The Caucasus without a Cap
Global warming has caused the total area of more than 600 Greater Caucasus glaciers to drop by approximately 16%, according to an international research team that includes Stanislav Kutuzov, geographer from HSE University. Glaciers without rock debris coverage have decreased more than those with debris coverage.
‘It Is Difficult Times like These that Bring Us Closer Together’
On March 23, the working group of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education devoted to university education met again to discuss how education should be organized as Russia seeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In particular, the group discussed tactics involving volunteerism on university campuses, examples from universities abroad, and developing student questionnaires in order to pinpoint the issues that Russian universities have encountered in their transition to distance learning.
‘The Professors Are Not Strictly Academic—They Are Also Practicing Professionals’
For students interested in pursuing careers in international law or economic integration, HSE University’s Faculty of Law offers the Master’s Programme ‘Law of International Trade, Finance and Economic Integration’. Previously taught in both Russian and English, the programme is now taught in English only. HSE News Service spoke with two first-year international students about their studies, living in Moscow, and their overall impressions of the programme.
One Quarter of Russian University Instructors Don’t Use Online Instruction Tools, HSE Data Show
The HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK) has presented data about the current conditions in which Russia’s schools and universities must now transition to online learning. According to their data, only 11.4% of university instructors with a PhD (or Doctor of Sciences degree) used online tools in their teaching in the last year.
Unequal Access Codes: What Helps and What Hinders Access to Good Education in Russian Regions
Researchers at the HSE Institute of Education have used regional data to describe, for the first time in Russia, how inequality in access to education affects different parts of the Russian Federation. The research findings reveal that the key determining factors are the local economy and the proportion of people with a university degree: urbanised regions with well-developed economies and educated inhabitants are more likely to have good-quality schools, with a large proportion of students scoring highly in the Unified State Exam and going on to university. In contrast, poorer regions with low human capital see many of their school students drop out after the 9th grade, limiting their chances of further education.
On the Verge of a Recession: HSE Experts Begin Measuring Stress Levels in the Russian Economy
The HSE Centre of Development Institute has begun publishing the Daily Economic Stress Index (DESI), which tracks economic activity in the financial markets and in the real sector. Current stress index indicators do not paint an optimistic picture – they significantly exceed the background retrospective values since 1997, indicating a high probability of a recession.
Changes to HSE Summer University Dates
The coronavirus is strong, but together we are stronger. Let’s take care and stay safe, so that we can all soon embrace each other again. Due to recent travel and visa restrictions, as well as in the interest of students' health, the 2020 HSE Summer University session dates have been changed. Programme sessions will now begin on July 15 and conclude on August 20.
HSE Launches Online Course on the Digitalization of Megapolises in Partnership with Coursera
The programme is aimed not only at students, but also city administration employees, IT specialists, and company managers. Course content allows students to learn about the latest successful developments in megacity digitalization in the context of Moscow. There is no other course like it offered in Russia or the world.
‘No One Expected Online Education to Receive Such a Powerful Impetus for Further Development’
On March 17, the Institute of Education hosted its annual seminar dedicated to issues in education. This year’s seminar addressed the topic, ‘Higher Education during an Epidemic: The Possibilities of Digital Technology’. For the first time in eight years, the seminar participants—representatives of Chinese, American, and Russian universities—participated in the event remotely.
Polymer Films Pass Electron Gun Test
HSE researchers, jointly with colleagues from the RAN Institute of Organoelement Compounds and the RAN Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, have studied the properties of a polyarylene ether ketone-based copolymer (co-PAEK) for potential space applications. Co-PAEK films are highly resistant to electrostatic discharges caused by ionizing radiation and can thus be used as protective coating for spacecraft electronics. The study findings have been published in Polymers.