Comic to Help Students Adapt to Life at HSE University

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Each year, HSE University launches a call for projects as part of its Professional Development Programme for Administrative Staff (PDP). This year, the programme's eighth annual call included four project proposals, each presented by its respective team, so that HSE University's staff could vote for the best proposal. The winner of the eighth annual call was the team of the project titled Assistance and Support for Chinese Students' Adaptation to HSE University's Community.

The selection of this winner is no coincidence. Helping with adaptation is a priority when working with international students and involves student mentors, buddies, tutors, Student Committee, and others. However, integrating into the HSE student community and adjusting to life in a foreign country can still be challenging. The new project leverages visual media and in-depth knowledge of the psychology of Chinese students, whose numbers at HSE University doubled in 2023.

The project has been developed by Anna Zhikhareva, Deputy Dean for Admissions and Alumni Relations, WEIA; Maria Dubyshevskaya, Manager, WEIA; Irina Chagina, Analyst, Office for Digitalization of Administrative and Financial Processes, and the leader of the team, Marina Fakova, Project Head, Office for Digital Transformation Architecture and Projects, who shares the details of the new project below.

Marina Fakova

— How did the idea for this project originate?

— The initial PDP meeting always begins with a brainstorming session. Participants discuss the challenges they face in their work and suggest solutions to various tasks confronting the university and its departments.

The idea to assist foreign students with adaptation was introduced during the first meeting by members of our team, Anna Zhikhareva and Maria Dubyshevskaya

The other team members were enthusiastic about this topic, and collectively, we decided to participate in the project. Project-based work in the Professional Development Programme is designed to span two years and is conducted concurrently with one's primary responsibilities.

— What prompted your choice of addressing the adaptation issues faced by Chinese students? 

— Our university actively collaborates with universities in China. We have signed 35 agreements with 23 Chinese universities, including prestigious institutions like Peking University, Tsinghua University, and the Harbin Institute of Technology. We currently have 12 ongoing joint projects with China focused on basic research, and 214 Chinese students, including doctoral students, study at HSE University.

There is a School of Asian Studies within the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, and we have been collaborating with our colleagues there.

— Do you believe that adaptation to life and study in Russia varies for students from different countries, and if so, how?

— Imagine suddenly moving even to another city, let alone another country. Back in your hometown, everything is familiar, and you know who to turn to if something goes wrong. You have your friends, relatives, and a familiar environment around you. But then you relocate and have to start anew, with no one to turn to because your friends and family are far away, and you don't know anyone in the new place. Already quite challenging, isn't it?

But the most challenging part is that you must adapt quickly in multiple areas beyond just everyday living—such as the structure of the curriculum, grading system, and rules of relationships and communication

In pedagogy, there is the term 'educational background,' and this background is believed to influence the choice of an educational trajectory. As far as socialisation at a higher education institution is concerned, educational background can also influence the assimilation of material, the perception of grades, and many other aspects of the educational process. Therefore, I would say that there are several factors that present a unique set of adaptation challenges for foreign students from each country. Perhaps the most basic and straightforward of these factors are educational background, and cultural specifics.

— How did the team decide on using a graphic novel or manhua comic format to depict student life at HSE University?

— Young people today prefer to perceive information visually. And we aimed to create a product that we could measure and study. The culture of Asian animation and comics has significantly influenced advertising, fashion, and overall culture worldwide. In China, this format is used for campaign leaflets and advertising. 

Manhua is an umbrella term for all comics published in China, and they are highly popular. The characters in our comic depicting how things are organized at HSE University and what a first-year student needs to know are Chinese students and Russian students learning Chinese.

These characters include Li Jin, a Chinese young man who is a first-year student at HSE University and has only recently arrived in Russia; Anna, a Russian third-year student; and Wei Xu, a Chinese third-year student who has been living in Russia for several years and is familiar with the surroundings. The dialogues between these characters help convey and explain the information that newcomers may need to adapt to life in a foreign country.