Community News at HSE University

Wang Yali has been interested in Russian language and politics since her time as an undergraduate at Peking University. After graduating with a degree in Asian and African Languages and Literatures and a second degree in International Relations, she pursued a Master’s in International Relations at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at HSE University–Moscow. She is now pursuing a PhD at the Doctoral School of Political Science, examining Russian narratives of ‘East,’ ‘West,’ and its own place among them.

Parsa Farid Almasizadeh is the winner of the HSE Outstanding Alumni Award in the nomination ‘For Special Achievements in Career and Public Life among International Alumni of HSE University’. He was born and raised in Tehran and received his higher education in Russia. After completing his master’s degree at MIEM, he stayed on to work at HSE. He currently heads the Network and Systems Tools Unit at the HSE Office of Information Technology. Read more about Parsa Almasizadeh in this feature.

Nicolas Lagios joined the International College of Economics and Finance (ICEF) at HSE University–Moscow as an assistant professor in 2025. He holds a Master’s and a PhD in Economics and his research interests include political economy, cultural economics, and applied economics. In this interview, Nicolas talks about the qualities that make HSE students exceptional, the overlap between organisational psychology and his research, and why Moscow strikes the ideal work–life balance.

What path does one have to follow to become a theoretical mathematician? Is there such a thing as a ‘mathematical personality’? And is it really true that all mathematicians are a bit eccentric? Valery Gritsenko, Professor at the Faculty of Mathematics and Head of the International Laboratory for Mirror Symmetry and Automorphic Forms, talks about 13-year-long referee reports and good films about mathematics.

Michael Appiah, from Ghana, is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the International Laboratory of Intangible-Driven Economy (IDLab) at HSE University–Perm. He recently spoke at the seminar ‘Artificial Intelligence, Digitalization, and Climate Vulnerability: Evidence from Heterogeneous Panel Models’ about his research on ‘the interplay between artificial intelligence, digitalisation, and climate vulnerability.’ Michael told the HSE News Service about the academic journey that led him to HSE University, his early impressions of Perm, and how AI can be utilised to combat climate change.

Daniel Minasian came from Armenia as an exchange student to spend a semester at HSE University–St Petersburg. Majoring in Korean Studies, Daniel chose courses offered by the Institute of Asian and African Studies. Read on to discover how his exchange studies went and what this experience brought him.

The end of the year is a natural time for reflection on the past and planning for the future. With the winter holidays almost here, the HSE News Service has been asking international students to share their experiences and take stock of the year gone by. In this instalment, master’s students Raihanulla Moghmand and Isaac Sarfo talk about traditional New Year celebrations in their home countries, explain what they’ve learned from life in Russia so far, and share some warm wishes for their fellow students.

Ahead of the holiday season, the HSE News Service talked to some international students about their reflections on the past year, expectations of the year to come, and plans for the winter break. Below, Hasnain and Syed, both from Pakistan, talk about their experiences as international students in Moscow, share their tips for successful personal growth, and send wishes to their fellow classmates.