“You receive a quality business education and actively develop teamwork skills” — an interview with Olga Vinogradova
About Admission
— Tell us a little about yourself.
— I completed my bachelor’s degree at HSE Saint Petersburg in the “Logistics and Supply Chain Management” track. I remember my four years in St. Petersburg and my early university life with great warmth. Since my third year, I have been working at Gazprom Neft Group as a process analyst, and in two years I’ve gone from intern to lead specialist. I’m also a volunteer with over 130 hours of experience — I volunteered at football matches, concerts, Scarlet Sails, and Formula 1.
— Why did you choose this particular master’s program?
— The program is very closely related to my job. I felt that my bachelor’s gave me a solid management foundation, but I lacked specific tools for work tasks and new initiatives — that’s exactly what I came to the master’s for. The program is also quite specialized; I knew a community would form that clearly understood why it was here and was focused on productive work. I also can’t help but mention the career opportunities: guest speakers and alumni regularly attend classes to share their experience and invite students to join their teams. And of course, I was attracted by the new personal experience — a new campus, a new city, new acquaintances and knowledge.
I didn’t consider other universities at all — I like a lot about HSE, and no other university appealed to me either for bachelor’s or master’s. But I did look at different programs — all of them at the HSE Graduate School of Business and all business-related.
The final choice in favor of Operational Efficiency came after talking to current students — I searched for people from various programs online, wrote to them, and collected feedback about the studies. One girl even offered to have a video call, and we chatted about the program and HSE for an hour. She was happy for me when I got accepted, and now we still occasionally talk and see each other at university.
— What were your expectations before the start of your studies, and were they met?
— I expected a high level of practical orientation in the classes, and this was absolutely met. We are shown real cases, we solve actual business tasks, our term projects are done with the participation of partner companies, and the instructors are executives from corporate top management and consultants with numerous projects behind them.
I also really hoped that classes would be in the evening so I could combine work and study — and that turned out to be true. Except for elective courses, where the schedule varies.
About Studying in the Program
— Which courses and projects have been the most useful and interesting for you?
— Over three modules, I’ve completed 7 courses, and I still have 6 to take during the summer session. The most interesting were those directly related to the focus of the program. For example, the project seminar “Tools for Improving Operational Efficiency.” As part of the course, our team developed a project aimed at improving the process of issuing passes to HSE students. We even held a meeting with representatives of the University Security Office to accurately identify existing problems and propose optimal solutions.
We also implemented a really cool project in the “Strategic Thinking and Strategic Analysis” course. Our team developed a business strategy for the NLMK Group, which included entering a new foreign market. It was a complex, large-scale project filled with analysis and methodologies. Now, looking back at our presentation, I feel proud of the work done and the results achieved.
— Were there any difficulties during the studies, and how did you overcome them?
— The main challenge in the master’s program is the lack of time. Combining work and study, no matter how much you love both areas of your life, is not easy — and 95% of our students are employed. You need to be prepared for this and develop time management skills: use task trackers, calendars, alarms, and reminders. All of this helps you find five minutes between work for a stretch, schedule lunch, not be late for class, and definitely plan time for proper rest.
Sometimes there are difficulties with instructors, but what kind of education goes without them? Luckily, our program head, Grigory Olegovich Baev, is always ready to help. He regularly gathers feedback to check how we’re doing and is always available for consultation if there are issues with the courses.
— Does the program help you develop skills necessary for career or business growth?
— Absolutely! Our program is designed for those striving for success in any field. You can choose the path of a consultant, work in a large corporation, develop products or services, or even start your own business. The industry is also not limited — from mining to IT.
You receive a quality business education and actively develop teamwork skills, since almost all projects are team-based. You create presentations to defend initiatives, justify investment attractiveness, align everything with company strategy, identify root causes of problems, and search for ways to solve them. In general, you learn how to develop and improve business processes and can immediately apply this knowledge in your own work.
— Have you participated in research, projects, competitions, case championships, etc.?
— To enter the program, I took part in the HSE Graduate School of Business Winter School, where I became a prizewinner, the “Vysshaya Liga” Olympiad, the “Early Admission” program, and HSE’s “Your Project” case competition. In the latter, our team solved tasks related to increasing production line productivity and opening a new factory. We won the competition and secured a coveted place in the “Operational Efficiency and Production Systems” program.
In addition, since my third year of undergraduate studies, I’ve been writing academic articles. I currently have four publications in the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) across various management areas, and my latest article was defended in March at the HSE Moscow conference organized by the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Also, in my fourth year, I participated in the “I am a Professional” Olympiad in the “Urban Studies” track. I had studied this subject for two years as a minor during my undergraduate degree, which helped me become a prizewinner in that competition.
Currently, for all these activities, I’m receiving a grant from the President of the Russian Federation, so I believe participating in such contests and events is important, and I recommend you take a look at them too.
— How helpful is the practical component of the program?
— I consider it a huge advantage of the program. Thanks to this approach, there is no gap between “theory and practice,” meaning you won’t end up in a situation where you go to work and they tell you: “Forget everything they taught you.” In our case, it’s more like: “Try to remember everything you were taught.” Term projects at enterprises provide a great opportunity to showcase your skills and possibly receive a job offer from large companies.
— What do you like most about studying at the HSE Graduate School of Business?
— The people. I feel great respect and warmth for the people I study with. When I was applying, I thought everyone would be busy with their own work and development, but I was lucky to meet people with whom I can share both joys and struggles, and also spend time outside of HSE.
When I say “people,” I also mean the instructors. They are leaders you can look up to, ask for advice, and learn from the experience they share in class.
About Plans After Graduation
— What are your plans after completing your master’s degree?
— I plan to fully immerse myself in the corporate world and continue exploring it with full involvement. I’ve decided not to pursue a PhD, although I think earning a Candidate of Sciences degree is very cool.
— How does studying in the program help you build your professional network?
— Studying in the master’s program really helps expand your network. First, my classmates — people with different experiences but similar goals. There’s always someone to consult about an unfamiliar industry, start a new project with, or work on a team.
Second, the instructors and guest experts. As I’ve mentioned, they are industry professionals who have already achieved results. You can always ask them questions, request expertise, or check if they’re hiring young specialists for their teams.
All of this helps build a strong and valuable network that works both during your studies and afterward.
Advice for Applicants
— What advice would you give to future students of this program?
- Understand for yourself why you are applying to the program, what you expect from it, and what results you aim to achieve by the time you graduate.
- Be sure to participate in competitions before the main admissions period, and prepare your portfolio thoroughly (if you still have time for that).
- Even if your bachelor’s degree is unrelated to business, you still have every chance to get in. Show interest in the program page on the HSE website and in the motivation letter (+ see points 1 and 2).
- Don’t be afraid of unconventional solutions and silly questions.
- Believe in yourself — and everything will work out.