‘At the First Meeting with the Teachers it Became Clear that the Study Process Would Be Wonderful and Exciting’

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In the autumn of 2020, the newest HSE faculty – the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology – enrolled students for the first time. The students share their impressions of the university after six months of study, as well as the admission process and their interest in geography.

Julia Levkovskaya, Moscow

Photo courtesy of Julia Levkovskaya

About student competitions and applied skills

I enrolled on HSE programme as a result of the student competition, so the last year of my school life was no more difficult for me than the other years (I started preparing for the competition in the 9th grade). But, in general, I consider my competition path difficult: I had to learn a lot (I participated in the All-Russian School Olympiad), moreover, it was emotionally difficult. I had both good results and failures - overall, admission to the HSE was not easy for me.

I chose HSE as a university with a special approach to learning. Degree programmes here are implemented in accordance with current requirements in a particular area. When I was still at school, my friends from other faculties told me what kind of lecturers teach here, they are young and with glowing eyes; lectures and seminars are interesting, and the information is easy to comprehend.

Researching the programmes of different universities, I noticed that geography at the Higher School of Economics involved learning a large number of applied skills. In other universities, the degree programmes related to this science seemed too academic for me.

I am interested in a geography degree, and I like to see how acquired knowledge can be applied in practice

I have always been interested in the structure of the world around me, and this degree allows you to study it and get answers to the questions about its arrangement. I also like traveling, especially in wild places and through untouched nature. I hope that in future I will be able to use the knowledge and skills acquired at HSE University in order to visit new locations.

Our programme includes disciplines from different areas of geography, so it is interesting to study, and the subjects never allow you to get bored. Preparation for my first set of exams was difficult, but with the proper diligence, it is quite possible to pass all the exams.

I like the relationships within my group: the students are sociable, responsive, and really passionate about geography. We study in a new building on Pokrovsky Boulevard, with student coworking rooms, a huge library and a computer class for our faculty. All these spaces have a studious atmosphere, which helps you to tune in to productive work. There are also a lot of student organizations that offer activities for every taste: this helps you to take a break from your studies, get new impressions and meet interesting students from other faculties.

I would recommend the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology to those who are not afraid of a challenge and lots of work, because they will have to study a lot. The teachers are firm but fair, so students need to work hard to get top marks. I guess HSE Faculty of Geography would be best for those who are looking for a programme with a new approach to science, especially those who want to study geoinformation technologies, because the practical tasks in related disciplines start right from the first module.

Elena Zubova, Novocheboksarsk

Photo courtesy of Elena Zubova

About a passion for geography and classmates

My path to choosing this area of study turned out to be very non-trivial. Of all the programmes at different universities that I applied for, the HSE programme was the only one directly involved with geography. I only started to become involved in this subject during the 9th grade, and in the 10th grade I decided to take the exam, as I wanted to test my knowledge. I was actually studying in an engineering class and was planning to enroll on a programmes in physics. However, I felt that I did not want to connect my entire future life to this field. I preferred to study geography, which explores not only nature, and the planet, but also people, the connection between them and their influence on each other. The more I learned, the more I was struck by the fact that nature is not as simple as it seems at first glance, and one process can affect another.

At that time, I had a rather stereotypical view of a geographer’s work, I thought that they only work "in the field". But then I accidentally found out about the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology at HSE University

I watched the presentation and realized that this is what I wanted to do! I was not sure about employments prospects however, and since it was the first enrollment of the faculty, there was no one to ask about the studying experience. Despite this, I still submitted the documents to HSE University, a fact which now makes me very happy.

During the first meeting with my teachers (they greatly fascinated me with the stories about our studies), it became clear that the study process would be wonderful and exciting. And it is! Even the subjects that I was not interested in at school were informative, and I regret that I did not study them more closely before. Our teachers do not just give information, but try to help each of us to understand it.

The first set of exams did not seem too difficult to me (there were relatively few subjects), but during the winter session exams I understood what other students were talking about. It is especially difficult to prepare for exams that follow each other. But there is nothing impossible — I passed all of them.

When I applied for the programme, I heard that your whole life at HSE University is dedicated to studying. But this is not true, we find free time, meet and hang out. I like the people I study with, they are friendly, funny, quick-witted, and smart. If I hadn’t met them, my experience at the university would have been different.

I advise everyone who is interested in geography to apply to HSE University: our programme focuses on acquiring practical skills, and the university atmosphere will make you want to learn and develop more and more.

Ekaterina Shtoll, Moscow

Photo courtesy of Ekaterina Shtoll

About my study expectations

I chose HSE University because I had never seen any other university courses related to geoinformatics. A geographer’s work is, in general, extremely diverse. I became fascinated by it after a lot of trips to different parts of our country, and my passion for ecology also played a role. After graduation, and during my studies, I want to work in meteotechnologies, to develop solutions to various problems with the help of computer technologies.

Over the past six months, my expectations from student life and the university have been met, but there were also some unexpected and amazing discoveries

It turned out that the exams in university were easier for me than the exams at school. At university, you can improvise and interest the teacher, there are no strict rules, unlike in school assignments. Most of all I like the independence in decision-making and time management of student life. Even before the exams, I still have time to rest. There are also some disadvantages of student life. We have to work very hard, search for information and then study it. Despite this, I like everything - because I am exactly where I wanted to be.

The Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology is a joint project of the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Higher School of Economics. The faculty combines the high standards of scientific research of the Institute of Geography, the modern educational approaches of the Higher School of Economics and the applied skills of partner companies of the faculty. Features of the faculty's bachelor's programmes include the integration of educational processes and research work from the very first days of study, the study of related fields (statistics, programming, economics, sociology), and an emphasis on practical skills.