UPF and the Higher School of Economics of St. Petersburg (HSE-St. Petersburg), one of Russia’s most reputable institutions especially in the field of the social sciences, are to offer a joint international double degree programme. It will be launched in the 2019-2020 academic year and will allow its students to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Economics from UPF and a “BA in Economics” from the Russian institution.

The new programme, within the framework of UPF’s internationalization strategy, is a step further in the two institutions’ mobility and collaboration agreement established in 2015. It will consist of four years of study (240 ECTS credits in total), the first three at the university of origin, UPF or HSE-St. Petersburg, according to where the students enrol, plus a final year at the host university.

The new programme will consist of four years of study, the first three at the university of origin, and the last at the host university

Isabel Valverde, vice-rector for UPF internationalization projects, and Sergei Kadochnkov, director of the HSE-St. Petersburg, were the signatories of the specific agreement recognizing the international double degree. Àngel Gil, mobility coordinator at the Faculty of Economics and Business at Pompeu Fabra University, travelled to Saint Petersburg, where the signature of the agreement took place at a meeting held on 22 September 2018.

The agreement, which is valid for four years (renewable), from the first intake in the 2019-2020 academic year, establishes that initially four places will be offered each year for each of the two institutions. Students doing the bachelor’s degree in Economics at the university of origin (180 ECTS credits) who wish to study the last year at the host university (60 ECTS credits) are eligible.

Admission, equivalence and other agreements

Each of the two universities will appoint an admissions committee, which will carry out student selection. Those interested will have to demonstrate a level of English equivalent to B2, or pass the tests set by the university of origin, since the double degree is taught in this language.

The two universities have agreed to subject equivalents, the use of ECTS credits as a unit of measurement of academic activity (which will be fully transferable), and a conversion table of the grading systems.

Other agreements provide for the host universities to help and provide assistance to new students (who will have the same rights and services as all other students) on issues of accommodation, orientation activities and academic and social support, which will enhance their role as promoters of social and environmental responsibility.

A beneficial experience for UPF students who can already apply

Students of Pompeu Fabra University attending the HSE-St. Petersburg will be exempt from additional payment of the registration fee, and will also be able to take the subjects of the master’s degree offered by the Russian university on “big data”. Thus, they will vastly improve their prospects of being admitted to top tier international master’s degrees or of continuing their academic career at the HSE-St. Petersburg.

Those interested in studying the joint double degree, an academic initiative that aims to train them as future managers and leaders to address the main challenges of a globalized world, can request to participate through the special places reserved in the UPF mobility call for the 2019-2020 academic year, the rules of which have already been published. The application will be made to the University during the first term of the third year of the bachelor’s degree and requires a prior interview with the exchange coordinator.