SAS Graduation — 2023

The closing ceremony of the academic year and the grand diploma awarding ceremony, celebrating the graduating class took place оn June 24th within the international SAS community.

This day, filled with joy, love, and special pride, the students shared with their professors, who, over the four years, not only imparted a wealth of knowledge and skills but also became true mentors. Of course, their parents were there, having supported them throughout their journey. Their younger friends, 1st to 3rd year students, also came to show their support. Due to the unique educational environment at SAS, they had been attending common courses and, as a result, developed strong friendships.

The Final Day of Studies

The last day at the SAS was designed to resemble the actual final day of studies. The graduates attended mini-lectures on some of the courses they had taken, allowing them to meet the professors once more and reminisce about their academic journey.

During their first two years at SAS, students develop an interdisciplinary outlook and cultivate soft skills. This is supported by the course “Philosophy: Great Books”, which holds a significant place in the SAS Core Curriculum. Students are introduced to fundamental philosophical texts from ancient and modern thinkers, immersing themselves in the “great conversation” philosophers have with one another and with us. Therefore, one of the seminars on the final day was dedicated to the “Great Books” course and a discussion with professor Siyaves Azeri.

With professor Giacomo Andreoletti, the graduates discussed another mandatory core course, “Writing, Thinking, Analysis, and Interpretation”, reflecting on the skills they acquired in interpreting various texts and engaging once more with a professor who consistently received top marks in student evaluations.

The most challenging core course, “City as Text”, was also not overlooked. During this course, students traveled to St. Petersburg and spent 10 days without weekends, proper sleep, or other comforts of non-student life, conducting daily research on the city from various disciplinary perspectives. The seminar was led by SAS Director, Andrey Shcherbenok, and the Head of Educational Projects, Ahmed Elghandour. The students recalled their experiences and discussed how this course impacted their perception of the urban environment.

During the seminar on film theory with Professor Peter Lešnik, the students refreshed their memory of the aesthetic and philosophical discourses surrounding cinema.

At the end of the academic part of the day, graduates met with their Major Leaders to summarize their education, highlight important moments, discuss future plans and prospects, and, of course, receive farewell words of wisdom from the instructors who had the greatest impact on their education.

The Ceremonial Part

The formal celebration began with a speech from SAS Director, Andrey Shcherbenok. He emphasized the importance of the concept of lifelong learning. Education is not only about acquiring knowledge but also a key component of personal development and self-definition. Andrey highlighted that university education, as a critical reflection on theoretical frameworks, enables individuals to grow, critically define themselves, act professionally under uncertainty, and continue the cultural tradition.

“SAS helps students in their search, which is why students who initially enrolled in the history program were able to change their trajectory, turning to the study of sociology. Similarly, those who originally chose sociology are now graduating as economists. These stories illustrate the flexibility of the SAS educational program and its ability to support students in their pursuit of self-definition and professional development,” said Andrey.

Dmitry Aksenov, a prominent Russian entrepreneur, Chairman of the RDI Group board, founder of the Aksenov Family Foundation, and Owner of the ViennaContemporary Art Fair. Dmitry humbly introduced himself as a “multi-millionaire, dollar-style.” In his address, Dmitry shared his personal experiences and the secret factors he believed were essential for achieving wealth, fame, and happiness. He emphasized curiosity, the desire to try new things and push boundaries, tremendous diligence, and critical thinking.

“Good news for all of you: after graduating from SAS, you already possess one or even two-thirds of success. From here on, all you need to do is not be afraid and try. Technological progress radically changes the labor market, creating a demand for interdisciplinarity, creativity, and a broad worldview — exactly what you have been taught here,” said Dmitry.

After that came probably the most anticipated moment of the day arrived — the diploma awarding. Each graduate received a state diploma and an SAS english-language diploma.

SAS Alumni Response

After the diplomas were handed out, the floor was given to the graduates, who shared the significance of their learning experience at SAS.

Arseny Osokin, a graduate of the IT major, expressed gratitude to his classmates for their support, professors for their wisdom, and the administration for their continuous efforts in advancing the institution.

“Our years at SAS were far from ordinary. They were filled with intellectual challenges, profound discussions, and debates, all tinged with a touch of irony and complexity. I can confidently say that this was truly a transformative experience. We confronted our fears and doubts head-on, emerging as stronger and wiser versions of ourselves. One of the greatest values of this unique experience lies in preparing us for the challenges that await. Life, much like our time here, can be unpredictable, daunting, and at times overwhelming. Yet, it is precisely these difficulties that we should embrace with gratitude. They have honed our resilience, fortified our determination, and equipped us with the skills necessary to conquer the unknown.. Now we are ready to face the future as it is, with open minds, confident in the indomitable spirit we have cultivated as SAS students,” concluded Arseny.

Alice Bekmanova, a graduate of the Economics major, based her response on the Latin phrase “Sapere Aude,” freely translated as “dare to know” or “have the courage to use your own reason.” Immanuel Kant considered this phrase the motto of the enlightenment and the description of the only way to achieve maturity.

“The high complexity of the courses, learning from internationally renowned professors, challenging assignments, a competitive environment, and strict penalties for intellectual dishonesty have undoubtedly taught us to use our own reason and dare to be wise. However, the School of Advanced Studies, I believe, taught us much more: daring to be not only wise but also foolish, constantly trying something new, daring to not know, knowing with certainty and doubting; doubting not only the age-old authority of Kant and not being afraid to disagree with him but also questioning our own knowledge and beliefs, having the courage to revise them; admitting that there is something we don't know and somewhere we are wrong, having the audacity to experiment, try... and make mistakes; using not only our own reason but also sometimes having the courage to ask someone else, trust someone else, and work in a team,” shared Alice.

Alice proclaimed courage as the motto of SAS and expressed her gratitude to the creators of the School for having the courage to establish an experimental world-class education in Siberia from scratch. She thanked the professors for continuously expanding the horizons of knowledge through extensive discussions that went beyond the course materials, allowing students to question their conclusions and find their own paths. She extended her appreciation to the parents for daring to believe in the shining eyes of their children and supporting them even when those eyes dimmed. Finally, she thanked her friends and classmates for having the bravery to traverse the challenging yet fascinating path of SAS together and for supporting each other throughout this journey.

Excellence Track

This year also marks the graduation of the first students from the experimental educational program Excellence Track, which provides SAS students with additional opportunities for personal and intellectual development. The 2nd and 3rd year students, who have demonstrated high academic performance and successfully passed a rigorous selection process, are eligible to participate in the program. Four times a year, Excellence Track students take additional educational modules during breaks, which are implemented at various institutions, ranging from the SKOLKOVO School of Management to the The Graduate School of Management at St Petersburg University (GSOM SPbU). Throughout the academic year, the students independently develop group projects, divided into two subgroups: Educators (educational projects) and Scholars (research projects).

The first graduates of Excellence Track, comprising 13 individuals, designed and conducted an elective course at SAS titled “Beyond the Kitchen Table,” exploring the influence of food on culture and life in general. Additionally, they created a scientific student journal called Meraki, which translates from Greek as “doing something with soul.”

Conclusion

Congratulations to the graduates on achieving your well-deserved Bachelor's degree! At SAS, you have acquired fundamental knowledge and skills to succeed in your future endeavors, fearlessly face new challenges, and explore uncharted horizons with curiosity. Remember that you will always be part of the SAS community. We hope to see some of you again when you return to the SAS walls after obtaining your Master's and Doctoral degrees, to share your knowledge and experience with new SAS students. Best of luck and safe travels on your journey!