I Have an Idea: What Should I Do?

HSE students and young staff members have several opportunities to receive funds to carry out projects.

External opportunities

Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Competition among higher education institutions

When: applications are being accepted until June 14

Conditions: projects must meet the requirements of one of the competition categories

What to do

You can participate in this competition individually or by representing your university. Applications for individual participants for the competition 2019 have already been closed, but HSE students can apply as university representatives until June 14.

1. Fill in the form and send it to Pavel Zdorovtsev, Director of Student Development Office, by e-mail: pzdorovtsev@hse.ru
   Information on completing the form
2. HSE will process it and submit your application through your personal account in the information system.
3. Wait for the results. The maximum grant in this category is 15 million roubles.

Opportunities within HSE

Student Project Contest

When: Once each season

Conditions: HSE students should lead projects

What to do

1. Create a project on the HSE Family website; determine the project concept, goals, and programme; and indicate the budget and team members.
2. Go through moderation carried out by staff from the Student Initiative Support Centre
3. Find your supporters: following successful moderation, projects are put to a vote in which HSE students, staff members and alumni can participate. In parallel, projects are assessed by experts. Half of the teams in each category that receive the highest scores in the voting and assessment advance to the project defence stage.
4. The public defence is assessed by the Council of HSE Student Initiative Support Fund, which makes a final decision on funding. Teams can receive up to 300,000 roubles for project implementation.

HSEcoin

HSEcoin is a crowdfunding platform for financial support of student projects by the university.

When: HSEcoin is valid for a year

Conditions: a project is considered successful if it attracts 70% of its required funds before the end of the collection period.

What to do

1. Create a project on the HSEcoin platform. Please, remember that the better you describe your project, the higher your chances are of receiving support from the HSE community.
2. Attract the attention of as many people as possible to crowdfunding effort. In 2019, the HSEcoin-rouble exchange rate is 200 roubles.
3. Collect the required number of HSEcoins and successfully complete the project.

Business project competition from the HSE Business Incubator

When: twice a year

Conditions: Student business projects receive grants in the amount of 200,000 roubles to test hypotheses and create prototypes.

 What to do

1. Follow the updates on the Business Incubator website. This year the competition has already taken place, with the final being held at the end of May.
2. When the competition starts again, apply to participate, pass the selection stage, and assemble a team.
3. Develop a project and obtain feedback from experts. Pass the preliminary defence.
4. Present the project at the final defence and win!

Support for participation in intellectual competitions

When: If the competition takes place in Russia, you should apply for it 30 days before the trip, if it is held abroad — 45 days before.

Conditions: all undergraduate, specialist, graduate and doctoral students from all HSE campuses are eligible to participate.

What to do

1. Read the rules of the competition.
2. Collect all required documents and submit an online application.

You are also required to complete a report within 3 days after the competition

Valeria Kasamara

HSE Vice Rector

It is important for HSE to create and maintain the environment where student initiatives are created and developed. We provide support to these projects, including financial support, with a system of grants.

In students’ hands even the most exact science takes creative forms. This is how popular science projects, for example, Science Battles, were launched at HSE.

As a researcher, I am glad that more and more students are becoming involved in HSE’s research life each year. There are many opportunities for personal fulfilment outside HSE. Rosmolodezh also runs a competition of youth initiatives, and grants from the President and Russian Government are other sources of funding. Taking part in such competitions not only helps you to implement your idea, but it also gives you an opportunity to improve your presentation skills.

Prepared by Maria Eremina

May 30, 2019