Get the Maximum out of Studying at HSE

Vladimir Gromov graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering from the Faculty of Business Informatics (now the School of Business Informatics). Completed his Masters on the Double Diploma programme at HSE and TU/e — Eindhoven Technical University.Currently lives in the Netherlands and works as a software engineer with UL Transaction Security.  

— What are your memories from HSE — do you particularly remember certain teachers, courses or any extracurricular events?

— From my first degree, I particularly remember the mathematics and software design courses. Sergey Avdoshin’s seminar on discrete mathematics was absolutely fascinating. Sergey Mikhailovich taught me a great deal  - he helped me write my coursework and final dissertation. And he advised me on studying at TU/e. 

I have strong memories of the Business Informatics Faculty summer expedition where we spent time with our classmates out in the wilds of nature. I particularly enjoyed the competitive orienteering.   

— How did you decide to study for your masters in the Netherlands? Was it one of your teachers who influenced your choice?

— I decided to study in the Netherlands because the department proposed taking part in a Double Diploma where you spend the first year in Moscow and the second in Eindhoven. I was attracted by the chance of getting to know more about the European education system and way of life and by the opportunity to practice my English. Sergey Avdoshin’s recommendation to try it put all doubts out of my mind.

— You defended your Master’s thesis while you were on an internship at PwC. What were you working on? Was it hard to get into PwC?

— The key to writing your Master’s dissertation is finding an advisor who looks for suitable companies. Otherwise, you can do it without a company but in coordination with the university. Getting into a company is not a problem so long as your professor writes you a good reference. Sometimes it depends on your professor’s personal contacts with a company. With PwC you just have to get through the interview, and numerical and verbal reasoning tests. For help writing the dissertation, besides asking your supervisor you can go to a mentor - usually another professor or in my case, a PhD student. My dissertation was on process mining. 

— What advice would you give to someone studying at HSE now?

— Try to understand what it is you want to do in life and work towards it. Take the maximum from studying at HSE, it offers you a lot of opportunities not to be missed.