Moscow – Canterbury: The Way of Masters
Leonid Ionin, the Dean of the School of Russian Studies, told us about the joint MA programme of the HSE School of Russian Studies and the Department of Politics and International Relations of the University of Kent in Canterbury – “International Relations in Euroatlantic and Eurasian Societies”.
- Leonid Grigorievich, this programme differs greatly from other international projects of the kind. What is unique about it?
- This is the first educational programme which was organized on a, so to say, parity basis. Usually, what are so called joint programmes? Our students go to study abroad. After that they study here. This is called a Double Award Programme. But no international students come to study here. Our programme is different: both Russian and English students, and also students from other countries spend the first year studying in England and the second year in Russia. And here, at the HSE, they prepare their dissertations. The whole course - both the first year at the University of Kent and the second year at the HSE - is taught in English. And, of course, the dissertations are also written in English. In Kent, lectures are given by English professors, and in Moscow, by Russians. The title of the programme is "International Relations in Euroatlantic and Eurasian Societies". So we quite logically split the topics of the courses: in England we focus on the Euroatlantic aspect, and in Russia - on the Eurasian one.
- Please tell us a little about the background to this programme. Why did you choose the University of Kent?
Well, how do such things arise? Everything is usually created on the basis of personal contacts. Experts meet at conferences, find some mutual interests and tasks, and say to each other ‘how about working together?' After that, details are discussed, contracts between universities are signed, and the relationships become formalized. In this particular case the whole thing arose from contacts with professor Sakwa, Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations of the University of Kent in Canterbury. Richard Sakwa is a leading English expert on Russia, he knows this country inside out, and he has published many books on Russia. On my desk I have his work "Russian Politics and Society", which is already in its third edition. This work has been used for fifteen years to study Russia not only in England, but also in the United States and other countries. Incidentally, his book on Vladimir Putin, which was well recieved in England, has recently been published in Russian. He has a great interest in Russia and a willingness to work with us. It is harder to establish equal relations with other European and American universities. They generally try to make Russian students come to them - it brings money as well as international prestige. As a result, the established relations are not quite equal. And of course foreigners have trouble with the Russian language. Therefore, to give international students the opportunity to participate in our programme, we arranged for it to be taught in English: in Kent as well as in Moscow!
- What are the career options for your graduates?
- Just imagine that you've received two valid awards - from the University of Kent in Canterbury and from the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. Those are not certificates, but real MA degrees which are highly valued both in Russia and elsewhere in the world. You would have the opportunity to apply for a well-paid job anywhere in the world. It is understood that, generally speaking, anyone can apply for a job. But these two awards would give you an opportunity not only to reasonably apply for, but also of having a very good chance of getting, that job. What job am I talking about? No one can predict this, but it could be governmental - in international relations in particular; international commerce and business; or for a non governmental organization. It could be work in Russia or abroad; in local or international organizations. So the prospects are almost limitless.
There are also a lot of circumstances that are not institutionalized, but are sometimes even more important than any kind of degree. The students obtain the priceless experience of studying and living in a different cultural environment, with different academic traditions and a different everyday way of life. They obtain a unique professional experience which they couldn't get anywhere else, even at, for example, the Moscow State Institute for International Relations (MGIMO). I'm talking about communication with the students, their future colleagues. A person makes contact with the people who will shape international politics in future - alongside himself. And so on. I think that anyone who just thinks about it would be thrilled with the possible prospects. Of course none of these things come automatically. Of course, a lot of serious work has to be done. But, generally speaking, programmes of this kind are an excellent and unique chance to create a biography.
- I'd like to confirm once again: is the MA degree from the University of Kent a real degree, not a special version for international students?
- This is an absolutely valid MA award. And an absolutely valid diploma from the Higher School of Economics. The only difference is that the University of Kent gives a degree in International Relations, and the HSE gives a degree in Political Science.
- Please tell us about the programme structure.
- We combine courses in political science with courses on international problems. Those include such courses as "Comparative Legal Systems of the EU Countries", "Comparative Political Institutions", "International Conflicts and Violence", and others. I won't spend time naming all of them. You can familiarise yourself with the curriculum at the website of the School of Russian Studies. Courses are taught by University of Kent professors in England and by HSE professors in Moscow.
- Who can apply for the programme?
- Anyone who has a diploma of higher education. As a matter of fact, an MA course is a totally different level of education. Of course, a high level of English is needed. Just everyday communication skills aren't enough: students will have to listen to and understand lectures and hold scientific discussions. We don't have examinations. Admission is based on competition procedure. Within it papers confirming academic achievements of applicants are scrutinized. It is important to add that admission to this MA course is on a fee paying basis.
- What one should do to apply for the programme and what is the fee?
- Applicants should fill in the application form and send the electronic documents to the website of the University of Kent, since this is where the first year of education starts. This first year, in Kent, costs EUR 7000. The second year, in Russia, costs EUR 6500.
This is not cheap, but it is very reasonable, since for non-EU citizens, education in Britain, in such a university as the University of Kent, one of the Top 10 in the country, costs more than EUR 12000 a year! And only our MA programme participants have such favourable terms including a 50% discount on the price of a year of education. Thanks are due to Professor Sakwa and his colleagues who managed to organize this.
- How many students can enrol?
- We've not placed a formal limit on admission. There are natural limiting factors, such as a reasonable sum of money and of the level of English needed. The ideal number would be 10 to 15 people.
- Would you give a brief overview of the University of Kent?
- The University of Kent is one of the Top 10 universities in Great Britain. It is located near Canterbury - one of the oldest places in Europe. Canterbury is a beautiful medieval town with a famous cathedral. It is a real wonder of the world, a fantastically beautiful place. Unlike the town, the University is a young one - it was only founded in 1965. It is one of the most rapidly growing and dynamic universities in Great Britain. In size it is similar to the HSE, but of course it has inherited the traditions of the British education, so everything is different there. They have a huge out-of-town campus.
- You told us the price of the education. And how much will accommodation, meals, and other aspects of living in England cost?
- At the very beginning of this interview we announced that on the 14th of May there will be a presentation about this programme. Please come along and you'll get all the information you want. We have also invited an MA programme student, Artyom Bulatov, who has just come back from Canterbury where he spent a year studying on this course. He will tell you all about it. We'll try to answer all your questions, right down to the details on what the prices are like and where it is possible to save on costs. You're welcome to join us!
By K.Rylko for the HSE NEWs service