HSE and Berkeley to Conduct Joint Research
The HSE Institute of Education and the University of California – Berkeley (USA) have signed a memorandum to jointly administer an international Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium until 2020. The memorandum calls for the two universities to implement a major four-year project on higher education studies involving over 30 universities from various countries.
The Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) consortium was founded in 2011 on the basis of a national U.S. university consortium with the same name. The Consortium studies students from the world’s leading universities.
Nevertheless, the Consortium is not limited to discussing the results of its research. Consortium member universities from the U.S., China, Brazil, South Africa, Japan, Russia and Europe analyze these results and use them to improve their educational environment and, accordingly, the quality of education. For example, SERU data were used by Japan’s Osaka University to reform curricula and retrain lecturers. Hunan University in China developed special programmes to improve students’ soft skills and involve them in research. Berkeley and some of the other campuses at the University of California modified their admissions criteria and are now discussing whether the results of standardized tests should be taken into account.
HSE has participated in the consortium since 2012. Since July 2014, Igor Chirikov, leading research fellow at the HSE Institute of Education, has served as the Consortium’s executive director. Data from international comparative studies received by the Consortium are actively discussed in Russia, for example, at HSE Institute of Education seminars or during public lectures by HSE Rector Yaroslav Kuzminov. In particular, these data show that students in Russia do not learn intensively enough and that universities’ educational environment is too tolerant of dishonest behaviour. Certain measures have been suggested to overcome these and other deficiencies.
Such studies will continue for the next four years, but now the Higher School of Economics is not simply an object of research, but also a partner of the Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University of California – Berkeley (CSHE) on developing the international component of the project. Both universities plan to assign funds for this work, and HSE will receive additional funding from Berkeley.
‘The Institute of Education and HSE Centre of Institutional Research team will be responsible for preparing the tools, general coordination of student surveys in the consortium universities, as well as analysis and comparative research’, said Igor Chirikov. ‘Such a partnership will certainly contribute to HSE’s recognition internationally and its reputation in higher education studies’.
Igor Chirikov
See also:
'You Find Yourself Thinking about Your Research 24/7'
Daria Gracheva, expert at the Institute of Education, turned to science in pursuit of methods to discern between a poorly constructed test and a well-designed one. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, she discusses the '4K test,' which is intended to measure critical thinking and communication skills, shares insights on the model named after Georg Rasch, and explains how setting up an aquarium for a crab can help assess soft skills.
HSE University-St Petersburg Represents Russia at International Conference in Australia
The delegation of HSE University-St Petersburg participated in the largest educational forum-exhibition of the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education 'APAIE 2024'. The 20th anniversary conference was held in the Australian city of Perth.
Inverse Relationship Found between Propensity to Innovate and Academic Success
Mariia Evdokimova and Anastasia Stepanova, employees of HSE University’s Faculty of Economic Sciences, studied the connection between students’ personal characteristics and their desire to create something new. The researchers have found that students’ propensity to innovate lowers their GPA. The results of the work were published in the preprint ‘Students’ Propensity to Innovate: Correlates, Determinants, and Impact on GPA.’
Social Connections Help Women Achieve Academic Success
Social integration has different effects on the academic achievement of women and men. Researchers from HSE University’s Institute of Education studied the connections between academic performance and social integration among 4,500 young Russians. It turned out that this connection is much stronger than it might seem at first glance, and that it is more important for women. The results of the work were published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
A University's Special Status Is Correlated with a Substantial Increase in Salaries for Graduates
A university education is a highly sought-after commodity in Russia, yet the quality of universities and their programmes varies significantly. This gives rise to risks of inequality, both in the realm of education and in the labour market, and subsequently impacts the returns on higher education, which are manifested in the salaries earned by graduates. According to a study by Ilya Prakhov, Assistant Professor of the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences, graduates from Russia’s top-tier universities enjoy a distinct advantage. The paper has been published in the International Journal of Educational Development.
HSE University and Moscow Planetarium Sign Cooperation Agreement
The parties will work to popularise science and conduct educational and research activities, including in the fields of astronomy, cosmonautics, and Earth science. The agreement also covers the implementation of joint practical programmes and internships for students.
HSE University and Agency for Strategic Initiatives Sign Cooperation Agreement
HSE University and the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) have agreed to cooperate in the development of new technologies, the digital transformation of the economy, and the social development of the country. The agreement was signed by HSE University Rector Nikita Anisimov and ASI Director General Svetlana Chupsheva at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Basic, General, and Home-based: Why Families Choose to Homeschool and What Challenges They Face in Doing So
There are many reasons why families choose to homeschool their children, from wishing to personalise their education to protecting them from bullying to strengthening the family bond. Those who decide to switch to homeschooling can face quite a few challenges, both logistical and psychological, including criticism from family members. IQ.HSE presents a few facts on homeschooling in Russia based on a paper by researchers of the HSE Institute of Education.
Card Index: Uberisation of Education
Education is in the process of being partly reformatted into an on-demand service, with digital platforms quickly and efficiently matching teachers to students. This can make education more personalised and accessible and open up new professional development and money-making opportunities for teachers. But is an Uber-like model really good for education? The following discussion of uberisation in education is based on a paper by philosopher Timur Khusyainov, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the HSE Campus in Nizhny Novgorod.
HSE University and Sberbank Sign Cooperation Agreement
HSE University and Sberbank have entered into a cooperation agreement. The document was signed by Herman Gref, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank, and HSE University Rector Nikita Anisimov. The agreement is aimed at the implementation of shared educational, research, career-guidance, awareness-raising, and informational projects.