ICEF graduation ceremony hosted by HSE Cultures Centre
ICEF hosted its first in-person graduation ceremony since the pandemic led to restrictions. Diplomas were awarded to two classes. Hosted by HSE Cultures Centre, the day-long ceremony unfolded in sessions, one for Bachelor’s students and one for Master’s. Congratulating graduands were the faculty of ICEF HSE and professors of the University of London (LU) and the London School of Economics (LSE).
Despite the pandemic, the last two years have seen unprecedentedly high academic performance among ICEF students – in terms of exam results, quality of graduation theses and class of diploma.
In 2020, the HSE-UoL double-degree bachelor’s programme graduated 172 students. Of them, 80 graduated with First Class Honours from UoL and 31 with honours degrees from HSE. The students of ICEF have coped with the new challenges brilliantly, remaining among the brightest students in the world, as noted by the University of London in its annual appreciation letters to ICEF.
The Bachelor's class of 2021 has 225 members. Of them, 144 graduated with First Class Honours from UoL and 26 with honours degrees from UoL and HSE. This is a significant milestone, as the number of ICEF graduates didn’t exceed one hundred students until nine years ago, and the first class of 2001 had only 13 students.
Addressing the graduates from stage were Sergey Yakovlev, ICEF Director, and Oleg Zamkov, ICEF Deputy Director and BSc programme academic supervisor. Sergey Yakovlev referred to the difficulties caused by the pandemic as providing ICEF the opportunity to adopt new, more effective learning modes and online technologies. Online lectures and online exams are now part of the learning process. The two graduating classes have found themselves in more difficult conditions and were forced to adjust. It did take them some effort, but it had a positive effect. “You had to work twice harder than your predecessors, and your good exam grades speak to the fact that you did work hard. I would like to wish you every measure of success in coping with whatever challenge may come your way. And you surely will cope, as you have passed the test and you did it early,” said Sergey Yakovlev.
Mary Stiastny, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of London, International Learning and Teaching
Studying for a University of London degree is a challenging undertaking under any circumstances, but what you have achieved over the past eighteen months is truly exceptional.
I speak for everyone at the University of London, when I say how proud we are of what you have achieved. To obtain one degree over the past two years is celebration enough, to have achieved two, and with such distinction, is truly exceptional. Today is an opportunity to celebrate your hard work, and also to reflect on how you got there.
You will all have your own individual stories of how you have achieved your goals over the past few years, whether they are personal or academic, and you will have faced numerous challenges along the way. The way in which you will have faced these challenges, and succeeded despite them, is what sets you apart. I hope you are all able to take time with your family, your peers and your tutors to truly enjoy this moment.
As a University of London graduate, you are by statute a Member of the University; and I hope that you will keep in touch with us through our global alumni network, to which we look forward to welcoming you.
Oleg Zamkov expressed his admiration for the impressive number of First Class Honours awarded to the classes of 2020 and 2021 by UoL, and the record number of honours degrees from HSE. “You are the two classes that boast special accomplishments. Some of you hold awards from Student Research Paper Competitions, some won first place in CFA Institute Research Challenge Russia in 2020, and many of you have shown outstanding performance in Econometrics Universiade,” said Oleg Zamkov. A testament to graduands’ excellent academic performance are the Letters of Commendation awarded to them along with diplomas.
The Class of 2021 celebrated 36 Masters of Financial Economics, thirteen of which graduated with honours. In the class of 2020, honours degree were awarded to four members. Expressing his best wishes to the two master’s classes was Maxim Nikitin, the MSc programme academic supervisor.
For many years, the graduation ceremonies have been hosted in the residence of the British Ambassador. But this year, given capacity restrictions, this venue hosted the event in new format with only the highest-performing of the graduands in person to receive congratulations from the honorable guests.
The representatives of the University of London and the London School of Economics shared their congratulatory video messages and letters, shown to the graduands at HSE Cultures Center. In their messages, they expressed their admiration for the outstanding performance shown by the students over the past two years, wishing them success with their career endeavors and summing up the progress of cooperation in anticipation of ICEF’s jubilee year.
Professor Wendy Thomson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of London
The circumstances of the past 18 months have challenged all of us; and I know very well the additional focus, skill and determination that have enabled you to achieve your world-class degree with the University of London despite the obstacles. Which is why I’m delighted to send you this message, and to be there in spirit with our friends and colleagues at ICEF, where I know you have received such excellent academic and practical support. Your graduation is something that you should feel very proud of, and today we share that pride in your achievement with you. But, of course, it is only part of your story.
Have belief in yourselves, and as you face the future remember how strong you have all had to be, and all you have learned, to be here today. You are ready for anything.
Many congratulations from all of us at the University of London, and very best wishes for the future
David Webb, Academic Head of Extended Education at the London School of Economics (LSE)
It’s unfortunate that we can’t be doing this in person today. Two years ago, I was fortunate to be in Moscow at your graduation day and British ambassador’s house by the Moskva River. It was a beautiful sunny day, and I remember it extremely well when I met a number of your predecessors on that occasion.
I am very proud, as indeed we all are at LSE, of our relationship with ICEF. It is a jewel in the crown of the University of London programme. ICEF’s history of success shows what an important role international collaboration in education can have. And indeed, the collaborations that we have now extend beyond pure teaching to research.
Since its founding in 1895, the LSE has been proud of the generations of leaders that is has trained in the international governance world, in administration and in business. Hopefully, our students have added to the world through their achievements, and indeed you as our graduates will do the same.
In a world of accelerated invention with increasing challenges politically, including climatic change, et cetera, having people that are well education, able to handle arguments, discuss things constructively and engage in clear, well-informed debate is crucially important. And you as students of this programme will have those skills, that’s absolutely crucial in the modern world.
You’ve got to where you are also because of the support you received from your family. And, of course, the faculty at ICEF have been absolutely crucial to that achievement. We all must recognize what they have done to make it happen for you. It happened in very difficult circumstances. I would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks, on behalf of the LSE, to the faculty here at ICEF.
You go from being a graduand to a graduate, but you are not leaving the community you’ve been a part of because this is a long-lasting experience. You’ll continue to learn – some of you through further education, some of you obviously through the jobs that you get as you develop working with others – but we’d also like to welcome you to the wide global community that we have here at the LSE, and you will of course be the alumni of the University of London, the best alumni network. We hope to see some of you in London at future ICEF Alumni events.
Welcome to our LSE global community!