Pochemuchnik Student Handbook
Pochemuchnik is the HSE tradition started yet in 2004. This is the guideline through the university life aimed to get the first year students acquainted with their new life and to assist in adaption. In 2018 and 2019 the handbook was issued in an online format only but in 2020 the Student Initiative Support Centre decided to renew the hard copy as well as to develop an additional Welcome pack, a starting set for a HSE student.
The team of designers received a task to make the guide bulletin with a user-friendly interface. The Design Laboratory design bureau constructed the universe ‘HSE Welcome pack’ where the graphic elements resemble different social networks messengers; all that helps to orient, communicate, get an answer to the question. The illustrations turn into nice interlocutors, companions who also help to understand the meta-universe of the Higher School of Economics.
The process of the handbook creation took four months, 13 HSE departments were involved, including the HSE Art & Design School. Its experts created and implemented the book design. The concept of the book was created by the three student organizations: the student club ‘Ingroup STS’, Curators and ESN.
The basis of the set is ‘Pochemuchnik’ — a bright book, which also has an English version. This is the ultimate student life guide for the university freshmen. The set also includes souvenirs — a cardholder with an HSE crow, a pencil, a 'To do list' for a year, a sticker, a reusable mask with the HSE motto, and a memo with the rules related to preventing the spread of COVID-19. Inside the ‘Pochemuchnik’ a handwritten message from the rector to the first-year students is hidden.
Everything that one needs to know about studies, science, leisure, project work, history and values of the HSE is collected inside. This is a story about the traditions of the university, explanations of the peculiarities of the educational program, useful applications, a guide along the university buildings, educational ones and dormitories. The algorithms for obtaining scholarships, feedback opportunities for students, sports life of the university, creative and entertainment projects, corporate projects, tourism opportunities, psychological and medical assistance, projects of the ‘third mission’ of the university are briefly and clearly described in the edition.
The set is made in the form of a package in the main HSE corporate color — blue — with the addition of white and red. The package contains souvenirs and the guide itself. It is made in the format of a ‘pocket book’, its dimensions are 17 by 19 centimeters.
