New HSE Master’s Programme Modelled on World’s Leading Business Schools

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HSE University’s new Master's Programme in International Management is now accepting applications for the 2020/21 academic year. Students of the programme will gain practice-oriented knowledge that will equip them to start a successful career in a multinational company and maximise their potential. The programme will be taught in English.

Responding to Market Demands

In Russia, there is a severe shortage of managerial personnel whose competencies match the demands of the knowledge economy and industry 4.0. Therefore, there is a high demand for education that provides students with the necessary decision-making skills for new situations. When joining a company, a graduate of the new Master’s Programme in International Management will be able to thrive in a highly competitive digital world and initiate innovative changes based on qualitative and quantitative data.

International companies that operate or have an interest in the Russian market have additional requirements. A manager must understand the specifics of Russian business and be proficient in the management methods and approaches used in global corporations. Due to the low level of international experience of master’s programme graduates of Russian universities, it is extremely difficult to find people with these skills, even among the younger generation.

HSE’s new International Management programme is a response to these market demands.

‘Global corporations need professional managers who have received a Russian education that is not inferior in quality to that of the world’s leading business schools. This applies to the content and format of the curriculum, the application of practice-oriented approaches, and the placement of graduates in the international business environment. We seek to produce exactly these kinds of specialists by drawing on international experience and utilising the wide capabilities of the HSE Faculty of Business and Management,’ says Professor and Programme Academic Supervisor Natalya Guseva.

Full-time, Hands-On Training, Company Projects

The programme’s content and format are modelled after those of programmes that top the FT-100 Masters in Management rankings. The key criterion for this ranking is the quality of education, which is assessed in terms of graduate salary growth. This method, on the one hand, reveals the extent to which a programme’s education meets the demands of international corporations. On the other hand, it expands opportunities for cooperation amongst top 100 business schools through exchange programmes or double degree programmes.

The main features of the HSE International Management programme correspond with those of the world’s leading business schools, such as the European School of Management of ESCP - Paris (France), the School of Management at the University of Lancaster (UK), Vienna University of Economics and Business (Austria), the Business School of the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), and others.

This is, first of all, a real full-time programme. Students study intensively every day from morning to evening. All subjects are taught in English, and a semester of study abroad is required. Exceptional students will have the opportunity to receive double degrees.

The educational process is based on small group work (with groups comprised of no more than 30 people), interactive teaching methods, and a combination of practical, analytical, and research activities for students. Students will engage in group projects in collaboration with companies who are potential employers. Every student is required to participate in a consulting and business project.

Within the framework of the programme’s main aim – to produce highly qualified managers for multinational international corporations operating in the digital world – the programme curriculum centres on three intersecting general areas and four distinct content areas that allow students to gain valuable professional skills.

Programme general areas:

 global strategies and operations;
 digital transformation and new business models; 
 corporate social responsibility and sustainable development.

Programme content areas:

 international business strategies and regional markets;
 managing the development of organizations and talents in the digital world;
 business analytics and financial management;
 marketing and operations in modern international companies.

From Universities and Business

The programme faculty will include leading international business specialists who work both in academia and in business.

Academic Program Supervisor Natalia Guseva holds a PhD in Management Science from the University of Paris Dauphin and now also leads the international Doing Business in Russia Programme. Sberbank Corporate University Vice-Rector Igor Baranov will teach a course on Economics and Finance for Managers, and Valery Katkalo, HSE First Vice-Rector, will teach a course on Global Trends in Management.

Students will work closely with professors and instructors not only from HSE, but other leading Russian and foreign universities, including the University of Vaasa (Finland), Loyola University of Chicago (USA), Skoltech (Russia), and others.

The programme’s corporate partners include all of the partner companies of the Faculty of Business and Management: KPMG, Delloit, Oracle, IBM, and other international companies. Company representatives will give guest course lectures, manage projects, organise company visits, and provide students specific tasks as part of their master’s thesis work. Of course, an invitation to intern and subsequently to work is also possible during the educational process.

Talent Search

According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group, more than 30% of companies operating in Russia use flexible development strategies based on adaptation to new requirements of the knowledge economy. They rely on the innovation of business models and management systems, digital transformation and business analytics, technology and human capital, and they are moving from a paradigm of ‘recruitment’ to that of searching for and nurturing new talents.

These companies are the potential employers of graduates of the International Management Programme. They may be based both in Russia and abroad. Among them, a small portion are Russian companies representing small and medium-sized businesses with growth potential and an interest in entering the international market. A study by the Boston Consulting Group shows that they are all interested in attracting employees who have international experience and the range of skills that students will gain over the course of their studies at HSE University.

 

‘Our graduates will be able to think globally, see a business’s development potential in a global context, and take the role of digital transformation in changing business models into account,’ says Professor Natalya Guseva.

Our students will master the analytical skills and digital competencies a modern manager needs

In addition to careers in multinational corporations, this programme also prepares students for continued study at the doctoral level at both Russian and foreign universities.

Who Should Apply?

 

The programme welcomes applications from graduates of both Russian and foreign undergraduate programmes in areas related to multinational company management in Russia or abroad (the predicted share of graduates who will work abroad is about 10%). Applicants must be proficient in English and available for full-time study—due to the programme’s full-time curriculum, students will not have time to maintain full-time jobs. Though students of all educational backgrounds are welcome to apply, preference will be given to those who hold a bachelor’s degree in fields related to management, economics, or business. No work experience is required.

International students may apply for HSE scholarships that provide full or partial coverage of tuition costs. Foreign students of the programme will study in the same conditions as Russian students, participate in real business projects, and practice in companies operating in Moscow.

To learn more about HSE University, its admission process, or life in Moscow, please visit International Admissions website, or contact the Education & Training Advisory Centre at: inter@hse.ru,  or via WhatsApp at: +7 (916) 311 8521.