Students of the International Business program at the HSE Graduate School of Business took part in the summer school organized by the Faculty of Organizational Sciences (FON) at the University of Belgrade (Serbia). The week-long intensive program focused on current issues in modern management, including resource efficiency, the green transition, and principles of responsible business conduct.
.jpg "GSB HSE International Business Program Students Take Part in University of Belgrade Summer School")
A distinctive feature of the school was the combination of the sustainability agenda with advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies.
Students learned to apply advanced business analytics tools in Power BI and MS Excel to various environmental projects. An important element of the program was working on a group consulting project for a major logistics operator, Nelt (a strategic partner of Nestle, Mars, and the University of Belgrade). Participants developed recommendations for replacing the company's diesel truck fleet with electric vehicles. The proposed solutions would enable the company to reduce operational costs by up to 50% and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 40% by 2030.
The cultural part of the program included guided tours of Belgrade's city center and visits to the historic cities of Novi Sad and Sremski Karlovci, where students gained deeper insight into regional history and the Balkan mindset.
Ivan Valeryevich Prostakov
Deputy Director of the HSE Graduate School of Business
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We extend our sincere gratitude to Professor Dr. Sandra Jednak, Vice-Dean for International Cooperation and Finance at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences (FON), University of Belgrade, and the entire FON team for a rich and engaging program, its flawless organization, and a warm and friendly welcome. This intensive confirmed that our collaboration is built on a solid foundation of mutual respect and shared values. In the future, we plan to expand our cooperation, combining the strengths of our academic schools to train leaders capable of developing efficient and sustainable businesses.
One of the participants, Ivan Yarovikov, a 3rd-year student of the International Business undergraduate program, shared his impressions of the summer school.
Ivan Yarovikov
3rd-year student, International Business undergraduate program
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Today, business faces dual pressure. On one hand, there is inflation and rising costs. On the other, there are expectations from the state and society that business must invest in green solutions. This reminds me of the ancient Greek myth of Scylla and Charybdis, where danger awaits a ship's crew from both sides. If at first glance this danger threatens to sink the business, analytics allows us to reconcile economics with ecology. This is exactly what we focused our recommendations for Nelt on. We identified specific points of efficiency and cost savings, provided transparent payback periods, and proposed a strategy for developing the company's green brand. On average, the number of green initiatives is growing at double-digit rates annually, and in the next 3–5 years, Russian businesses have a chance to pull ahead of competitors and enter new international markets through eco-friendly solutions. Nelt representative Nada Stomatović highly appreciated our team's work. According to her, our proposed solution addressed the issue comprehensively, taking into account not only operational efficiency but also Nelt's organizational culture.
Another participant, Aristarkh Ermoshin, a 3rd-year student of the International Business undergraduate program, was specifically recognized by the host side for his active engagement with global agenda issues and leadership in organizing teamwork.
Aristarkh Ermoshin
3rd-year student, International Business undergraduate program
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The Serbian colleagues set the bar very high from the start – this was felt both at the level of academic organization and in the professors' approach. But the main thing for me was their absolute openness to deep, professional dialogue. They were ready not just to listen to presentations but to engage in detailed discussions and debates on business cases. During the program, I tried to go beyond standard templates, dig deeper than the basic briefs, and see how analytics aligns with real market barriers. I'm glad that the host side specifically recognized this approach, awarding me a special prize for entrepreneurial talent and the ability to ask unconventional questions. Receiving a specialized book from the Serbian colleagues with the wording "great potential" is a great incentive to keep moving forward and confirmation that at the GSB we are taught to see business processes one step ahead.
According to Anna Veselova, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Business Development at the GSB HSE and Academic Supervisor of the International Business undergraduate program, sustainable development has ceased to be a "green" option – it is a global challenge that requires an interdisciplinary perspective and uncompromising analytical literacy. It is important that within this summer school, students not only mastered the tools but also realized the magnitude of responsibility in their decision-making: their choices affect the economy, the environment, and the reputation of companies on the international stage.
