I Chose HSE Because it Has Outstanding Economics and Finance Programs. Now I Can Say Certainly That it Was a Great Decision
Hector Cantu, University of Texas alumni, spent a year in Moscow learning Russian language and visiting Strategic Corporate Finance Program.
I majored in Economics and minored in Math at UT - Austin. I am originally from Monterrey, Mexico, and as my last year of Bachelor was nearing its end I decided to enroll in HSE in Moscow. I chose HSE because it has outstanding economics and finance programs. I also wanted to learn some Russian. Now I can say certainly that it was a great decision. I found Russia, the world’s largest country and a very important economy in the world, a place that has so much to offer, from attractive landscapes to an extraordinary beautiful culture full of artists and epic folkloric dances. This country also stands out for its good education in universities, and HSE is among the top 3 best universities in the country, providing its students with a world-class education.
As one of the best universities of economics in the country, HSE Faculty of Economics has world-class professors and a high quality academic level of education. The Faculty gives courses on theoretical frameworks for understanding and analyzing major financial problems of corporations operating in the modern market environment. You can study disciplines of economics combined with modern finance-related fields that can prepare you to work and understand today’s emerging markets.
The university is an excellent place to do economic and finance research because of the support of professors and the talented group of research students that you can easily find. HSE also offer constantly forums and conferences to help students apply their knowledge to work experiences. Example of employers of HSE students and graduates are ATKearney, Boston Consulting Group, Holt Value Associates, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Stern Stewart & Company, McKinsey, Monitor Group, KPMG, etc. Some classes of finance and economics are instructed in collaboration with managers and partners from these companies.
I lived in Moscow, the capital of Russia, a city in which you can find countless things to discover, in which you can get to know many people from every part of Russia, you can find marvelous forests and gardens, outstanding fine arts events, and amazing friends. Moscow is a modern and cosmopolitan city with an incredibly efficient and beautiful metro, it can take you almost anywhere you want to go into the city. Art and literature are something common around the streets and endless kinds of museums are everywhere.
I liked Moscow and I fell in love with many other cities while travelling around, like St. Petersburg, Vladimir, Suzdal among others. There is so much history behind their walls that people can tell you every kind of unbelievable stories. Glittering palaces, vast geographical distances and spired churches are some places you can find in the unique beauty of this autonomous culture, Russia. It is definitely a great joy to travel. Also, there are so many cities that you can take advantage to discover by taking a train all around Russia and Siberia on the Trans-Siberian route.
Russians and HSE welcome many students from around the world. You can really quickly find amazing students to make friends with and uncountable activities at HSE to do and enjoy without any knowledge of Russian, but of course, learning the language can help you discover the real Russian heart and culture. I am glad to have studied in HSE and in the Russian Federation, it was a great experience. I recommend HSE to students who really wants to discover the biggest country in the world, high quality education in the fields of business, finance and economics and learn the beauty of the Russian culture with their great people.