HSE’s new Master of Computer Vision program on Coursera aims to train the next generation of computer vision talent online.

As we approach the application deadline for HSE University’s groundbreaking new Master of Computer Vision program on Coursera, we are excited to share some highlights from our recent conversation with Andrey Savchenko, Academic Supervisor for the program. Among the many subjects we discuss are the rapidly emerging career opportunities in the field of computer vision, the experts who helped create the curriculum, and the specific structure of the program itself.

The Master of Computer Vision program is organized by the Faculty of Informatics, Mathematics, and Computer Science at HSE Nizhny Novgorod—a globally recognized leader in the development of computer vision technologies, and HSE University was recently recognized by Forbes Magazine as the #1 university in Russia. In 2008, Andrey Savchenko was a doctoral student at HSE Nizhny Novgorod, researching ways to improve the computational efficiency of image classification. Today, he leads a program designed by leading experts at companies such as Huawei, Itseez3D, Intel, Harman, and Experience AI.

Professor Savchenko, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us. To get started, can you give us a brief overview of the new program?

Of course. The Master of Computer Vision is a new master’s program created in collaboration with leading experts in the field of computer vision. It has been designed to prepare students for work in the field and provide them with a solid foundation in computer science, engineering, IT, and mathematics. 

It’s wonderful that the program is so focused on preparing students for career success through the acquisition of foundational skills. What types of students can really benefit from enrolling in the Master of Computer Vision program?

I believe a wide range of individuals can benefit. The program is ideal for everyone from practicing engineers, programmers, and IT specialists to developers and AI experts. Essentially, anyone interested in launching and advancing a career working with images. I would say, too, that young professionals and graduates in IT and mathematics who are looking to take a new direction with their careers and learn new skills are also well suited to the program.

How is the program structured?

It’s a two-year program, which is divided into four semesters comprising four courses each. Students will study two courses at a time, with each course scheduled to last 6–7 weeks. 

Can you walk us through focus areas and approaches for each of the semesters?

In the first semester, we’re really focused on ensuring that all students have the required knowledge, so we include bridging courses in mathematics and object-oriented programming in Python and C++. Mathematics courses are led by HSE University’s tenured professor Valeriy Kalyagin. In addition to Professor Kalyagin, we have engineers from Intel and Xperience AI, who focus on explaining traditional image processing techniques using the OpenCV library. 

The caliber of expertise is very high—that’s a real value for learners in the program.

Yes, and as an additional feature during the first semester, we also have specialists from EPAM and Huawei running a course on the machine-learning methods used widely in computer vision systems.

The program features contributions from academic, industry, and research experts—can you give us an example of what this balance looks like in terms of the actual learner experience?

The second semester provides an excellent example of this balance. Over the course of the semester, researchers from the LATNA laboratory explain modern optimization techniques integral to training deep neural networks, while engineers from RoundU provide detailed instruction on the deep-learning methods used in applied image recognition, object detection, and semantic segmentation. The semester then concludes with an applied project led by specialists from Xperience AI.

What happens as students in the program move into their second year?

Courses in the second year delve deeper into complex computer vision techniques such as 3D reconstruction, image generation, and the creation of software that utilizes AI and image processing for mobile devices and other platforms. The program concludes with a thesis project where students will have the opportunity to gain real-world experience working in the field of computer vision alongside leading experts from the program’s corporate partners.

Let’s pivot a bit and talk about the current state of computer vision. Is there a demand for people with these skills?

Today, research into computer vision is going stronger than ever, and new apps for processing images and videos are appearing all the time. More and more companies around the world are setting up AI divisions and hiring computer vision experts. So yes, there is definitely growing demand. However, there is still a shortage of qualified talent, so companies are often forced to hire graduates from other tech disciplines and then try to train them in computer vision techniques on the job. Our program aims to meet the high demand by training dedicated computer vision specialists.

What can you tell us about the career prospects of a graduate from this program?

Graduates of the program will be well prepared for professional success in the field of computer vision. Over the course of their studies, students will gain valuable experience working on real projects with industry experts. They’ll gain the knowledge and tools needed for careers in computer vision software engineering, perception engineering, 3D perception/computer vision algorithm engineering, computer vision test engineering, computer vision science, and more. We believe that demand for trained professionals in these areas will remain high for decades to come, so career prospects are very strong.

Is there a path into this field you’d recommend for learners who may not yet be prepared or qualified to enroll in the master’s program?

Yes, absolutely. Professor Kalyagin teaches the Basics in Computer Vision Specialization on Coursera, where learners experience the content and format of the Master of Computer Vision program while also gaining the mathematical and programming skills necessary for the development of algorithms in the field of computer vision. They will also learn how to use the OpenCV library for analyzing two-dimensional images, which is an essential applied skill for computer vision professionals. Upon completing the Specialization, students will earn a certificate. Plus, they can potentially leverage their completed work should they enroll in the full master’s program.

Thank you, Professor Savchenko, for sharing your thoughts and insights with our community! We’re thrilled about the new program and excited for all the students who are currently enrolling.

In the fall of 2021, the first enrollees in the Master of Business Analytics program from HSE will commence their studies on the Coursera platform. Students in this groundbreaking program will develop innovative new skills uniquely relevant to a rapidly evolving global business and financial landscape. 

The program’s approach— implemented in cooperation with international professional networks such as ACCA, AICPA-CIMA, and IMA— is rooted in three core principles about the role of finance and business analytics:

1. Finance should provide the measures for intellectual capital generated and accumulated by non-financial stakeholders. 
2. Finance should offer the pricing models for new risk drivers derived from companies’ intellectual and natural capital.   
3. Finance should play the role of integrator between non-financial and financial capitals and provide the models to secure the connectivity between non-financial capitals and future financial performance. 

As the global market economy continues to be reshaped by new challenges, HSE recognizes that exciting new career opportunities are emerging in the wake of these disruptions. The program is structured in such a way that you can learn the most essential skills for success in these new roles. The program offers two specializations: Value-Based Business Analytics and Strategic Business Reporting. As you progress through the program, you’ll take a balance of compulsory and elective courses, engage in interactive Virtual Labs, and participate in project workshops where you’ll complete two real-world projects under the supervision of industry experts. Upon earning your degree, you’ll learn the skills needed to succeed in a range of positions. These include financial management roles, roles at investment banks or investment funds, positions within accounting departments, and consultancy roles.  

We spoke recently with Professor Irina Ivashkovskaya, Head of the School of Finance at HSE and Academic Supervisor of the new Master of Business Analytics program. Over the course of our discussion, she offered her insights into the program’s focus, the new career opportunities she sees emerging in the fields of finance and business analytics, and the value of innovative new learning tools like Virtual Labs.

Professor Ivashkovskaya, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us about this exciting new program. Let’s start with the basics; can you tell us a little bit about the focus of the program?

The Master of Business Analytics program is centered around developing new competencies for integrated thinking in analysis and decision-making, and connecting the measurement and evaluation of financial forms of capital (debt and equity) and non-financial capitals. Today, this kind of integration is becoming a core competence requirement for those who set out to join top management or boards of directors of companies, banks, or consultancy companies. It is no longer realistically possible to become successful in business and grow professionally without focusing on the integration of financial and multiple forms of non-financial capital. This entails the interests and benefits of not only investors and owners, but also non-financial stakeholders.  

Given the program’s future-facing nature, what do you see as the points of connection between the “new” and the “old” in terms of how people should pursue career advancement?

Well, this master’s program is aimed at new groups of competencies in areas which, at first glance, actually do belong to traditional professional tracks, such as financial management, accounting, and reporting. The key difference is that the program highlights new training lines for new roles that correspond to new international practices. The result is that graduates will be prepared for several promising career paths.

Can you give us a specific example of one of these new career paths?

Let’s take financial management as an example. With financial management, the central challenge is to have a methodology for analysis that integrates financial and non-financial capital and aims to add value to the business, taking into account the interests of different stakeholder groups over the long term. In the near future, this will become the work of the Chief Value Officer (CVO)—a role that will ultimately replace the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This professional trend will also require a new approach to budgeting and modeling in order to achieve sustainable company value in the long run.

You mentioned the transformation from CFO to CVO; are there other new roles you see emerging?

Yes, absolutely. Another new position that is taking shape is that of the ESG Director (Environmental, Social, and Governance). This is someone who can provide a new quality of management for the company’s different capitals to achieve specific environmental, social development, and board role targets. 

If financial management is one of the main professional tracks where you’re seeing evolution and innovation, are there others?

Yes, I’d say a second area of change is related to accounting and reporting. Different forms of non-financial reporting are developing rapidly. It is not just a matter of adding more sections to a company’s current reporting. It’s about a new quality of reporting. Reporting needs to become holistic, integrating non-financial capitals, their risks, and their impact on financial results—both current and future.

A third area of change is innovation in risk management. New integrated risk management concepts and tools are being developed and modeling can now take into account risk factors hidden in non-financial capitals. 

A final area where we see change is in compliance. Compliance is transforming from a static function of fixing right and wrong practices into a function of maximizing value for both investors and other stakeholders through best ethical business practices that meet ESG criteria. Compliance needs to focus not just on a company’s risks, but on long-term business value growth. It is a field that is increasingly connected to financial knowledge and skills. 

We’ve talked at length about the changing landscape of finance and business analytics and the emerging professional tracks that students can pursue. Let’s switch our focus a bit and talk about the program itself. Specifically, can you tell us a little bit about Virtual Labs? What are they, and how do students benefit?

Virtual Labs are a new format that we created with international experts from Europe, the United States, and Asia. In live dialogues with students, these international experts can share their perspectives on emerging trends and provide insight into how they’re solving new business analytics challenges. We have also introduced project-based seminars in which international business experts representing the latest professional tracks in finance lead live virtual workshops. These experiences become tools that teams can use to organize their creative work on project topics within specializations.

It’s a great example of how an online learning platform can make new kinds of experiences possible. 

Yes, the modern world is dictating new formats for delivering education. In an environment of uncertainty and multitasking, online education is becoming increasingly important. Fortunately, thanks to the “learn from anywhere with a flexible schedule” format and the well-established set of digital tools that Coursera offers, we’re able to provide students with innovative, world-class content via a platform that aligns with their lifestyles and goals. Just as the professional trends we’ve discussed represent the new mainstream for finance and business analytics, online is swiftly becoming an important tool for professional degree-level learning.

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We’d like to thank Professor Irina Ivashkovskaya for sharing her perspectives and insights! Enrollment is now open for the Master of Business Analytics program from HSE University. HSE has long been one of the most prestigious universities in Russia, and in 2020, HSE earned the first place spot on Forbes’ Best Russian Universities list. Learn more today!