Community News at HSE University

Akhtar Hussain, from Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, is a second-year student of the Master’s in Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication at the HSE University School of Foreign Languages in Moscow. In this interview with the HSE News Service, he shares his experiences of seeing Russian history come to life, representing the university on stage and on the football field, volunteering, and more.

Benjamin Owusu Sarpong, from Kumasi, Ghana, is a final-year student of the Master's programme 'Politics. Economics. Philosophy' at HSE University–Moscow. Now in the final stage of his studies, Benjamin spoke to the HSE News Service to reflect on his experiences—including the various ways HSE brings different cultures together, the numerous opportunities for self-development outside the classroom, and the essential Russian phrases every international student needs to get by.

Gordey Morozov, student of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), came to HSE for an exchange semester as part of the incoming international student mobility programme. Studying on the International Programme 'International Relations and Global Studies,' he shared why he decided to come to Moscow and spoke on the differences between education processes in Russia and Germany, how studying at HSE University changed his perspective, and why it’s important to be outgoing among your teachers and classmates.

Alessandro Locatelli, from Florence, Italy, is a third-year student of the Bachelor's in Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication at the HSE School of Foreign Languages. In his interview with the HSE News Service, he reflects on why it’s important to integrate a cultural dimension into language learning, what makes HSE lecturers special, and how curiosity motivated his decision to study in Russia.

Elizaveta Fomina, second-year student of the Bachelor's programme 'Political Science and World Politics,' spent the autumn semester at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. Read on to find out why you should choose a mobility programme in Asia and how studying abroad helps to develop independence and build global plans.

Felicia Akpelike, from Ghana, is a first-year student of the Master's in Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication at the HSE School of Foreign Languages. In her interview with the HSE News Service, she talks about why she enjoys Russian language and culture, the benefits of studying in an international environment, and the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone.

Lucas Akolzin, from Brazil, is a third-year student of the International Programme 'International Relations and Global Studies.' In his interview with the HSE News Service, he spoke about why he decided to pursue education in international relations, what political leaders inspire him, and how his Russian background encouraged him to study in Moscow.

This year, Elizaveta Zorina is completing her Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence Hardware and Software at the HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (HSE MIEM). In autumn 2025, she spent six months in China as part of an academic mobility programme. In this interview, she shares her experience of studying at the School of Information Science and Engineering at Shandong University.