ICEF International Cooperation
ICEF has a strong relationship with the London School of Economics and University of London, but this is not the only international option available for ICEF students. Anastasia Telitsina, Head of ICEF International and Administrative Department, told The HSE Lookabout special features of cooperation with LSE as well as about academic mobility opportunities.
What is special about the cooperation of ICEF with London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)?
ICEF has a double degree Bachelor’s programme with University of London (UoL), meaning that our students get two degrees – from HSE and UoL - and we have an integrated curriculum which takes the best from both Russian and British education systems. UoL undergraduate programme takes three years, while in Russia it is required to last four years. To resolve this mismatch, we designed the curriculum in a way which gives the first-year students a basic understanding of economics, an intensive English course and prepares them for Advanced Placement Test, required for enrollment into the double degree programme by the University of London. ICEF exams are organized according to international standards, we have independent external examiners, so the students get an unbiased assessment.
Do you invite guest lecturers from LSE and other universities?
At the start of ICEF there were few faculty members who could teach up-to-date courses in economics and finance, we invited LSE lecturers to teach directly to students. Nowadays we mostly invite visiting professors, who are often the authors of textbooks published by the University of London, in order to provide methodological guidance to our lecturers.
Where do ICEF students go for a study abroad experience?
Our double degree programme follows the internationalisation at home model, meaning that all our students get a quality international education even if they stay in Moscow for all four years. However, there are several opportunities for academic mobility for ICEF students.
Firstly, there is a possibility to go to LSE Summer School for a short-term mobility. Students can take courses which match their special interests in economics and finance; recently the course on investments has become rather popular. Each year up to 20 students go to the LSE Summer School, and ICEF fully sponsors around 5-7 of them, and the rest get a 10% discount and we help them with the paperwork.
Secondly, we encourage long-term mobility for our senior students. Our major partners are Bocconi University in Italy and Tilburg and Erasmus Universities in the Netherlands. Their curriculum structure makes it easy for ICEF students to find courses which fit well with their individual study plans.
Thirdly, we have double degree tracks for our Master’s programme with Essex, Tilburg and LUISS. The first year is spent at home university, and exchange students go to the partner university for their second year.
Read more articles about ICEF in The HSE Look July 2017 issue