Studying abroad is for those who are not afraid to challenge their comfort zone
"Studying in Nice is for those ready to rethink their Moscow reality: to learn how to relax, look around, and live in the moment".
Valeria Tabalaeva, a third-year student of the Business Administration program, shared her impressions of studying at IPAG Business School.
Hello! My name is Lera, and I am a third-year student of the Business Administration program. During the fall semester of the 2024/25 academic year, I went on a mobility program at IPAG Business School in Nice, France.
The process of selecting a mobility destination in my case was as follows: region – country – university – city. Having traveled before, I already knew I always preferred Europe to Asia. There weren’t many cooperation programs left in Europe: France, Germany, Hungary — with France being one of the most popular destinations for students from our faculty for years. Having a good academic ranking, I confidently competed for my place, literally, under the sun — in Nice.
After receiving the cherished letter from the Center for International Exchanges nominating me for the nicest city, a lengthy preparation period began. The hardest part of it was paperwork: first for HSE, then for the host university, and finally for the visa. The girls who had participated in the same program before (special thanks to Lera, Kristina, and Ksyusha) were very helpful. Another source of support was connecting with Sonia, a marketing student who was nominated alongside me. We started figuring out everything together, from documents to renting an apartment. On the practical side, I watched travel bloggers' vlogs for advice on items hard to get abroad, paying special attention to what to include in my first-aid kit. Preparing also included farewell meetings with my Moscow friends. They encouraged me to embrace the trip and promised that, knowing me, even if I wasn’t eager to leave now, I definitely wouldn’t want to come back in the end.
I still remember the moment I was in a taxi from the airport: small houses, glimpses of the sea waves between them, palm trees — the realization that all the challenges of the previous months had paid off. However, after Moscow, Nice initially seemed too small and even boring. All my doubts disappeared the very next day when we started traveling along the Côte d’Azur: Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, Menton... Moreover, Nice itself turned out to be charming, thanks to its old and new districts. After all, a city isn’t about the height of its buildings but the memories we create there.
Adapting to local life brought its challenges. The main difficulties were the language barrier and the peculiarities of French and, more broadly, European lifestyles. I had only briefly studied French through Duolingo, so I could barely prepare for five minutes to ask for one croissant, with no chance of understanding follow-up questions about bags or payment methods. I also had to adjust my daily schedule: restaurants closed from 3:00 PM to 7:30 PM, and pharmacies didn’t work on weekends.
At IPAG Business School, I studied four courses: Business Strategy, Strategic Marketing Planning, Sustainable Supply Chain, and Luxury Brand Management. The main differences from HSE were the two-hour classes, the lack of a clear division between lectures and seminars, and the instructors’ current international experience. At the same time, the familiar group project format was retained, helping me quickly integrate into the learning process. The course on managing luxury brands left a particularly strong impression on me — it aligns with my long-standing career aspirations. As part of the course, we even went on a field trip to Monte Carlo, which was the literal "cherry on top."
During the mobility program, I traveled extensively. I visited neighboring countries — Italy, Spain, and Portugal — and saw cities from my personal top three: Venice, Barcelona, and Lisbon. France also delighted me with its convenience for domestic travel: we went as far north as Lyon and Paris and spent a lot of time along the Côte d’Azur. Every place amazed and inspired me.
My brightest memories are connected to traveling and socializing with friends from different countries. Every evening, we came up with new activities: cooking together, playing board games, and visiting amusement fairs. I returned less than a week ago and already feel lost because there’s no group chat waiting for me to suggest another plan.
The exchange program helped me regain my once-strongest skill — my English proficiency — and improve my self-presentation skills, as I had to introduce myself 20–30 times a day during the first week. Along the way, I reevaluated my priorities: I realized that you don’t have to overachieve to be proud of yourself. I learned to enjoy every moment, whether it was a sunny morning, a walk along the promenade, or buying fresh pastries in the morning. Even little things, like the sight of grandmothers in colorful glasses and cardigans walking their dogs, made me smile.
Studying abroad is for those who are not afraid to challenge their comfort zone. Studying in Nice is for those ready to rethink their Moscow reality: to learn how to relax, look around, and live in the moment.
My advice to future program participants: choose a university with your dream or your heart! Make this semester the highlight of your student life with your own hands — you’ll always have time to return.
