HSE Graduate School of Business: a leader in practice-oriented education
According to this year’s university ranking compiled by Changellenge, a leading platform for case competitions and career tracks for students, HSE University topped the list of institutions focused on practical training. The ranking reflects results from the country’s largest case competitions and is seen as a significant benchmark in academic and professional circles. It is based on a point system that evaluates student performance at all competition stages — from the first round to the final. HSE ranked first, ahead of other economics and technical universities in Russia. Its students submitted 18% of all applications and won 29% of the total awards. A total of 836 HSE students participated, 90 reached the finals, and 14 became winners. Among the most successful were students from HSE GSB.
Alexander Gabrielov
Deputy Dean, HSE Graduate School of Business
“We strive to ensure that applied learning is not an add-on but an integral part of the educational environment at our business school. Case championships, project work with businesses, and participation in research initiatives all provide our students with opportunities to apply knowledge in practice and develop skills that are truly valued in modern management. Success in these championships is just one confirmation that this model works.”
Over the past year, students from HSE GSB have won and excelled in a wide range of case competitions and academic contests. Notable achievements include victories and strong performances at Cup IT, VK × HSE Case Champ, Axenix Case Sprint, HSE × Unilever Russia, HSE × MTS Digital, and “Bitumen Master” by Gazprom Neft.
Yaroslav Makarov
Student, Digital Product Management program, winner of “Bitumen Master at KNITU 2.0”
“This was my first national case championship by Gazprom Neft — and a victory right away! It was incredibly energizing. Each of us contributed our own expertise and tried to bring fresh ideas to the table, which made our work multidimensional. The secret to our success lies in the structure of our program, which gave us both digital and managerial skills — we were able to apply them directly to the project, proposing original solutions using IoT technologies.”
Flagship Changellenge competitions such as Cup Moscow, Cup Russia, and Cup IT hold a special place on the list. These are the largest case championships in the country, bringing together thousands of students from leading universities and organized in partnership with top companies and industry experts. The challenges are based on real business, digital transformation, and urban development scenarios. Participation demands deep knowledge, strategic thinking, adaptability, and the ability to perform under pressure. HSE GSB teams met these challenges head-on and won top prizes, confirming the high level of their training and applied skills.
Bulat Iskhakov
Student, Supply Chain Management and Business Analytics program, winner of Cup IT 2024
“Even before my first year, I knew I wanted to join student case championships — the format really appealed to me. Plus, recruiters pay attention to this experience. At Cup IT, we tackled two cases from Axenix and MTS. Each required in-depth research, and we worked hard on every idea. I tried myself as a business analyst, strengthened my data analysis, financial modeling, and presentation skills. This experience made me realize I want to pursue a career in digital product management. I’m glad students have the chance to gain this kind of experience — we’re just getting started!”
Roman Lavrentyev
Student, Business Informatics program, prize winner of Changellenge CUP IT 2025 (B2B Product Management track)
“We started preparing three weeks before the competition. We assigned roles, did daily deep dives into research, and built a library of ideas. When we were asked to improve MTS True Tabs, we immediately saw a growth point — optimizing internal procurement to attract new users. The final was more challenging: we had to design a secure legal document translator. We studied global benchmarks, trained our own model in three languages, and preserved the original formatting — we built a working MVP with a web interface in just a week. The jury highlighted the practicality: we didn’t just show slides — we created a usable tool a lawyer could use right away.”
“There’s no secret sauce: it’s about daily iteration, open feedback, and the willingness to build real prototypes even when slides would be enough. My advice to anyone considering case championships — don’t be afraid to create something real. Even if it’s small, a working solution will impress experts far more than pretty pictures and will leave you with skills that last long after the final.”
Anatoly Shashukov
Student, Business Informatics program, prize winner of Changellenge CUP IT 2025 (B2B Product Management track)
“We prepped for three weeks, analyzed winning entries, and studied sponsor companies to anticipate the case theme. On average, we trained four hours a day — we clarified team roles, shaped our approach, and gathered data on possible case tracks. The final challenge was to develop an automated international document translation solution for Alfa-Bank. We put in 8–9 hours daily, used all the skills we developed in round one, and ended up winning a prize.”
“The real key? Curiosity and laser focus. Our team wasn’t seen as a favorite — three of us were first-timers — but thanks to our determination and hard work, we outperformed seasoned teams. My message: don’t be afraid to try, even if you lack experience or the task seems tough. Whether you win or lose, dedication will pay off.”
Maria Lichagina
Student, Supply Chain Management and Business Analytics program, prize winner of Changellenge Cup IT 2025
“Our preparation started back with Cup Moscow 2024 — we made it to the finals and received two nominations. That helped us understand the format. For Cup IT, I studied the case in advance, researched trends, attended a brainstorming session at a major bank, and organized one for our team. We always build a shared calendar — that helps us plan our workload.”
“Case championships are a great entry point into analytics, strategy, product and project management. Choose cases from companies you admire — the challenges are real and can lead to real job offers. One of the cases we worked on earned our team an offer. The main thing: don’t give up after your first attempt. We went through over ten cases, and the offer came after the ninth. Totally worth it.”
As the business school of first choice, HSE GSB continues to advance the case method and promote student participation in case competitions as an integral part of their education and professional development. These experiences not only allow students to test themselves in a competitive environment but also build skills that are truly valued in the business world. This makes learning meaningful and dynamic — with real challenges, teamwork, and tangible results.