News

HSE’s Faculty of Humanities is launching a new Master’s programme on teaching Russian as a foreign language. Olga Eremina, Academic Director of the programme, told the HSE News Service why the programme will be taught in two languages and who ‘heritage language learners’ are, as well as why the labour market for the programme’s graduates will be expanding.

Jazmin Quevedo Cascante, a native of Bolivia, graduated this year from HSE Preparatory Year Programme and is currently pursuing her Master’s in the Governance of Science, Technology and Innovation. She came to HSE with plans to eventually work in an international environment where she can have a positive impact on society.

Students who choose to study in another country always find that the decision comes with a number of challenges. Distance from home, language, strange rules and regulations, and general cultural differences can make the experience both difficult and rewarding at the same time. Coming to Russia to study at HSE is no exception.

On June 27, the first cohort of HSE Preparatory Year graduates received their diplomas after passing the exams. Launched in 2015, the programme offers international students an excellent opportunity to develop their Russian language skills and prepare for Russian-taught programmes at HSE and other Russian universities. This year, approximately 90 people from over 30 countries studied in the programme, which included several tracks – economics, humanities and science.

On November 25, the HSE Preparatory Year programme held a special welcome meeting for its new students. The aim of the event is to better acquaint them with HSE and the educational programmes it offers.

Juan Sota is from Madrid. He finished school in Spain and came to Russia to study at the Pre-University Training Faculty hoping to progress to a degree course at the School of History at HSE.

HSE’s Preparatory Year at the Faculty of Pre-University Training equips students who have little or no knowledge of Russian language with the necessary skills to enter Russian-taught Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes. Students begin by studying Russian language and then go on to study specific subjects in Russian-taught classes. They receive conditional acceptance to HSE full-degree programmes.