Talking Chinese, Writing Articles, and Drinking Tea: What Chinese Club Students Did this Year
The HSE Chinese Student Club at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs School of Asian Studies has completed its 2021/22 season. Its participants and organisers talked to the HSE News Service about how they discuss China’s socio-economic, political, and cultural development as part of the club’s events.
The mission of the HSE Chinese Student Club is to provide an environment for informal communication between lovers of the Chinese language and Chinese studies, as well as to popularise knowledge about China. Chinese Club hosts speaking meetings, screenings of films in Chinese with discussions, and meetings with scholars who study China. The Club’s participants prepare interviews with experts on China and publish educational materials on a variety of topics related to China’s traditional culture, history, arts, literature, economics, politics, and Russia-China relations.
Alexandra Sizova, Associate Professor, Deputy Head, School of Asian Studies, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs
‘The club cooperates with the Chinese Department of the School of Asian Studies. We organise joint events. This year, our Chinese colleagues, School of Asian Studies lecturers Liu Jingpeng and Zhu Fan, participated in the Club’s activities, which are supervised by Maria Efimenko, who is also a lecturer at the School.’
Maria Efimenko, Lecturer at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs School of Asian Studies
‘The Club had ten speaking meetings this academic year. The students have met researchers, a calligrapher, a Guo Hua (traditional Chinese painting) artist, and other professionals. The Club’s members include about twenty students who organise meetings and communicate to speakers and guests.’
Vitaly Senotrusov, second-year student of the School of Asian Studies
‘What appeals to me about the Club is the team of likeminded people. Moscow, as well as Russia at large, has only a few places where one can network with people who study China, who love what they do and are willing to promote it.
I am thrilled with the range of the Club’s activities: from films and conversations, to discussing Chinese traditions and holidays, to telling each other about renowned China researchers
Over the year, we have participated in and organised a lot of events, both larger one-time ones and smaller regular meetings. These skills will be useful to us when we start working as professionals.
As a host of the speaking club, I was surprised to see that as we organised online meetings during the year, they attracted not only students of different Moscow universities, but people from various Russian cities, aged 30 to 40, who stopped learning the language a long time ago, but are willing to practice it. One of our regular online guests was Sergey, a plumber-engineer from Novosibirsk. Such a varied audience only piques our interest to continue the speaking club’s activity.
In the next academic year, we are going to continue exchanging experiences with Chinese clubs at other universities, and we will probably organise some joint events.’
Elizaveta Trubnikova, third-year student of the School of Asian Studies
‘I love how the club offers immersion in Chinese culture and informal communications. It is great to learn something new and read articles by students.
It’s always a pleasure to talk, to drink some Chinese tea, or watch a Chinese film
The cinema club is my favourite. We have watched films with other students and Chinese participants. The discussions that followed were thrilling—they gave me a different perspective on what I had heard and watched.’
Anastasia Kamalyagina, third-year student of the School of Asian Studies
‘Chinese club means new experiences, new friends, and, of course, new knowledge about Chinese culture. Each of us can choose a topic to their taste and dive into it, be it arts, literature, economics, green energy, or cinema.'
Talking in Chinese with people who love it as much as you do is always a powerful experience
Rinat Abzalilov, third-year student of the School of Asian Studies
‘The main advantage of Chinese Club is complete freedom. We are free to choose any China-related topic and work on it: write articles, organise meetings and events. The HSE Chinese Club has a lot of participants, and each chooses what they are interested in, but when we organise events, we join our efforts to make them as good as possible. I like the club’s participants: they are all interesting and smart people, and it is a pleasure to talk to them and just be in their company.
We are always happy to see new participants! Come next year—it will be interesting.’
Maria Efimenko
Lecturer, School of Asian Studies
Alexandra Sizova
Associate Professor, School of Asian Studies
See also:
Russia and China: A New Cooperation Trajectory Developed at HSE University
A unique approach to measuring human well-being has been developed at HSE University, opening up new opportunities for international collaboration. Russia and China, both of which have significantly reduced poverty in recent years, demonstrate a unique potential for joint efforts in this area. At an international forum in Kazan titled ‘SPROUTS: Russia and China–Mutually Beneficial Cooperation,’ HSE University representatives, including Vice Rector and initiator of the Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Centre Lilia Ovcharova, and Deputy Vice Rector Maria Nagernyak, emphasised the importance of integrating the efforts of the two countries.
HSE MIEM and Nanjing University Discuss Joint Projects in Engineering Sciences
Developing cooperation in engineering sciences was the key topic during the latest visit of a delegation from Nanjing University to HSE University. This time, the guests were hosted by the HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM).
Mathematicians from Russia and China Meet at HSE University
From November 5 to 9, 2024, HSE University, in collaboration with the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications, is hosting a joint conference on algebraic geometry and mathematical physics. Over 30 mathematicians from leading universities in Russia and China are presenting on recent advancements in geometry and mathematical physics. The conference is held in a hybrid format.
‘Communication with Native Speakers Allowed Me to Look at the Language from a Different Perspective’
Students from HSE University–Perm completed language courses in Tianjin, China. The programme included not only classes with native speakers, but also cultural events, accommodation in a dormitory at Tianjin University, and trips to local attractions.
Graduate of HSE University in St Petersburg Receives Award at ‘Chinese Bridge’ Competition in Beijing
In early September 2024, Anastasia Usyk, a graduate of the Bachelor’s Programme in Asian and African Studies at HSE University in St Petersburg, participated in the final round of the ‘Chinese Bridge’ International Language Competitionin Beijing, where she won the first prize in online voting and received the Audience Award and the Award for Most Outstanding Performance. She spoke about her experience in the competition,her studies and future plans in an interview with HSE News Service.
ICEF Students Share Impressions of China’s Top Summer Schools 2024
This summer, a total of 24 bachelor's and master's students from HSE ICEF travelled to China to attend summer courses at some of the country's top universities, including Fudan University, SWUFE, and SJTU. The ICEF News Service spoke with some of them to learn about their experiences.
'These Are Unforgettable Impressions, I Will Cherish Them Forever'
HSE St Petersburg International Summer School is in full swing—right now, international students from 12 countries are attending lectures and enjoying the cultural programme. The HSE News Service talked to the participants about their most vivid impressions.
HSE University Enhances Cooperation with Top Universities in China
A delegation from HSE University paid a working visit to China, meeting with representatives from leading universities in Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Shanghai. Delegates from several HSE departments, including the International College of Economics and Finance, the Faculty of Computer Science, the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology, the Institute of Education, and the International Partnerships Office, attended the visit. Discussions at each university focused on expanding current cooperation and identifying and creating new projects and initiatives.
HSE University and the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications Sign Cooperation Agreement
HSE University, together with its Chinese partners, will be implementing the scientific project ‘Geometry and Physics,’ which won the ‘Academic Cooperation’ competition at HSE. The International Laboratory for Mirror Symmetry and Automorphic Forms acts on behalf of HSE University. The Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications (BIMSA), represented by a team of renowned mathematicians including Fields medallists, will also be involved in the project.
Celebrating Diversity
HSE University is home to many student associations, including cultural clubs, where students find a home away from home, learn about each other’s cultures, celebrate holidays, and meet new friends. Read on to learn about the Greek Club, the Serbian Club, the Moldovan Club, and the HSE Chamber of Nationalities.