HSE Situation Centre Has Received over 100 Appeals from Students and Staff
The HSE University Situation Centre (established by the University administration at the initiative of the Student Council) helps HSE students and staff who need support in light of the current international situation. The Centre’s volunteers can provide information about psychological and financial assistance, study process issues, and other questions.
The Centre, which includes nine representatives of student organisations and volunteers, has already received over 100 appeals. Many of them concern requests regarding psychological assistance and the inability to attend in-person classes. HSE international students currently residing in the Russian Federation also have problems with money transfers. Russians now studying or working abroad are worried about difficulties returning home.
Some international students would like to go home to be with their family in these difficult times. However, according to the Centre’s representatives, students are not planning to stop studying or take leaves of absence. The Situation Centre is working to make sure that the study process at HSE University continues uninterrupted. Individual curricula for foreign citizens outside the Russian Federation will be offered online.
HSE Rector Nikita Anisimov has emphasised that all HSE students are equal and that everyone has the right to study and attend lectures. The university administration is ready to consider each appeal on a case-by-case basis and draw up an individual curriculum depending on the situation. ‘This is critically important,’ says Rector Anisimov. ‘If needed, I am ready to intervene personally to solve each particular problem. Prompt decision-making is crucial now.'
The Rector has met with members of the Student Council and Situation Centre volunteers several times. The students handed over several stacks of requests from students and their relatives to the HSE University administration. During a conversation with the volunteers, the Rector signed a request from the Student Council that absences on February 24–26 should be considered valid. They also agreed that the centre will inform the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation about which payment systems and banks students have the most transfer difficulties with abroad. This will help to find prompt solutions to similar problems.
The Situation Centre team is actively expanding, and welcomes as many qualified psychologists as possible to work with those looking for support.
To apply for a consultation, please send an email to help@hse.ru or call +7(495)628-53-20