"Discussions between students and teachers are helping to solve many issues and clarify difficulties"

Indra Avatar Singh, a student of the System and Software Engineering master's programme from India, talked to us about his view of the Faculty, his studies, and why he loves Moscow.

Background

When I was growing up, the Internet revolution was booming. I started using the Internet and it amazed me that I could find an answer to any question. When I studied at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya high school, I took computer science as my major subject. I started learning C++ and data structures in 11^th and 12^th grade. This helped me to see the way computer science solves different kinds of problems.

For me, computer science is not just about programming and data structures, it is relevant to every aspect of modern technology. I still remember vividly my first computer class in the 4^th grade. By typing commands, I was able to draw shapes and save files on the computer. This amazed me greatly and made me curious. How does a computer know those commands? My teacher told me that it is programmed to draw shapes and save files. I became more curious to know how a computer knows what I am asking.

Any machine, whether it is a computer or a robot, has always fascinated me. This is why I decided to study computer science and engineering – to understand computers I needed more general knowledge of both software and hardware. So, I went to Noida International University in India and received my bachelor’s degree there.

HSE University

While choosing a university for my master’s studies, I have done a lot of research online. I considered Sweden, Germany and Russia. In the end, I chose HSE University because the program was well-structured and looked promising to me. Also, HSE University in general and the Faculty of Computer Science in particular rank very highly; it is one of the best universities in Russia.

The application process at HSE University is the easiest one I have ever seen. I applied directly from the university’s international application portal. The whole procedure was very straightforward; I submitted all the necessary documents online and upon reviewing them, an online interview was arranged.

Despite being a foreign applicant, I met no problem during application and enrolment. What’s more, I got a full tuition fee scholarship from HSE University.

Studies

I find the Russian approach to teaching very liberating. Students enjoy much freedom in the academic questions, choosing areas of interest and research topics. Professors and academic supervisors are always ready to help students with their problems and advise them. What’s more, discussions between students and teachers are frequent and amicable, helping to solve many issues and clarifying difficulties.

My favourite subject is “Enterprise Software Systems Development” taught by Professor Sergey Zykov. The delivery of this course was excellent. I believe I will remember this course for the rest of my life. I also enjoyed the courses “Formal Methods in Software Engineering” and “Advanced Databases”.

As for the most useful subjects, per my previous work experience, I can highlight “Enterprise Software System Development”, “Digital Interactive Product Development”, “Advanced Databases”, “Formal Methods in Software Engineering”, and “Software Risk Management”.

University Life

I find HSE University’s learning atmosphere top-notch. It feels great when you see other students collaborating with you enthusiastically. This motivates me greatly. If I compare it with my previous university, I can say that the teaching standards are very high, the professors are much more involved in teaching and projects. Thanks to the feedback the instructors give, you feel calm and confident and can be sure that you are in the right direction.

I made lots of friends here; they are ready to help whenever I need it. I would like to thank all of them and specially mention Denis Maximenko, Yury Axenov, Usama Al Baghdady, Artemy Maximenko, Anton Rigin and Demid Afonichev.

Indra Avatar Singh

About Russia with Love

I came to Russia in 2019 and have been living here for one and a half years now. I adore Moscow. The weather is lovely most of the time. I admire the great monuments and historic buildings of the city. Metro is also a great help since it is rapid and convenient. Overall, I enjoy Moscow and Russia very much.

As for my hobbies, I love to cook and mostly spend my time doing online courses and learning the latest technology stacks.

Advice to New Students

I joined this program after getting some real experience in the software industry at Time Inc. and IBM India as a consultant and application developer. I learnt the industry’s best practices from actual work experience and this helped me to understand the programme much better. I was able to understand and correlate my practical experience with the advanced concepts that I learnt at HSE University.

I think that this program is a great fit for those who have worked for some time in the industry at least a year or two to better correlate what you already know and what you can learn at HSE University. This would help you to gain more knowledge out of this course and apply it better to topical problems. This very practical, real-world program will help you shape your future.