2025 Graduation Ceremony of the Master’s Programme in Science, Technology and Innovation Management and Policy
On June 27 the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK) at HSE University celebrated the graduation of the 9th cohort of its Master's programme in Science, Technology and Innovation Management and Policy.
The event brought together graduates, professors, researchers, families, and friends in a warm and inspiring atmosphere to mark the successful completion of a demanding and transformative two-year academic journey.
The ceremony opened with the remarks from Dr. Leonid M. Gokhberg, Professor, First Vice Rector and ISSEK Director, who congratulated the graduates and reflected on the growing importance of professionals in the field of science, technology and innovation policy.
Professor, First Vice Rector, ISSEK Director
Graduation is a launch pad: use the evidence‑based mindset you honed at ISSEK to tackle tomorrow’s challenges and keep building bridges between knowledge and society.
Dr. Dirk Meissner, Distinguished Professor, Laboratory Head and Academic Director of the Master’s Programme delivered a special speech of congratulations for the graduates.
Distinguished Professor, Laboratory Head, Academic Director
Our programme is the most challenging at HSE: every student is a person, not a number. Be proud of your journey, join our alumni network, and carry this philosophy into everything you do.
The event also counted with the participation of Evgeniy I. Kolbin, the Chairman of the Presidium of the State Examination Board and the CEO of Cloud.ru, who provided external vision and expertise of the level of preparation of Programme graduates.
the Chairman of the Presidium of the State Examination Board, CEO Cloud.ru
It’s you who will shape the digital world. Master inspirational leadership, keep your architecture open, and never stop learning, real progress only comes when learning is hard.
As the ceremony was simultaneously held online, it was attended by Dr. Bruno Fischer and Dr. Gustavo Salati, Chairmen of local State Examination Boards and Associate Professors of HSE University and University of Campinas (Brazil), who expressed emotional speeches about their experience working with the graduates.
Chairman of local State Examination Board, Associate Professor
You are the indispensable translators between scientific discovery and policymaking; let your curiosity and resilience harness innovation for the common good.
Chairman of local State Examination Board, Associate Professor
Your dissertations showed engagement, ownership and depth. You graduate as a truly outstanding cohort, ready to design policies with intelligence, integrity and care.
Alumni and current students’ representatives also addressed the audience, sharing their reflections on the experience of studying at ISSEK and their hopes for the future.
This year’s graduating class included 28 students from Belarus, Ghana, Iraq, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, many of whom have already begun careers in research institutions, public policy sector, international organizations, and the private sector.
Master's programme alumnus, PhD student, research assistant
Today is not the end but the beginning of a new chapter. Stay close to our alumni community; it will celebrate your successes and help you grow.
Master's programme graduate (year 2025)
Innovation isn’t only about technology; it’s about people finding real solutions together. We leave as future leaders ready to change the world.
Master's programme graduate (year 2025)
Our diversity and the passion of our professors turned fear into power. Education is about turning mirrors into windows, and these two years have opened ours.
The ceremony highlighted the growing international reach of the programme, as well as its role in preparing a new generation of experts equipped to face complex challenges at the intersection of knowledge, policy and innovation. The event also served as a reminder of the importance of staying connected. Graduates were invited to join the ISSEK Alumni Community - a space for collaboration, exchange, and lifelong engagement with the institute and its research initiatives.
As the 9th cohort celebrates this milestone, preparations are already underway for the 10th anniversary of the programme to be held in 2026 - an important moment to reflect on the legacy of ISSEK and its impact on innovation policy education in Russia and beyond.
