‘There’s a Big Practical Component in My Programme—That’s Especially Important in This Field’

Photo by Jonathan Velasquez on Unsplash

Zou Jiaxu moved to Moscow from Heihe, China, at a young age. Having finished high school in Moscow, she decided to enrol in the Bachelor’s in Media Communications at the Institute of Media of the HSE Faculty of Creative Industries. Now in her second year of studies, Zou talked to the HSE News Service about the opportunities for practical experience available to HSE students, her volunteering and extracurricular activities, why learning Russian is a never-ending process, and the importance of making friends wherever you go.

Zou Jiaxu

— Why did you decide to study at HSE University–Moscow?

— My parents and I moved to Moscow for their work when I was four years old. I went to kindergarten in Moscow, finished high school here, and enrolled at HSE. I chose HSE because of the format of study—I don’t love conventional learning.

I like everything at HSE: the location (in the centre), the building where I study, my programme, the opportunity choose the subjects I study, and the lecturers, who are all on the same wavelength as the students.

— What has been the most interesting part about studying at HSE so far?

— The first thing that stands out is my programme—the information is presented in a very interesting way and there is a big practical component, which is especially important in this field. Most of the lecturers are young and very understanding; you can discuss anything with them and they give good advice for the future. Second are the extracurricular events: lots of master classes, practical work, and they often invite famous and successful people to give lectures. The third thing is that there are four exam periods. It is a big relief not to have that pressure from exams.

The fact that we have exams at the end of every module means we can study a lot and consolidate our knowledge immediately.

The final thing I want to highlight is physical education. PE is not compulsory at HSE—instead, there are gyms where you can choose activities yourself.

— Which courses do you like most and why?

— I really like practical courses like ‘Project Seminar: Production of Podcasts,’ ‘Fundamentals of Visual Communication,’ ‘Speech Technique and Work on Camera,’ ‘Music Content Production,’ ‘Sound Recording and Editing,’ and ‘Photography and Editing.’

The courses give us the opportunity to develop our creativity and bring our ideas to life, which is essential in this field.

— Have you taken part in any academic or extracurricular activities?

— Yes, it’s something I love about HSE University! I’ve been involved in student activities at the Department of Media and organised events with my coursemates. I have also volunteered at various olympiads. I really like it—it takes me back to when I took part in them myself. I participate in the Chinese Culture Club, where I worked with other Chinese students to organise a Chinese New Year celebration. It was an amazing experience.

I won Kreativ FM—a very rewarding competition that gives you the opportunity to work in radio with your own project.

My friend and I won with a topic about international students, where we talk about living in another country. The main idea of the project is for international students to hear us and feel less alone.

— What advice do you have for international students in Moscow? Would you recommend HSE to young people from abroad?

— You have to make friends here—especially Russian friends! It is very important for settling into the culture quickly, and it also helps with studying the language. Even though I moved to Moscow when I was very young and went to school here, I’m still studying Russian language to this day—only not in a classroom with teachers, but in real life. From the people around me I learn a lot of new words and expressions that you won’t find in a textbook.

I would absolutely recommend HSE—there are a lot of opportunities to gain not only knowledge, but the kind of practical experience the university is known for.

International students are welcome here and there are national clubs for every country. Celebrations are held for traditional national holidays, so students can always find familiar company and not feel lonely in a foreign country.