Community

On October 9–10, the first-ever HSE International Alumni Reunion brought together graduates from various cohorts and programmes—now working in Russia and abroad—along with representatives of HSE University and its industry partners. The event included a tour of the campus, a business game, and a cultural festival. The participants exchanged experiences, reflected on their career paths, and discussed labour market challenges.

Rainer Matos Franco, HSE University–St Petersburg graduate and candidate of historical sciences, has launched the podcast Russia Aloud (Rusia en Voz Alta). The goal of the project is to dispel myths, prejudices, and distortions in the perception of the country.

Gideon Apomasu, from Ghana, West Africa, has recently graduated from the HSE University Master’s programme in Population and Development at the Faculty of Social Sciences. He talked to the HSE News Service about his impressions and experience of living in Moscow, being part of the HSE student community, and his future career plans.

Fan Minlan, a 25-year-old from the coastal city of Zhangzhou in southeastern China, has recently graduated from the HSE Master’s Programme in Population and Development. In her interview with the HSE News Service, Fan Minlan speaks about her decision to enrol at HSE University, the challenges of speaking Russian, her career plans, and the love story that started with her studies.

HSE University–St Petersburg is proud of its graduates. Our alumni pursue careers in a wide variety of fields—from academia and public policy to creative industries and international development. Each story is unique, filled with ambition, perseverance, and meaningful change. Today, we are excited to share the story of Giovanny Simon Machado—a graduate of the Master’s programme 'Applied and Interdisciplinary History "Usable Pasts"'. Now, he is a professor at the Department of Social Work at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. This May, Prof. Machado came back to Russia as a participant of the HSE University–St Petersburg International Partners’ Week 2025.