HSE Online to Open Six New Full-time Programmes in 2023
More than 1,500 students currently study at HSE Online, including those from across Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, India, China, Germany, and others. Yulia Remezova, Director for eLearning at HSE University, spoke to the HSE News Service about the success of the autumn enrolment session for the university’s digital programmes.
— What do you think about the results of the autumn intake for HSE Online?
— We are happy to say that HSE Online has successfully completed enrolment for the academic year. In 2022, the number of programmes grew to 16. A total of 958 students enrolled in them—an increase of 56% since last year.
For us, this is a key moment—to create new and limitless opportunities for students studying online while preserving the traditionally high quality of education.
The results of the latest admissions campaign demonstrate the fact that demand for long-term online education continues to grow. This means that the university’s portfolio of online programmes must also grow. In the coming year, we will open admissions for six new online master’s programmes.
Every year, the trend for online learning becomes more and more stable
Today, we can confidently say that we have created an online learning ecosystem at HSE University that meets all the standards of modern higher education. It shows flexibility, scalability, and, thanks to the involvement of more and more online students and teachers in the process, plays an integrating role at the global level. Digital technologies allow us to transmit HSE University’s expertise far beyond the confines of its four campuses.
— Some applicants worry that online education has an abridged programme and is inferior to on-campus learning in terms of quality. Is this the case?
— The bachelor’s and master’s programmes at HSE Online provide comprehensive academic programmes from HSE University researchers, as well as industry leaders and experts. Each programme is unique—its educational content always stands out from the competition, and students have access to critical developments and the latest HSE University research. The students attend lectures, take part in seminars and discussions on the dedicated Smart LMS digital platform, and have the opportunity to visit the libraries and open lectures at the university’s campuses. In other words, they gain access to HSE University’s full information resources and infrastructure.
— Why does online education appeal to students?
— Today, more than 1,500 students study at HSE Online. One of our main advantages is the opportunity to receive a high-quality education at one of the best universities in Russia from anywhere in the world. We have students from various cities in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, India, China, Germany, and others.
Students of HSE Online study not only theoretical courses, but also hone relevant competencies while solving pressing industry challenges in business laboratories and networking and practical sessions. Internships at leading companies provide opportunities to master skills that can immediately be applied to work, meaning that students can build their careers while studying.
We conduct research into the labour market and create programmes that train sought-after specialists.
The university’s online programmes are made with a focus on real business cases, which is a powerful stimulus for career development
We provide knowledge aimed at effective implementation not just today, but also tomorrow.
We have observed an interesting trend: more and more applicants aged 25–29 are applying to master’s programmes. These are people who have some experience, understand their needs, and value the ability to combine work with study. HSE Online allows them to obtain additional knowledge while simultaneously realising their career ambitions.
— How is the learning process structured for students of HSE Online?
— Full-time online higher education programmes allow students to independently choose their learning trajectories and regulate the time spent watching lectures. The university remains responsible for maintaining educational standards. Technology should first and foremost work to improve the quality of the knowledge obtained.
The university’s Smart LMS digital platform enables synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) learning formats. The university oversees the proctoring process for online exams and provides assistance and support for online courses. HSE University also researches psychometrics and analyses big data in order to constantly improve the quality of the educational process.
Support for the programme office is provided round-the-clock and independently of time zones, working and non-working days. This format is essential for providing study opportunities to students from around the world.
— How does one become a student if they have decided on their future profession and definitely know they want to study at HSE Online?
— We will conduct the next enrolment for the majority of programmes on April 1, 2023. It will still be possible to apply to the full-time online Master of Data Science programme by February 20 and become a student in March 2023. This programme is taught entirely in English.
To prepare for the entrance exams, I advise applicants to sign up for a personal consultation on our website (currently available in Russian) and attend webinars and intensive programming camps.
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