News

Research seminars are not merely a formality but a driving force of science. Where do research projects come from? How do students become equal collaborators? And why can a whiteboard in a seminar room sometimes matter more than a formal conference presentation? In this interview for Schola, Alexander Nesterov and Konstantin Sorokin discuss the internal research seminar of the International Laboratory of Game Theory and Decision Making.

The Rope Shop Educational Space of HSE University–St Petersburg hosted a conference on the present and future of Russian–Chinese relations. Together with Luo Zhanhui, Consul General of China in St Petersburg, leading experts in Asian and African Studies discussed vectors for the long-term development of the countries, the synergy of joint projects, and future educational partnerships.

After exploring several research fields, Maxim Gurin realised that he wanted to study sociology while specifically focusing on how his research could benefit the people at the centre of it. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he shares his passion for hip-hop dancing, the magical appeal of the courtyard at the House on the Embankment, and his quest to uncover the memories of the Chelyuskinitsy during a trip along the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Following an established tradition, the HSE School of Foreign Languages held a pre-New Year poster session, during which fourth-year undergraduate students of the Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication programme defended their practice-oriented projects. The assessment panel included representatives of major companies and organisations. Working together with HSE students, they shared their professional experience, skills, and expertise.

On the eve of the New Year, HSE is once again helping make the dearest wishes of less-fortunate children come true. For several years now, the New Year Tree of Wishes charitable initiative has brought together students, lecturers, and university staff who want to spread a little magic during the winter holidays.

Researchers at the HSE Institute of Education have identified how much time students should ideally devote to their studies, extracurricular activities, and personal life to maintain strong academic performance without compromising their mental health. An analysis of responses from 2,753 students, combined with their actual academic results, revealed several risk factors—such as excessive homework—as well as positive factors, including sufficient sleep, regular exercise, and moderate participation in projects. Based on these findings, the researchers developed practical recommendations for both students and universities. The paper has been published in the European Journal of Education.

HSE students delivered an outstanding performance in the semi-final round of the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), which took place in St Petersburg on December 15–17, 2025. Two teams—FFTilted from HSE University–Moscow and Muffix Sassif from HSE University–Nizhny Novgorod—will represent the university at the ICPC World Finals, scheduled for 2026. Other HSE teams also won gold and bronze medals. These results confirm the high level of training of HSE students in competitive programming.

Ahead of the holiday season, the HSE News Service talked to some international students about their reflections on the past year, expectations of the year to come, and plans for the winter break. Below, Hasnain and Syed, both from Pakistan, talk about their experiences as international students in Moscow, share their tips for successful personal growth, and send wishes to their fellow classmates.