A Ticket to Global Business

Students of the Global Business programme will continue their studies in the second semester at a leading Austrian university. How does it feel to study to be a global manager? Here are some of their thoughts on it.

The HSE is expanding its cooperation with leading European universities. A unique Master’s Programme in Global Business was launched at the HSE in Nizhny Novgorod in September 2013. "A key objective of the Nizhny Novgorod regional development programme is to increase the number of international and Russian export-oriented companies operating in the region. This will create demand for a new generation of managers capable of working on international projects. The Global Business programme is designed to train this type of manager," according to Yulia Kuznetsova, Dean of the HSE Faculty of Management in Nizhny Novgorod.

22 students from Austria, Italy, and Russia are currently mastering the principles of working in the global economy. Having successfully completed the first semester in Nizhny Novgorod, the students will now continue their studies at the Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Austria. "In Austria, students will be offered an intensive programme, including an advanced course in finance and a course in international marketing led by Denis Fomenkov, Associate Professor of the Department of Marketing at the HSE in Nizhny Novgorod. Students will also take courses in Academic Writing and  International HR, along with other related disciplines," says Kuznetsova.

No less intensive has been the Russian part of the programme. During the Russian Business Context course taught at the HSE in Nizhny Novgorod, students visited ten Russian companies, while the Cultural Awareness and Global Leadership course challenged each student's ability to be a leader of an international team - a leader in the global sense.

Most assignments are performed in groups, helping students adapt to being part of an international team. Each student learns a second language—either German or Italian, and upon completion of the second semester, each student will defend their course paper - a comparative study based on three countries: Russia, Austria, and Italy.

Shortly before going to Austria, some of the students shared their impressions of Russia, the Global Business programme and the Russian educational system.

	Stefano Sbarra Living abroad and studying at a foreign university (in this case, the HSE in Nizhny Novgorod) is a tremendous experience. It makes you continually grow and develop in every sense, and your consciousness expands all the time. It is a great opportunity to learn and understand the way people live in other countries and see a culture which is very different from your own. During our studies in Russia, not only did we experience the Russian student community, but also learned about this country from the inside. Our training involved lots of group assignments, which allowed us to meet and work with students from different cultures. I would recommend this programme to anybody seeking an international education and who wants to understand the specifics of doing business in different countries, as well as those aiming for a career in the global market.
	Andrea Campi The Global Business programme helps you learn about doing business in different countries. It is a great opportunity not only to learn about different approaches to doing business, but also to apply them in practice. It is an excellent opportunity to acquire some of the key competencies and skills required to build international business contacts. I believe that the knowledge gained here will open doors for us at leading international companies.
	Hannes Frauenschuh Before I came to Russia, I’d read about the unique Russian hospitality and kindness in books, but here I got to experience these qualities firsthand. The Russians welcomed us with interest and were happy to share information. Looking back, I can still feel this warmth - it was a great time! I especially want to mention the facilities at the Higher School of Economics - the classrooms were not too big and perfect for creating a productive environment for discussions.
	Alexander Illarionov Global Business is a challenge - not just a challenge we have to face, but also a challenge we offer to the world around us. Therefore I would recommend this course to people who are bold, sociable, and open-minded. The programme is really unique, one of a kind. It opens a whole new world for us, with new people, new impressions, and new experiences.

Finally, we should add that applicants for this programme need to pass an English test and an interview. You can also attend the HSE's Spring School of Management to learn more about our Master's programmes, and take part in business games and interactive training sessions offered by some of the leading teachers from the HSE Department of Management, Attendance is free, and the dates of this year's Spring School will be published on our website, so stay tuned.

 Author: Yulia Weinberg