Don't Doubt Your Ability and You Will Get Everything That Is Rightfully Yours at HSE’
Yuanqi Zhou, from China, is currently studying on the Master's in Comparative Social Research under Russian government scholarships and funding from the China Scholarship Council, while also working as a research assistant at Centre for Civil Society and Non-Profit Sector Studies. In this interview, Yanqi talks about scholarships, HSE University’s impressive academic resources, and the soothing qualities of a Moscow sky.
Yuanqi Zhou
Why did you choose HSE University?
As an undergraduate I studied economics at Shenzen MSU-BIT University, which is a partner university of Moscow State University and Beijing Institute of Technology in China, where I also studied Russian. The professors from MSU introduced me to HSE, and I chose it for two main reasons. Firstly, the HSE website is one of the clearest university websites I have ever seen, with the websites of each faculty and research centre following a uniform standard.
You can find almost any information you need on the website, including HSE's annual research results, the academic resources available to students, information about cooperation with other universities and organisations, and more
I already knew about the opportunities for students to join HSE's laboratories before I started here, which was a key reason why I chose HSE, and I think this is very attractive to anyone who loves academia. The second reason was that HSE has a lot of publicly funded quotas, which is very helpful to me. The pandemic has left a lot of people facing financial hardship, myself included. I didn't even have to actively apply for the full scholarship; I just took the HSE entrance interview and the admissions committee recommended me for the full scholarship directly, which made the process very easy.
How did you decide on your programme?
I studied economics as an undergraduate, but then I realised that I wanted to do cross-disciplinary research.
I am now studying in the Comparative Social Research programme, which is an English-taught programme with many international teachers, and my English skills have greatly improved
In addition, apart from the three compulsory ones, most of the courses are optional, which means that you can make your own study plan. Finally, almost all the courses take place after 6 pm, giving us lots of time during the day to take part in internships or work on our own research projects.
What do you like about your studies?
I really enjoyed the quantitative analysis courses like social data processing, R language, multi-level regression, etc. This is probably because HSE is very specialised in computer science, which is exactly what I wanted to study. The qualitative analysis course was also very good. The course that impressed me the most was ‘Ideological Analysis’ (a course taught in Russian by Roman Abramov and Oxana Mikhaylova), which was a bit difficult for me. To be honest, I only understood about half of it, but the material was very impressive to me.
Different countries have different theoretical systems, and at HSE I have been exposed to some theories and sociologists I had never heard of
In particular, this includes French sociologists such as Luc Boltanski, whose work is not translated in China but can be found in Russian at HSE, which was a great eye-opener for me. I would like to give a special mention to the HSE Library, which has a very large number of academic resources and allows us to access them remotely. There are also databases and electronic archives built by various HSE laboratories and containing data collected by HSE researchers. Many of these materials are unique, and I would not know of their existence if I had not come here.
What is your life in Moscow like?
I live in the south-western part of Moscow now. It is very quiet and there is very little traffic. I love the sky in Moscow. I can't describe the difference between it and the sky in China, but they are really different.
Whenever I have any difficulties, I look up at the wide-open sky and feel that Moscow and the world are so big that my troubles are just nothing compared to it
My favourite thing about Moscow is the metro. It's very convenient and fast—it's the best urban transport system I've ever seen.
How is your Russian?
My undergraduate course was taught by a Russian professor, so I can speak some Russian. However, if you have only studied Russian in class like me, you may still face some difficulties when you first arrive in Russia because academic Russian is not the same as Russian in daily life.
People in Moscow are very friendly and even if your Russian is poor, people will help you. So don't worry
What are your plans for the future?
My dream is to become a university professor or to continue working in a research institute. I am interested in social network analysis and social opinion monitoring using natural language processing. HSE has a laboratory that conducts this kind of research, which I hope to be able to do in the future.
Do you have any final words of advice for potential applicants to HSE University?
I think it is important to finish by stating one fact: HSE is fair. Some people have told me they are worried that they won't win the competition, and some commercial agencies say they can use ‘inside sources’ to help applicants get in. This is not true. In my experience, all you need to do is submit your CV and attend an interview. The whole process is very simple and transparent; don't doubt your ability and you will get everything that is rightfully yours at HSE.
International applicants can learn more about the Master’s in Comparative Social Research—including information on the admissions procedure, tuition fees, scholarship opportunities and more—on the programme’s website.
See also:
‘My Thesis Defence Was a Lively Discussion’
Han Zhang, from China, has worked at the International Laboratory for Evaluation of Practices and Innovations in Education at HSE University-Moscow since 2023. In October 2024, she successfully defended her PhD thesis on the relationship between collaborative peer editing and the quality of academic writing in a second language. She spoke with the HSE News Service about why she chose to join HSE University and how her research can be used to improve student writing performance.
Russia and China: A New Cooperation Trajectory Developed at HSE University
A unique approach to measuring human well-being has been developed at HSE University, opening up new opportunities for international collaboration. Russia and China, both of which have significantly reduced poverty in recent years, demonstrate a unique potential for joint efforts in this area. At an international forum in Kazan titled ‘SPROUTS: Russia and China–Mutually Beneficial Cooperation,’ HSE University representatives, including Vice Rector and initiator of the Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Centre Lilia Ovcharova, and Deputy Vice Rector Maria Nagernyak, emphasised the importance of integrating the efforts of the two countries.
HSE MIEM and Nanjing University Discuss Joint Projects in Engineering Sciences
Developing cooperation in engineering sciences was the key topic during the latest visit of a delegation from Nanjing University to HSE University. This time, the guests were hosted by the HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM).
Mathematicians from Russia and China Meet at HSE University
From November 5 to 9, 2024, HSE University, in collaboration with the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications, is hosting a joint conference on algebraic geometry and mathematical physics. Over 30 mathematicians from leading universities in Russia and China are presenting on recent advancements in geometry and mathematical physics. The conference is held in a hybrid format.
‘Communication with Native Speakers Allowed Me to Look at the Language from a Different Perspective’
Students from HSE University–Perm completed language courses in Tianjin, China. The programme included not only classes with native speakers, but also cultural events, accommodation in a dormitory at Tianjin University, and trips to local attractions.
ICEF Students Share Impressions of China’s Top Summer Schools 2024
This summer, a total of 24 bachelor's and master's students from HSE ICEF travelled to China to attend summer courses at some of the country's top universities, including Fudan University, SWUFE, and SJTU. The ICEF News Service spoke with some of them to learn about their experiences.
'These Are Unforgettable Impressions, I Will Cherish Them Forever'
HSE St Petersburg International Summer School is in full swing—right now, international students from 12 countries are attending lectures and enjoying the cultural programme. The HSE News Service talked to the participants about their most vivid impressions.
HSE University Enhances Cooperation with Top Universities in China
A delegation from HSE University paid a working visit to China, meeting with representatives from leading universities in Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Shanghai. Delegates from several HSE departments, including the International College of Economics and Finance, the Faculty of Computer Science, the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology, the Institute of Education, and the International Partnerships Office, attended the visit. Discussions at each university focused on expanding current cooperation and identifying and creating new projects and initiatives.
HSE University and the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications Sign Cooperation Agreement
HSE University, together with its Chinese partners, will be implementing the scientific project ‘Geometry and Physics,’ which won the ‘Academic Cooperation’ competition at HSE. The International Laboratory for Mirror Symmetry and Automorphic Forms acts on behalf of HSE University. The Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications (BIMSA), represented by a team of renowned mathematicians including Fields medallists, will also be involved in the project.
The XI Russian-Chinese Summer School on International Relations Kicks Off at HSE University
On July 1, 2024, the opening ceremony of the XI International Russian-Chinese Summer School on International Relations, titled ‘Partnership and Cooperation in the New World Order,’ took place. The event was organised by the HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs in collaboration with HSE Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS). Graduate and postgraduate students from various countries have come to Moscow to study international relations and collectively envision a new world order.