
From AI to Urban Studies: HSE University’s Online Campus Graduates More Than 2,000 Master’s Students
The Class of 2026 has become the largest in the history of HSE University’s online campus, with more than twice as many graduates as last year. A total of 2,023 students completed their studies across 28 online master’s programmes, covering disciplines ranging from psychology and law to cybersecurity and digital urban studies. For 10 of these programmes, this was the first cohort of graduates.

Sugar Cravings Prove Stronger Than Health Concerns
Researchers from HSE University–Perm used EEG to study how sugar cravings and interest in healthy eating affect the evaluation of Cola-flavoured beverages. During the tasting, participants assessed the taste of each beverage and named the maximum amount they would be willing to pay for it. The results showed that the more interested a person was in their health, the harder and more cognitively taxing it was for them to decide whether they were willing to pay, and the smaller the amount they were ultimately willing to spend. The study was published in the British Food Journal.

HSE University Tops Forbes Employer Reputation Ranking Once Again
Forbes Education has published its ranking of the top 20 Russian universities with the strongest reputations among employers. As in recent years, HSE University secured first place with a reputation index of 98 points. In addition, 67.2% of employers stated that they trust the quality of education provided by HSE University, an increase of three percentage points compared with last year.

HSE Tops Ranking of 100 Best Universities in Russia
Forbes has published its eighth annual ranking of the best Russian higher education institutions. HSE University took first place. Its leadership was secured, among other factors, by strong support from employers and high performance in the Academic Environment metric.

HSE Ranked First in 13 Graduate Employment Rankings
HSE University has become the leading Russian educational institution by the number of first-place positions in national graduate employment rankings. The rankings are compiled separately for each field of study, taking into account the share of graduates who find employment and their salary levels. The university ranked first in areas such as Mathematics and Mechanics (Master’s level), Computers Science and Engineering (Bachelor’s level), Information Security (Bachelor’s level), Asian and African Studies (Master’s level), Economics and Management (Bachelor’s level), among others.

Human Intuition Proves Stronger than Algorithms: Game Theory Tournament Held at HSE University in Perm
Researchers from the International Laboratory of Intangible-driven Economy (Perm) and the HSE Laboratory of Sports Studies, together with mathematician and science populariser Alexey Savvateev, organised a game theory tournament entitled ‘The Election Race.’ Participants competed both against one another and against artificial intelligence. For now, humans have managed to gain the upper hand and propose more effective strategies.

‘Policymakers Should Prioritise Investing in AI for Climate Adaptation’
Michael Appiah, from Ghana, is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the International Laboratory of Intangible-Driven Economy (IDLab) at HSE University–Perm. He recently spoke at the seminar ‘Artificial Intelligence, Digitalization, and Climate Vulnerability: Evidence from Heterogeneous Panel Models’ about his research on ‘the interplay between artificial intelligence, digitalisation, and climate vulnerability.’ Michael told the HSE News Service about the academic journey that led him to HSE University, his early impressions of Perm, and how AI can be utilised to combat climate change.

From Atoms to Regulatory Systems: Highlights from Project Defences of Scientific Initiative Competition
HSE University has hosted the final defences of student projects submitted to the Scientific Initiative Competition organised by the Centre for Student Academic Development. Over the course of the year, participants worked on research projects spanning all stages of the research process, from defining a scientific problem to analysing results, and public defence marked the final stage of the competition.

2025 Scientific Collaboration Outcomes: HSE University in Perm and Iran University of Science and Technology
The first year of the project "Internationalization of Companies from Developing Countries: The Role of Intellectual Resources in Response to Exogenous Shocks", implemented in 2025–2027 under the HSE University Joint Basic Research Projects ‘International Academic Cooperation’ competition, has been successfully concluded. The project is carried out by the International Laboratory of Intangible-driven Economy at HSE University in collaboration with Iran University of Science and Technology, under the supervision of Maria Molodchik and Amir Zakeri. All planned commitments for the first year have been fully fulfilled.

Russian Scientists Investigate Age-Related Differences in Brain Damage Volume Following Childhood Stroke
A team of Russian scientists and clinicians, including Sofya Kulikova from HSE University in Perm, compared the extent and characteristics of brain damage in children who experienced a stroke either within the first four weeks of life or before the age of two. The researchers found that the younger the child, the more extensive the brain damage—particularly in the frontal and parietal lobes, which are responsible for movement, language, and thinking. The study, published in Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology, provides insights into how age can influence the nature and extent of brain lesions and lays the groundwork for developing personalised rehabilitation programmes for children who experience a stroke early in life.

