HSE University Becomes Absolute Leader in AI Alliance Ranking of Universities

The AI Alliance Russia has announced a new ranking of Russian universities based on the quality of education in the field of AI. A total of 203 universities from 68 Russian regions participated in the ranking. HSE University was the first to join the highest A++ group.
This is the third time the ranking has been released. It features universities offering bachelor's and specialist's programmes in artificial intelligence that are divided into groups depending on the quality of training.
HSE University has become the absolute leader of the list, having entered the highest A++ category—a new group formed for the first time this year.
The assessment is based on open data and independent research by the AI Alliance Russia, including an extensive survey of employers (more than 150 companies), a survey of students on the quality of the educational environment (over 12,000 students), as well as data verification through universities' accounts, which has increased the transparency and reliability of analytics.
Valery Falkov
‘The AI Alliance Russia brings together representatives from the university community and business who discuss the challenges faced by the higher education system as artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into various sectors of the economy. One significant outcome of this collaboration was the establishment of a university ranking based on the quality of AI education,’ said Valery Falkov, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.
Alexander Vedyakhin
Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the AI Alliance, is convinced that the university's ranking of AI education quality not only reflects the level of Russian education in this field, but also serves as a roadmap for the development of Russia’s digital economy and technological sovereignty. ‘Investments in human capital and collaboration of science, education, and business create a solid foundation for innovation, driving national progress and enhancing the country's global competitiveness in the age of AI,’ he stressed.
Nikita Anisimov, HSE University Rector
‘Our success in the AI Alliance ranking results from the efforts of the entire ecosystem of the university and its partners, leaders of the IT industry. Today a high level of digital culture is common among both students and staff of HSE University, and research in artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly multidisciplinary.
Cooperation with leading Russian technology companies is our priority. We jointly implement degree programmes, conduct fundamental research, and introduce applied projects. Our goal is not only to strengthen AI competencies, but also to use new technology to help the country address key national development challenges.’
At HSE University, the leader of the AI Alliance ranking, students of all majors gain digital skills and learn how to use AI technologies. The Faculty of Computer Science and other departments of the university, together with leading industrial partners, have launched degree programmes in artificial intelligence. AI is also being actively developed at other HSE campuses.
Ivan Arzhantsev, Dean of the HSE Faculty of Computer Science
HSE University has achieved the top position in the AI Alliance rankings for universities based on the quality of their education in the field of AI. This is a significant achievement for us. We believe that it is the result of our strategy that combines fundamental research in AI with industrial partnerships. At the Faculty of Computer Science, we focus not only on training specialists but also on creating an ecosystem where science, education, and industry go hand in hand to drive innovation and development in the field of artificial intelligence.’
Mikhail Mukhin, Dean of the School of Computer Science, Physics and Technology at HSE Univesity in St Petersburg
‘The leading position of HSE University in the AI Alliance ranking is a reflection of our systematic efforts to provide the best education in this field. By launching the School of Computer Science, Physics, and Technology at our St. Petersburg campus, in collaboration with VK, we have created a unique ecosystem for training AI professionals. Our success demonstrates the power of combining academic excellence with practical experience from industry partners.’
Sergey Roshchin, HSE University Vice Rector
‘The ranking results are extremely significant for our university. First of all, this is an external assessment by leading employers in the BigTech field, united in the AI Alliance. This evaluation confirms the high standard of education and the effectiveness of the educational model we have chosen, which provides that all university students acquire digital competencies and skills for working with AI. In addition, it’s should be noted that HSE managed to move into the A++ group for the first time. This indicates recognition of our successful development, ability to respond to new challenges, and achievement of technological leadership.’
See also:
HSE Scientists Optimise Training of Generative Flow Networks
Researchers at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science have optimised the training method for generative flow neural networks to handle unstructured tasks, which could make the search for new drugs more efficient. The results of their work were presented at ICLR 2025, one of the world’s leading conferences on machine learning. The paper is available at Arxiv.org.
Physicists Propose New Mechanism to Enhance Superconductivity with 'Quantum Glue'
A team of researchers, including scientists from HSE MIEM, has demonstrated that defects in a material can enhance, rather than hinder, superconductivity. This occurs through interaction between defective and cleaner regions, which creates a 'quantum glue'—a uniform component that binds distinct superconducting regions into a single network. Calculations confirm that this mechanism could aid in developing superconductors that operate at higher temperatures. The study has been published in Communications Physics.
Neural Network Trained to Predict Crises in Russian Stock Market
Economists from HSE University have developed a neural network model that can predict the onset of a short-term stock market crisis with over 83% accuracy, one day in advance. The model performs well even on complex, imbalanced data and incorporates not only economic indicators but also investor sentiment. The paper by Tamara Teplova, Maksim Fayzulin, and Aleksei Kurkin from the Centre for Financial Research and Data Analytics at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences has been published in Socio-Economic Planning Sciences.
Larger Groups of Students Use AI More Effectively in Learning
Researchers at the Institute of Education and the Faculty of Economic Sciences at HSE University have studied what factors determine the success of student group projects when they are completed with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). Their findings suggest that, in addition to the knowledge level of the team members, the size of the group also plays a significant role—the larger it is, the more efficient the process becomes. The study was published in Innovations in Education and Teaching International.
New Models for Studying Diseases: From Petri Dishes to Organs-on-a-Chip
Biologists from HSE University, in collaboration with researchers from the Kulakov National Medical Research Centre for Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology, have used advanced microfluidic technologies to study preeclampsia—one of the most dangerous pregnancy complications, posing serious risks to the life and health of both mother and child. In a paper published in BioChip Journal, the researchers review modern cellular models—including advanced placenta-on-a-chip technologies—that offer deeper insights into the mechanisms of the disorder and support the development of effective treatments.
Advancing Personalised Therapy for More Effective Cancer Treatment
Researchers from the International Laboratory of Microphysiological Systems at HSE University's Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology are developing methods to reduce tumour cell resistance to drugs and to create more effective, personalised cancer treatments. In this interview with the HSE News Service, Diana Maltseva, Head of the Laboratory, talks about their work.
Solvent Instead of Toxic Reagents: Chemists Develop Environmentally Friendly Method for Synthesising Aniline Derivatives
An international team of researchers, including chemists from HSE University and the A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds of the Russian Academy of Sciences (INEOS RAS), has developed a new method for synthesising aniline derivatives—compounds widely used in the production of medicines, dyes, and electronic materials. Instead of relying on toxic and expensive reagents, they proposed using tetrahydrofuran, which can be derived from renewable raw materials. The reaction was carried out in the presence of readily available cobalt salts and syngas. This approach reduces hazardous waste and simplifies the production process, making it more environmentally friendly. The study has been published in ChemSusChem.
Master’s Students of HSE, University of Campinas, and Tsinghua University Publish Joint Student Research Collection
Master’s students of the HSE ISSEK programme ‘Science, Technology and Innovation Management and Policy’ have released a joint research collection with the University of Campinas (Brazil) and Tsinghua University (China) titled ‘Being Innovative or Being on the Safe Side—Managing the Risk of Failure.’ The authors explore how organisations perceive risks and embrace innovation within different cultural contexts.
‘A Turn Away from Stereotypes’: Moscow Hosts ‘Researching the Deaf Community’ Conference
On October 17–19, 2025, the third annual interdisciplinary conference ‘Researching the Deaf Community 2025: on the Periphery of Attention’ took place at GES-2 House of Culture in Moscow. The event was organised with the participation of the HSE International Laboratory for Social Integration Research. HSE University Vice Rector Irina Martusevich addressed attendees at the opening ceremony.
Exploring the Mind: HSE Scientists Discuss Cognitive Technologies of the Future
Why we make irrational decisions, how the brain responds to fakes, and whether neural networks are capable of thinking—these were the topics discussed by early-career scientists of HSE University during the NAUKA 0+ science festival. The event brought together students and experts from various fields, united by a common goal—to deepen their understanding of the human brain and cognitive technologies.


