Student Projects, Digital Portfolios, and Academic Master’s Programmes

On February 7, HSE Rector Yaroslav Kuzminov met with HSE University students and spoke to them about the future development of the university. What follows is a summary of the highlights from that discussion.

On the transition to project-based learning

The HSE Development Programme up to 2030 focuses on transitioning from a teaching and research university to a project-based university. The rector explained why HSE administration opted for this transition, noting that two trends in contemporary university education have served to drive this change. The first is the fact that academics often work on their own projects but do not cooperate even within departments and schools. HSE will now rely on big team projects, which bring together different research teams.

The second is student burnout, which starts as early as in the second year of undergraduate study. Only 10% of students are involved in research, while the majority are mostly engaged in study. This gap needs to be overcome: by 2024, all students will be involved in project work.

Kuzminov described several tracks that will form the core of project work for HSE students. The university will continue involving students in work carried out by research and teaching laboratories, international centres, and research and teaching groups, although it plans to re-launch this format to support real-life applied projects that are relevant for the market. In the future, applied projects for real industry clients who had previously been reluctant to attract students will become more accessible to students.

The big shift here is massive support for students’ own projects; instead of acting as assistants for their senior peers, they will be independent researchers. Student councils at faculties will play an important role in developing this system.

Other prioritized forms of student activities will be art projects (which are already being implemented in the Faculty of Communications, Media and Design), social initiatives, and educational projects.

On digitalization of education

HSE University is facing certain challenges that can only be solved through digitalization. Kuzminov believes that artificial intelligence can ease the workload of teachers who spend a lot of time on checking homework, thus allowing them to focus more on interaction with students.

HSE will have digital simulators and training systems for mastering certain skills, while digital portfolios and smart LMS will help students develop their own individual curricula and track their progress.

That said, HSE is not planning to abandon in-person interaction with teachers. On the contrary, it will improve the quality of teacher-student communication and adopt more effective forms of work that will be convenient for everyone who is part of the study process.

On the further growth of HSE University

The university will continue to expand, but its growth pattern will change. The Moscow campus will reduce enrolment in fee-paying slots in order to focus on involving students in project work within the existing numbers.

The focus will shift to expanding the regional campuses and helping universities in regions outside the capital to attract international students, with at least half of them enrolling in English-taught programmes.

The university is not only about on-site educational programmes, but also network programmes, continuing professional education, and online courses.

On the university’s social mission

Kuzminov emphasized that education should be a social ladder for young people, although this is unfortunately still not the case in Russia where the higher education system works properly only for those who come from privileged backgrounds. This is why the university has launched a programme focused on social mobility and is offering benefits to prospective students who cannot pass the complicated examinations for state-funded slots and cannot afford fee-paying studies.

Kuzminov also emphasized how important it is to be sensitive to one’s country and to understand its pressing challenges. He expressed confidence that eventually every HSE University student would participate in ‘Rediscovering Russia’—a programme involving research field trips all over the country.

On reforming the master’s programmes

It’s time to restructure the university’s master’s programmes. Many strong graduates of its undergraduate programmes decide not to pursue a master’s at HSE.

HSE University will have three models of master’s programmes. The first one, Master of Arts, will be for those who change their major. There will be basic subjects that also appear on the bachelor’s curriculum in a given area of study. The second one, Master of Sciences, will be a field-specific professional degree geared towards specific demands of the job market.

The third model will provide the opportunity to be a master’s student in a doctoral school. Students who demonstrate particular achievements during their 3^rd or 4^th year of undergraduate studies will be given the opportunity to do their own research. HSE University will offer opportunities for such students to engage in international mobility programmes and focus on research. This model will help HSE retain its graduates who currently prefer to go abroad to pursue advanced study.

On the university’s goals

Kuzminov argues that the university’s key goals are striving for truth, creating a national elite, and producing professionals in their respective fields.

Political neutrality is also a necessary value for HSE University, which will allow it to facilitate collaboration among experts who may hold differing political viewpoints. Instead of political debate, they begin searching for truth when they enter the university, using the language of argument and facts, rather than authority and emotion.

The integrity of goals pursued by the university means that there can’t be any ‘friends’ or ‘foes’ here. A university is a place where different points are expressed, where people argue, but do so relying on rationality and mutually held values.

Photos by Daniil Prokofyev

February 10, 2020