s programme in Business Administration under the School of Applied Sciences, the courses I am taking are related to Business Administration. This semester I took a joint online course on Ecosystems of Innovation and Entrepreneurship that was organized both for Unicamp and HSE University students, and here I am taking such courses as Sustainable Operations Management, Sustainable Business Models and Special Topics in Administration. I like how the classes are organized – we are given scientific papers to read before the class, we make notes, and then in class we discuss what we read and what we took from the assigned papers. Unlike the classes I had at HSE University, here the desks are set in a way that we can all see each other and that makes discussions livelier. Overall, the teachers speak very good English, and the students are also very kind and friendly. They are always willing to help.
Is there anything that you would like to advise to students who are applying for the DDP programme?
I would tell them to learn Portuguese because very few people speak English outside of university, be ready for a cultural shock, and have patience with the bureaucracy. And while practical adjustments, such as getting off-campus housing, are part of the experience, students will gain independence and deeper cultural immersion.
Gustavo Hermínio Salati, Academic Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Business Administration at University of Campinas
The Double Degree Program (DDP) between Unicamp’s Master’s in Administration and HSE’s Master’s in Science, Technology, and Innovation Management and Policy offers students a unique opportunity to engage in an interdisciplinary academic experience. By combining expertise from both institutions, the program integrates management, entrepreneurship, and sustainability with science and technology policy, equipping students with a global perspective and analytical skills to navigate complex innovation ecosystems. Exposure to distinct socio-economic and innovation landscapes in Brazil and Russia enhances their capacity to address challenges in international research, policy, and practice.
Beyond the academic curriculum, our collaboration is reinforced through joint research and teaching initiatives. One significant outcome is the recently published essay collection “Shaping Sustainable Societies, Economies, Technologies, and Environments”. Organized by Professor Dirk Meissner, in partnership with Professors Gustavo Salati Moraes and Bruno Fischer, this collection brings together essays written by students from Unicamp’s and HSE’s master’s programs. The publication highlights an ongoing international collaboration, addressing contemporary sustainability challenges from multiple perspectives and fostering deeper academic exchange.
The DDP serves as a cornerstone of our internationalization strategy, reinforcing the academic ties between Unicamp and HSE while equipping students with the necessary tools to engage in high-impact research and innovation-driven policies.