Educational "Africa" track presented at the open day of the HSE University's "International Relations" program

On March 22, 2025, the Open Doors Day of the "International Relations" educational programme took place at the HSE University's Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs. Vsevolod Sviridov, Deputy Director of the Center for African Studies, shared his vision on the future of African studies in Russia, and also spoke in details about the educational “Africa” track that is being implemented by the Center. 

The event began with a lecture “Why does Russia need Africa and what do Africanists study at the HSE University?" by Vsevolod Sviridov. He admitted that geopolitical realities are forcing Russian science to transform, adjusting to new living conditions. In this sense, Russian African studies has received a new impetus for development. Russian-African cooperation is expanding, and there is a demand to study the challenges facing African countries and the opportunities they offer. 

Today, not only specialized ministries and state departments, but also private companies and mass media express their demand for expert analytical materials on African countries. In these conditions, HSE's graduates with specialized training in the field of African studies are in a special demand on the labor market.

The Africa Track is a system of interconnected activities that are integrated into the educational process. It will allow economists and international specialists to prepare for working with African countries, acquire expert analytical skills, intercultural communication experience, and knowledge on working in African countries. Track students have an opportunity to participate in working trips of the HSE Center for African Studies, to get acquainted with African officials, heads of companies and international organizations.

The track covers "International Relations", "World Economy", "International Relations and Global Studies" educational programmes. 

Angelina Pshenichnikova, a 4th year student of the "International Relations" bachelor programme, told about her recent trip to Africa. During three weeks she had a full-time internship at the UN Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She talked about how she got to the internship, the tasks she performed, the professional network she established and practical application of theoretical knowledge. 

Angelina's story sparked a great interest among the guests who asked a lot of questions. For example, many were excited about the topic of safety in Addis Ababa. Angelina noted that she had not met with any serious problem during her stay in the city, but, again, it is important to follow all the precautions typical for any large city. The topic of skills that are necessary for a modern Africanist also resonated with the audience.

“To dive deep in Africa, reading guidebooks is not enough at all. Of course, having a theoretical knowledge base is necessary, but you can only become a true Africanist after traveling to the countries you are studying. You have to pay a visit there to develop analytical skills and fully realize yourself. It is great that the "Africa" track provides students with such an opportunity.”

Arseny Armanshin, a 2nd-year "International Relations" student, also shared his impressions of the track. He joined it in October 2024, but he has already taken part in the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, held at Sirius University in Sochi on November 9-10, 2024. Arseny spoke about how he became a member of the Center's delegation, what duties he performed at the site, and also shared his impressions of the track courses he had already completed.

For detailed information about the track, visit a special section on the Center's website.