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Sport for Everyone
© HSE UNIVERSITY
From March 20 to 22, 2026, HSE’s Ruza complex hosted a gathering of the university’s sports activists organised by the Sports Community Support Centre. For the first time, the renovated complex brought together those involved in the university’s sporting life: students, administrative staff, lecturers, researchers, and alumni.
The retreat combined active recreation with a fully-fledged strategic session on developing sport for everyone at the university.
Sergey Fedorovtsev, Head of the Sports Community Support Centre, had high praise for the venue: ‘The complex in Ruza has enormous potential. It can bring together sporting, corporate, and educational objectives, while also creating all the conditions necessary for leisure and cultural recreation.’
Participants of the gathering talked about creating a motivation system for regular participation in sport and introducing analytics to track engagement among colleagues across departments. They also noted the role of sports ambassadors as the main drivers of local activity and gave special attention to the promotion of sporting events, which has a major impact on audience interest in HSE’s sporting life.
Each morning began with a group exercise session—a symbol of equal opportunities in sport—which helped set the tone for productive work during the strategic discussions.
The event also included joint runs over distances of 5 and 12 kilometres. Participants could choose their level of effort: some completed a 5K for the first time, while others opted for the longer distance.
Olga Dragoy, Director of the HSE Center for Language and Brain, commented: ‘The personal motivation of each athlete is the foundation on which everything rests. However, to reach the next level, enthusiasm alone is not enough. In a modern university, sport must become part of a larger system. We need professional sports management and strong institutional support—from well-organised logistics to the recognition of sporting achievements within the academic environment.’
Holding the event at the Ruza complex made it possible to move away from the traditional format of meetings in halls and classrooms and to create a dynamic environment for communication, which in itself generated valuable ideas and content. Initiatives for developing sport emerged in informal settings: during joint runs, over morning coffee after exercise, and in evening discussions. As a result, the group produced not just formal proposals, but lively, practical initiatives from all categories of participants. Students shared their needs with lecturers, staff with alumni. This kind of horizontal dialogue between different groups within the community is both rare and highly valuable.
During their discussions, activists also raised the issue of fan participation. ‘Fans are the largest group in the sporting sphere; it is they who shape the atmosphere and can even influence the result,’ noted Polina Ignatenko, third-year student of the Bachelor’s in Sociology at the Faculty of Social Sciences.
As part of the strategic session, approaches to creating a unified plan for the development of sport at HSE were defined. The main areas for immediate work were outlined, including a digital honours board, a system of non-material incentives, the consolidation of information on existing sports communities, a unified events calendar, and pilot projects for workplace exercise in university buildings and halls of residence, as well as systems for completing GTO standards.
Participants also highlighted the upgraded infrastructure of the Ruza complex. In 2023, the main building underwent a major refurbishment and can now comfortably accommodate up to 84 people, while a new canteen opened in summer 2025. The modern facilities have created ideal conditions for combining intensive strategic work, sporting activities, and peaceful relaxation, which is particularly important for events of this kind.
The Ruza complex is ready to host new teams and projects. Applications to participate in events or to book facilities can be submitted via the website (in Russian).
