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Global Business and Global Friendship

HSE - Nizhny Novgorod offers a Master's programme 'Global Business' which is taught in English in collaboration with Johannes Kepler University (Austria) and University of Bergamo (Italy). Students from these educational institutions have got a chance to study one semester in Russia, and other semesters – at partner universities in Austria and Italy.

This semester a group of 21 young people from Russia, France, India, Austria, Spain, and Italy studied Global Business at Higher School of Economics – Nizhny Novgorod. During three months they attended lectures and seminars, visited local commercial entities, and accomplished lots of tasks including group projects.

International students wanted to get acquainted with Russia, its history and traditions, people and life style. On the weekends they went to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Suzdal, Vladimir, visited Semenov Khokhloma factory, Ariel, a Nizhny Novgorod factory producing New Year tree ornaments, and a horse riding base in Kerzhenetz area.

Besides, our foreign guests took part in International Students’ Club activities.

ISClub leader Zhanna Shabanova has interviewed 'Global business' students from University of Bergamo who spent three months (one semester) at HSE - Nizhny Novgorod.

Gatto Valentina is an Italian student who turned 24 here in Russia. She studies at the University of Bergamo, Northern Italy, and is majoring in Management, Finance and International Business.

«Before coming to Nizhny Novgorod my vision of Russia was snow, bears, and President Putin. But the country has been a great surprise! I’ve experienced highs and lows but the overall evaluation is great! It’s hard to compare this programme to the studies I’ve been doing so far because it’s very specific. I enjoyed nice cafes and patisseries. The Russians know how to make sweets and tea. I’m proud to say I’ve been able to travel to some Russian cities: Saint Petersburg, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Sochi, and Moscow. I loved Yekaterinburg most of all.

In my courses there are very nice Russian girls. I hope to be friends with them. Salmon and plov is what I will miss the most. I was surprised that the canteen is open all day! This has been my first scholarly experience abroad for such a long time. Everything has been a surprise for me. Though there were some difficulties, I can say I survived! If Italians want to experience something really new, they should definitely visit Russia!»

Ignazio Panades is a 23 year old student from University of Bergamo, majoring in Management.

«I came to Russia because HSE – Nizhny Novgorod has an agreement with my university and because Russia seemed like a more exotic place than others to study abroad. First, I thought that it would be a dangerous place and that food would be very bad. But I never felt in danger in Nizhny, not even when I was coming back home late at night. I can’t say I prefer Russian food to Italian, but I was satisfied with it. I must confess, I LOVE shawarma. I just don’t understand why there is no shawarma in Italy. Maybe I will import it.Our educational systems are different. I think that at my university we do more theory, while here it’s all about group projects and practice. Different approaches but I like both. I just liked the new teachers and the new methods.

I enjoyed my stay in Nizhny. I was mostly studying, but found time for travelling (Moscow, Kazan, Saint Petersburg) and partying: either at friends’ home or at B/U bar. Kazan was very beautiful and Moscow – really impressive, but I must say that Saint Petersburg was my favourite. It’s a big metropolis, with lots of interesting places to visit and with an overall harmonious architectural style. Besides, it really seems like it is a city for the young. I think that, despite the cold, I would love to live there. I made lots of friends in Nizhny, in my class and at parties.

There were some things that seemed weird to me, for example, people speaking in the streets. You don’t do it! Italians are always shouting in the streets, while Russians seem like they almost don’t speak and they lip-read to understand each other. Oh, and the fact that they don’t smile very much. Although now it’s pretty normal to me, I’ve got used to it. First, it seemed to me like there were big cultural differences between Italians and Russians, but the truth is that now I don’t see any relevant one. Being my first experience abroad I must say that I enjoyed all of it. Being alone and away from my family, the tourism, the food, meeting Russian people, learning Russian language. It’s just a pity that I  cannot stay longer.

It is very cold in Russia. In Bergamo the temperature usually never goes under -5 degrees С. Even during winter the average temperature is above the 0. But I liked to see so much snow (as you can imagine we don’t have much in Bergamo) But I have liked Russia a lot. I will advise all my friends to study at HSE-NN. If I could I would come here again».

About «Global Business» Programme

The programme is aimed at preparing managers with the professional and social competencies necessary to work under global economic conditions. Taught in collaboration with the Johannes Kepler University Linz (Austria) and the University of Bergamo (Italy), this programme combines teaching modules in three countries to cover the foundations of general managerial theory and practice on the international level, elements of management, and negotiation skills. Students study a second foreign language (Russian, German or Italian) and gain work experience through internships with Italian companies.