A team of scientists from the HSE Centre for Cognition & Decision Making has studied how food flavours affect brain activity, facial muscles, and emotions. Using near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), they demonstrated that pleasant food activates brain areas associated with positive emotions, while neutral food stimulates regions linked to negative emotions and avoidance. This approach offers a simpler way to predict the market success of products and study eating disorders. The study was published in the journal Food Quality and Preference.

After earning a degree from the Moscow Banking School, Ekaterina Dvoryantseva planned to pursue further studies in the field, towards a career in banking. However, her plans were derailed by the 1998 financial crisis. After working in several roles unrelated to aviation, she joined Aeroflot and quickly advanced to become manager of innovation. In this interview with Success Builder, she discusses how the company implements and integrates innovation, why you might run a polygraph test on a dog, and how to reclaim one's youth (spoiler: enrol in a master's programme at HSE University).

Researchers at HSE University and MIPT have investigated how the composition of electrons in a superconductor influences the emergence of intertype superconductivity—a unique state in which superconductors display unusual properties. It was previously believed that intertype superconductivity occurs only in materials with minimal impurities. However, the scientists discovered that the region of intertype superconductivity not only persists but can also expand in materials with a high concentration of impurities and defects. In the future, these superconductors could contribute to the development of highly sensitive sensors and detectors. The study has been published in Frontiers of Physics.

In 2024, the HSE campuses in Moscow, St Petersburg, and Perm participated in an independent quality assessment of educational conditions (NOK). This is the university’s second quality assessment since the introduction of the procedure in Russia.

HSE University hosted a presentation of the Centre for South Arabian Studies, established under the Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies at the Faculty of Humanities. The centre’s work aims to enhance the study of languages and cultures while fostering closer collaboration with scholars and universities in the Arabian Peninsula. The presentation was attended by HSE Rector Nikita Anisimov and diplomats from Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

The HSE School of Foreign Languages is launching a new Russian-taught online master's programme: Chinese for Intercultural Business Communication. Maria Dubinina, the Programme’s Academic Supervisor, Associate Professor and PhD (China), shares its advantages and unique features.

On 24 February, 2025, the HSE campus on Pokrovka hosted a meeting with a delegation from the Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia. HSE Vice Rector and Head of the BRICS Expert Council–Russia Victoria Panova took part in the event alongside representatives from the university’s academic departments and research centres. During the meeting, the parties discussed key areas for strengthening academic and expert cooperation, as well as joint initiatives in science and technology, including those within the BRICS framework.

The International Education Observatory initiative, launched by HSE University to focus on expert evaluation, analytics, and joint scientific research, has successfully completed the formation of a research network across all BRICS nations. South Africa was the final link, with the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand joining experts from Russia, China, India, and Brazil. 

Interpreting at international forums, accompanying delegations, and informal communication with native speakers—students of the Department of Middle Eastern and African Studies at the Institute of Asian and African Studies (HSE University-St Petersburg) gain experience starting from the first year of bachelor's studies. What is the system of volunteer practice like and what opportunities does it open up for future specialists in international affairs? Read on to find out more.