HSE and Sichuan University Sign Cooperation Agreement
On May 20, 2025, HSE University hosted an official delegation from Sichuan University headed by President Wang Jinsong. During the meeting, the universities signed a cooperation agreement.
The participants discussed key areas of partnership, including the launch of a double-degree programme in Eurasian studies, as well as potential cooperation in the fields of international relations, mathematics, teaching, Russian as a foreign language, and academic mobility.
The meeting was attended by representatives of Sichuan University and HSE in various subject areas: the faculties of World Economy and International Affairs, Mathematics, Humanities, the Institute of Education, and others.
The discussions took place in a constructive atmosphere. The parties confirmed their mutual interest in developing cooperation and stressed the need to begin substantively implementing the agreements reached.
HSE Vice Rector and Head of the BRICS Expert Council–Russia Victoria Panova highlighted the prestigious international status of Sichuan University, one of the oldest universities in Southwestern China, and underscored the symbolism of the meeting in light of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Moscow. As part of that visit, 28 bilaterial agreements were signed, three of which were between HSE and leading Chinese universities.
See also:
‘It Was Interesting to See How Our Chinese Colleagues Work’: HSE Researchers Take Part in Hefei Summer School
This summer, Diana Sukhoverkhova, Daria Mazur, and David Kagramanyan, research assistants at the MIEM HSE Laboratory for Computational Physics, spent five weeks in China. At the Future Scientist Exchange Program (FuSEP) summer school in Hefei, they worked in new fields of science together with their Chinese colleagues. HSE's promising scientists spoke to the HSE News Service about their intense and productive time in China.
HSE Researchers Introduce Novel Symmetry-Aware Neural Network Architecture
Researchers at the HSE Laboratory for Geometric Algebra and Applications have developed a new neural network architecture that can accelerate and streamline data analysis in physics, biology, and engineering. The scientists presented their solution on July 16 in Vancouver at ICML 2025, one of the world's leading conferences on machine learning. Both the paper and the source code are publicly available.
Works of HSE Art and Design Students Presented at Pingyao International Photography Festival
On September 19, the 25th Pingyao International Photography Festival (PIP) opened in Pingyao, Shanxi Province, China. The exhibition features the works of 16 students of the Faculty of Creative Industries at the HSE Art and Design School, selected following the results of the HSE Creative Open / Photoproject international competition, which received more than 300 entries.
HSE Researchers Determine Frequency of Genetic Mutations in People with Pulmonary Hypertension
For the first time in Russia, a team of scientists and clinicians has conducted a large-scale genetic study of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The team, which included researchers from the International Laboratory of Bioinformatics at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science, analysed the genomes of over a hundred patients and found that approximately one in ten carried pathogenic mutations in the BMPR2 gene, which is responsible for vascular growth. Three of these mutations were described for the first time. The study has been published in Respiratory Research.
HSE Scientists Reveal How Disrupted Brain Connectivity Affects Cognitive and Social Behaviour in Children with Autism
An international team of scientists, including researchers from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, has for the first time studied the connectivity between the brain's sensorimotor and cognitive control networks in children with autism. Using fMRI data, the researchers found that connections within the cognitive control network (responsible for attention and inhibitory control) are weakened, while connections between this network and the sensorimotor network (responsible for movement and sensory processing) are, by contrast, excessively strong. These features manifest as difficulties in social interaction and behavioural regulation in children. The study has been published in Brain Imaging and Behavior.
Scientists Develop New Method to Detect Motor Disorders Using 3D Objects
Researchers at HSE University have developed a new methodological approach to studying motor planning and execution. By using 3D-printed objects and an infrared tracking system, they demonstrated that the brain initiates the planning process even before movement begins. This approach may eventually aid in the assessment and treatment of patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. The paper has been published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
Global AI Trends Discussed at International Foresight Workshop at HSE University
At an international foresight workshop on artificial intelligence held at HSE University, Russian and foreign scholars discussed the trends and challenges arising from the rapid development of AI.
‘I Wish Summer Were Quarterly’
Practicing and teaching yoga, chilling in Moscow parks, writing academic papers, travelling around Russia, and volunteering—these are only a few of the things HSE international students have tried over their summer break. Now, as they are getting back to studies, the students reflect on their summer experiences in academic work, professional development, travel, and leisure.
HSE University–St Petersburg Holds Summer Intensive Course on Finance for Students from Five Countries
The International Summer School at HSE University–St Petersburg included the intensive course 'New Economic Drivers for Company.' International students explored the realm of applied finance through case studies of Russian companies.
Ringing in the New Term
On September 1, campuses across Russia ring in the new academic year with the traditional ‘first bell’—flowers for teachers and welcomes for first‑years—while international students at HSE University share how studies begin in their home countries, from Ghana’s Akwaba week to China’s student club fair, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s blue-and-white uniforms, and India’s Teachers’ Day.