Evgeny Zelenev

Andrey Vovk, 4th-year student of the Bachelor's programme 'Asian and African Studies', undertook an internship on the Arabic language at the language centre 'Ahlan World' in Cairo. He studied the literary and spoken Arabic language as well as the peculiarities of the Egyptian dialect. Earlier, the student took part in the Summer School at the National University of Uzbekistan.

The meeting was held in person for the first time in over two years. It was attended by Sergey Kravtsov, Russian Minister of Education, and Dmitry Smyslov, Vice President of VK. The Council discussed HSE University’s breakthrough projects in engineering and artificial intelligence and elected new distinguished and tenured professors.

Russian society demonstrates a growing interest in Asia and North Africa, with economic, social, political and cultural expectations associated with the macro-region. What is more, demand for educational programmes and competencies related to Asian and African studies is projected to grow in Russian universities. HSE Vice Rector Sergey Roshchin and the heads of relevant HSE departments explain the university’s past and current efforts to respond to these challenges.

Milana Iliushina, the programme's Academic Supervisor, answers main questions about studying and tells what study track one should choose.

On December 13, Russia’s first ever Arabic Language Competition took place in Moscow with the support of the Qatar Embassy. Three students – two from HSE and one from MGIMO – won one-year scholarships at Qatar University for next year.

HSE St Petersburg initiated and organised an international conference on Minorities and Conflicts: Asian and African States in the Modern World.  Academics from Russia, South Korea, South Africa, Turkey and Armenia gathered for the event on 9th and 10th October.

On 9-10 October 2015 Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg hosted the international conference “Minorities and Conflicts: Asia and African states in the Modern World”, which was organized by the Department of Asian and African Studies and the Centre for Asian and African Studies. The conference welcomed Russian and international researchers from St. Petersburg, Moscow, Armenia, Turkey South Africa and South Korea, as well as students and PhD candidates from St. Petersburg’s universities.

14-15^th of May 2015 the international conference “Education and Global Cities: Perspectives of BRICS” took place in St. Petersburg bringing together leading foreign and Russian experts in the field of education. In the framework of this conference the Center of Asian and African Studies and the Department of Asian and African Studies co-organized the round table “Education Trends in the Context of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity”, which focused on the challenges of education in multiethnic states with a special emphasis on the BRICS countries.

On the 15^th of April 2015 the Centre of Asian and African Studies in-collaboration with the Department of Asian and African Studies at the Higher School of Economics – St. Petersburg hosted the scientific seminar “History of Asian and African Civilizations: Concepts and Critique”.

Academics at HSE St. Petersburg are convinced that oriental studies as a field of humanities is becoming more topical every day, and create new educational and research departments.