HSE University Strengthens Ties with Central Asia
Experts from the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development (FURD) took part in the international forum ‘The SCO in the Era of Digital Diplomacy: Scientific Initiatives for Global Balance.’ The event, held in Astana, was organised by the Eurasian Association for International Studies and the Institute for the Study of Regional Integration (Kazakhstan).
The forum brought together leading experts on integration processes across the Eurasian space, including specialists from SCO member states—China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Russia—as well as from Turkey, an SCO observer state.
Victoria Khomich, Deputy Dean for International Affairs at the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development and a forum participant, highlighted the key challenges facing the region’s countries: the establishment of unified standards and approaches to information security, the management of urbanisation processes and city development, and scientific, technological, and educational integration.

‘We presented the main directions of international cooperation in urban studies. Following the discussions, certain topics emerged as particularly relevant for Central Asia: master planning, socio-economic development strategies, transport planning, and the smart city concept,’ commented Victoria Khomich.
Evgeny Mikhaylenko
Previously, Dean of the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development Evgeny Mikhaylenko emphasised that international cooperation is a vital tool for addressing complex urban and regional development challenges. ‘Participation in international forums and partnership projects enables us to analyse emerging challenges, assess achievements, and shape future plans, as well as generate ideas for academic research,’ he noted.
Experts from neighbouring countries particularly praised the faculty’s high level of expertise and its practice-oriented approach to dialogue.
Notably, following the event, representatives of relevant institutions from SCO countries—primarily colleagues from Central Asia—expressed strong interest in FURD’s professional development programmes, as well as in the potential for designing customised continuing education programmes for municipal officials from Central Asian countries.
The parties agreed to continue developing cooperation in academic, research, and project-based areas.
Such events are especially significant in the run-up to the SCO’s 25th anniversary in 2026. After a quarter of a century of active integration efforts across the Eurasian region—building trust, strengthening humanitarian ties, establishing legal frameworks, and creating tools to enhance economic effectiveness—there is a pressing need for a joint shift towards a more fundamental and practice-based level of cooperation, in which cities may play a central role.
See also:
Scientists Develop Effective Microlasers as Small as a Speck of Dust
Researchers at HSE University–St Petersburg have discovered a way to create effective microlasers with diameters as small as 5 to 8 micrometres. They operate at room temperature, require no cooling, and can be integrated into microchips. The scientists relied on the whispering gallery effect to trap light and used buffer layers to reduce energy leakage and stress. This approach holds promise for integrating lasers into microchips, sensors, and quantum technologies. The study has been published in Technical Physics Letters.
HSE University–St Petersburg and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Release First Book of Mirror Laboratory
Malaysia hosted the AHIBS 'Weaving Horizons for Sustainable Impact' international conference, which featured the presentation of the first Russian–Malaysian book of research articles.
HSE GSB and Alfa-Bank Host Summer School for Chinese Students
The international summer school Digital Product Management, a joint educational project by the HSE Graduate School of Business (HSE GSB) and Alfa-Bank, brought together over 30 students from leading Chinese universities.
HSE University Students and Postgraduates Take Part in Peking University International Summer School
In July 2025, Peking University hosted its annual Quantum Molecular Dynamics Summer School, which has moved onto an international stage. Its first foreign guests were students and postgraduates from the HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM). They took part in an extensive academic programme and had the opportunity to visit a laboratory that works with optoelectronic materials and energy devices.
HSE University to Host BRICS International School: New Generation
Registration for the BRICS International School: New Generation, one of the leading international educational projects aimed at prospective leaders interested in the agenda of global development and cooperation within the framework of BRICS, has opened.
HSE University Strengthens Ties with Peking University
On July 21, 2025, representatives from Peking University led by Zhang Jin, Vice President of Peking University and Chancellor of Shenzhen Graduate School, paid a visit to HSE University. The delegation included forty students, teachers, and administrators. During their visit, leaders from both universities discussed potential areas for future collaboration, and representatives from three HSE University departments held meetings with Chinese students.
HSE University Brings Together Researchers at International AI Summer Institute in Shanghai
In early July 2025, the International Summer Institute on Artificial Intelligence in Education took place in Shanghai. It was organised by the HSE Institute of Education in cooperation with East China Normal University (ECNU). More than 50 early-career researchers and keynote speakers from nine countries—ranging from Russia and China to Canada and Singapore—gathered to share the latest findings from their work and to forge new international partnerships.
'We Are Now Nearing Practical Application of a Stimulus-Free Brain-Mapping System'
Neural interfaces developed by scientists at HSE University in collaboration with clinicians make it possible to communicate with the brain and decode its signals. The use of such interfaces opens up opportunities to stimulate brain activity, restore and normalise muscle control in patients who have suffered a stroke, heart attack, or other neurological disorders, and support the rehabilitation of individuals with traumatic brain injuries or limb loss. Alexey Ossadtchi, Director of the Centre for Bioelectric Interfaces at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, discusses the centre and its work.
HSE University Presents Smart Orthosis at Hope for Technology Forum
On July 10–11, 2025, Moscow hosted the 10th Hope for Technology National Forum of the Rehabilitation Industry and Universal Design. The event was aimed at discussing innovative achievements in the rehabilitation industry. The MIEM Student Design Bureau and the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience presented a smart orthosis, which was developed at the request of orthopedists.
Experts Assess How BRICS Countries’ Education Systems Are Evolving
The BRICS Expert Council–Russia, based at HSE University and operating in collaboration with the HSE Institute of Education, has released an analytical report titled ‘The Transformation of General Education in BRICS Countries.’ The study explores how BRICS nations are addressing shared challenges, including equitable access to schooling, digital integration, support for inclusion, linguistic diversity, and intercultural dialogue.