First Graduates of Institute of Education Joint Programme Receive Diplomas
In 2021, HSE University was involved in the launch of two joint master’s programmes. The first was implemented by Pskov State University and the HSE University Institute of Education. The second was a joint project between the Institute of Education and the ‘Investment to the Future’ charitable foundation created by Sberbank. The first graduation ceremonies for both programmes took place on July 4. The graduands were awarded their master’s diplomas by HSE University Rector Nikita Anisimov, Pskov State University First Vice Rector Olga Serova, and Director of Projects at the Investment to the Future foundation Ekaterina Yadova.
‘It is always a great pleasure for me to come to the graduation ceremonies of our students, especially when such projects are launched. I am certain that this project will be replicated in other regions of Russia,’ said Nikita Anisimov, as he thanked the lecturers and graduates.
The joint double-degree programme in Pedagogy from the HSE University Institute of Education and Pskov State University is titled ‘Pedagogical Activity in Conditions of Change’. Maria Lytaeva, Academic Supervisor of the programme, notes that it was designed to provide master’s-level training to teachers of all levels of education, including those without bachelor-level teaching qualifications. Four students graduated from the first intake, each of them representing a different kind of educational organisation: university, school, secondary vocational education, and continuing education. They defended their master’s theses before a joint committee and according to the requirements of both universities. Two of the graduates were awarded red (honours) diplomas.
Olga Serova, First Vice Rector of Pskov State University, said, ‘This programme is the result of the long partnership between our two universities and the efforts of the faculty of the Institute of Education, who wanted to make the programme a reality.’
Maria Lytaeva noted that the experience of creating the joint programme was an interesting and unique one. ‘Over the course of three years, we have moved towards a truly joint programme in which each university occupies its own niche of authoritative expertise. This first graduation ceremony is not a large one; several students had to take academic leave for various reasons, and some were unable to combine work and study. They found it difficult to study at two universities and meet HSE University’s high requirements. But today’s graduates succeeded.’
‘We want teachers from across the country to have the opportunity to study at PskovSU and HSE University. That is why in the upcoming 2023 intake, we will implement the programme in a remote format. I am confident that future intakes will repeat the success of our first graduates,’ added the academic supervisor.
Graduate Elena Prokofyeva previously studied on a bachelor’s programme in Psychology at Pskov State University. ‘I learned about the joint programme from my lecturers there,’ she explains. ‘The studies exceeded my expectations. My goal was to earn a red diploma, and I achieved that. Thanks to the lecturers, I learned everything I wanted to.’
The students of the joint master’s programme developed with the Investment to in the Future charitable foundation are working teachers from various regions who use the SberClass digital platform in their work.
A specialised learning trajectory has been developed for the students that takes into account their experience as teachers. All the courses are aimed at laying a theoretical foundation for personalised learning and implementing it using modern educational technologies.
Ekaterina Yadova, Director of Projects at the Investment to the Future foundation, congratulated the graduates on completing their studies. ‘Each of you is special, and the knowledge you have gained on the programme will stay with you. I saw how the programme developed from an analytical point of view. I was invested in everyone making it to the end. You have all done well, and you are all winners,’ she told the graduates.
Graduate Ekaterina Dryagileva enrolled in the ‘Design of Educational Products’ track in order to expand her knowledge of personalised education. ‘We have seen this topic implemented for several years already. I wanted to study it in more depth, and understand some of the deeper processes of teaching,’ she explains. ‘I am absolutely delighted with the courses and the programme lecturers. I wish future applicants patience—it helps when your strength is running low.’
Tatyana Krygina saw enrolling in the programme as a challenge. ‘When I came to HSE University, I was impressed by the lectures and the teachers, who spoke to us in scientific language that I had almost forgotten,’ she says. ‘There is a sense of victory and achievement. But we are also sad that it has gone by so quickly. May future students be successful in their assignments, make good lecture notes, and take their studies seriously. The main thing is to enjoy the process.’