‘I Was Sceptical About Online Learning, but Now It’s Impossible to Imagine Life Without It’
Kristina Rizvanova from Astana, Kazakhstan, is currently in her second and final year of the master's programme in Marketing Management—the first online master’s programme in this field at HSE University. Kristina spoke to the HSE News Service about preparing for the entrance exams, the wonders of online learning, and the importance of broadening one’s personal and professional horizons.
Kristina Rizvanova
Applying to HSE
I got my bachelor’s degree in world economy at Dostoevsky Omsk State University. I learned about HSE from friends, and I have long dreamed of enrolling in a master's programme here. The entrance exams were quite difficult, but I attended all the webinars where they talked about the admissions process and the tasks, which helped me prepare well and achieve a passing score.
What attracted me to HSE was the high-quality education in the field of marketing, teachers who are professionals in the industry, interesting lectures, and relevant knowledge
The Programme Format
The programme consists of synchronous and asynchronous classes, with webinars on Zoom held in the evenings 3–4 times a week, as well as video lectures on the HSE platform.
It has been difficult to adjust to the three-hour time difference, but it's great that after the webinar, recordings of the seminars are uploaded to the platform, where you can watch them again if you happen to miss something.
I really enjoyed the Scientific Research Seminar with Anton Shatrov. We spent the first year developing a beverage brand; there was a lot of interactivity, invited guests from Bacardi, and discussions of current marketing issues.
I also really liked Marketing Analytics with guest lecturer Marina Dvoryashina, as I was lacking knowledge in marketing and market analytics. She explained it in very comprehensible terms.
Most importantly, I now apply the knowledge I gained in practice
Study from Anywhere in the World
The online master's programme allows you to study from anywhere in the world: we had students on the course from distant regions of Russia, as well as from Poland and Ireland. I met very talented and ambitious people, we had many joint educational projects, and now I have friends from different cities around the world.
Before the pandemic, I was sceptical about online learning. I couldn’t imagine that you can study online, and even combine it with work, but now it’s impossible to imagine your life without online learning: it is a great opportunity to gain high-quality knowledge no matter where in the world you are. At HSE University, you really don’t feel the difference whether you study on-site or online, since the training takes place at a high pace.
Regular classes, seminars, homework are always with you, even if you study online
I would really like to see HSE postgraduate, doctoral, and DBA programmes online.
Broadening Horizons
In 2021, I participated in the HSE Mentorship Programme. Only 40 students were selected out of 300. I was fortunate to be among them and was very happy. I was assigned a mentor from a well-known global company who helped me broaden my horizons and learn about marketing in that company.
Besides studying, I work and I like to read books. I love reading business literature, and one book that I really enjoyed is Market-Based Management by Roger Best. Another favourite author of mine is Daniel Keyes, who wrote Flowers for Algernon. I also do sports.
I enjoy swimming and trampolining—it not only burns calories, but also relieves stress!
I really like to travel. In Moscow, I love the Patriarch's Ponds, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the theatres. In Russia, I have been to the sunny city of Sochi—I remember the local arboretum with ostriches. Outside of Russia, I’ve been to Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Israel, Palestine, Uzbekistan and the Dominican Republic.
Graduation and Beyond
On July 8, we will have our graduation ceremony, which I will attend on-site, using it as a chance to come to my beloved Moscow.
Finishing my master's degree at HSE University, I sincerely recommend the university and its excellent opportunities to my friends, and will promote the interests of the university in Central Asia as much as possible.
I am very pleased with my studies, the knowledge and skills that I have acquired here
In five to ten years, I would like to become at least a CMO in a major company. Of the professionals I look up to, I like Melanie Perkins, CEO and co-founder of the popular online graphic design tool Canva.
I believe in continuous learning and personal growth. It is important to always strive for new knowledge, skills and experience. Life is a continuous journey, where you need to constantly develop and strive to achieve your goals.