Global Business Master's Student Receives Free Ticket to Austria

A free six months of study at Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria. Each year one lucky student from the Global Business Master’s Programme is given this lucky ticket. The programme not only gives the student incredible work experience and the opportunity to study in one of the world’s leading economic regions, but the master’s student will also receive a diploma from the Austrian university. This year, the winner was Anna Zotova.

Students from the Global Business Master's Programme are given the unique opportunity to study for six months at two prestigious, European partner universities — Austria's Johannes Kepler University and Italy’s University of Bergamo.

In their first year of study, students from HSE Nizhny Novgorod are placed in a single group with their Austrian and Italian counterparts. They begin studying at HSE Nizhny Novgorod, but in the second half of the year the group heads to the Austrian university, where they live and study from January through March. Among these students, one is selected as the best, and he or she is given the opportunity to spend six months living in Austria and studying at Johannes Kepler University for free.

For the second year in a row, an HSE student was selected from the international group.

— Anna, when did you realize you needed to continue your education and apply for a master's programme? Why did you select the Global Business programme?

— I graduated from the Nizhny Novgorod Institute of Management (RANEPA) in 2014 with a degree in State and Municipal Management. I got the idea of applying for a master’s programme when I was a senior. At the time, I had already been actively participating in different international forums, conferences, and projects (Enactus), and I had interned with different international companies. My main goal was to get into an international programme with both theoretical and practical components. In 2013, I took part in HSE Nizhny Novgorod’s Spring School of Management, during which a presentation on the Global Business programme instantly caught my attention. I knew it would develop key skills that would help me when looking for a career at large international companies, and it was clear that having European certificates would be one of my competitive advantages on the job market.

— In Austria you were declared the best student. How were you able to achieve something like this?

— I believe that all students in the Global Business programme are the ‘best students,’ and each has the opportunity to continue studying in Austria. But an important role was played by my own motivation and determination to develop a career in this country in particular. Aside from grades, the programme supervisors in Austria factor in their opinion of the group and its members. They pay attention to your personal contribution towards the team’s development, as well as how you resolve conflicts and your overall personal qualities. Austrians always support students who are self-starters. The main thing is how much you want it.

— After returning to HSE and finishing your master’s, you’ll have the opportunity to finish studying in Austria. Will you take advantage of this?

— That will be my goal. I can confidently say that the Global Business programme, and the Higher School of Economics as a whole, offers you the unique opportunity of forging international connections, receiving a European diploma, and boosting your knowledge of foreign languages. Irrespective of the current political situation in Russia, I believe in the development of European business within our country. Because of this, when considering career prospects, I will be a highly qualified specialist in the field of international business, and I’ll acquire the necessary knowledge and skills abroad in order to apply them successfully in Russia.

HSE Nizhny Novgorod is accepting applications to the Global Business Master's Programme until August 5. Don't miss the chance to study at some of the best universities in the world!