Urban Studies Experts from HSE Discuss Cooperation Prospects with Chinese Partners
The team of the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development (FURD) has held a series of meetings with partners in China as part of its working visit focused on advancing cooperation. The agenda included urban and agglomeration ranking research, the development of unique educational programmes in urban studies, and other key topics.
Dean of FURD Evgeny Mikhaylenko, Deputy Dean for International Affairs Victoria Khomich, and Head of the Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism Ruslan Goncharov met with partners in Guangzhou and Shenyang. Notably, they held talks with the leadership of the Guangdong–CIS International Technological Cooperation Union—one of the faculty’s key partners in China. Discussions centred around joint projects such as urban and agglomeration ranking studies, academic exchanges with Chinese universities, and FURD’s planned participation in the Global Mayors’ Forum in Guangzhou in 2025.
Evgeny Mikhaylenko
‘Joint Russian–Chinese research in the field of urbanism will help tackle complex governance challenges in both major metropolitan areas and smaller towns, as well as identify development prospects. We are continuing to expand our collaboration in scientific research and plan to launch a joint educational project in the future,’ said Dean of the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development Evgeny Mikhaylenko.
Guo Fengzhi
Guo Fengzhi, Secretary General of the Guangdong–CIS International Technological Cooperation Union, expressed gratitude to the FURD delegation for their friendly visit to China. ‘We held effective negotiations on a number of key areas concerning scientific and technological innovation, educational collaboration, experience exchange, and project cooperation,’ said Guo Fengzhi. ‘The faculty has long been our partner and works successfully with many regions of China. I believe the meetings in Guangzhou and Shenyang will contribute significantly to the development of Russian–Chinese relations, and we look forward to strengthening our longstanding cooperation.’
During a meeting at South China University of Technology in Guangzhou—a long-time partner of FURD—the parties discussed the joint development and implementation of innovative international programmes in urban studies. Following the talks, Russian and Chinese scholars agreed to begin designing an academic programme that will combine the unique expertise of both sides and aims to be a cutting-edge international educational product.
At Guangdong University of Finance and Economics (GUFE), which the FURD delegation visited in return following a Chinese visit to HSE in April, discussions focused on expanding academic exchange opportunities, organising summer schools, and conducting joint research within BRICS urban contexts. Moreover, GUFE’s urban studies team is planning a return visit to FURD in July 2025 to finalise cooperation plans and sign a partnership agreement.
In northern China, in Shenyang, the FURD team was received by representatives of the Shenfu Reform and Innovation Demonstration Zone Management Committee, headed by Deputy Director Liu Jia, who visited FURD in 2024. During their working meeting, both sides agreed to establish a joint mechanism for academic exchanges between HSE and Shenyang universities, as well as plans for joint international events within the BRICS framework.
Victoria Khomich
‘FURD is one of Russia’s most recognisable centres of urban expertise—from the north to the south of China. Our collaboration with educational institutions, municipalities, and urban development committees in special economic zones continues to open up new opportunities for experience exchange and integration of the faculty’s potential into the international space,’ said Victoria Khomich. ‘Joint international projects like the Urban and Innovation Environment Index and the Dynamic Urbanistics initiative—winner of HSE’s International Academic Cooperation competition in partnership with Tianjin University—demonstrate how collaborative efforts with international colleagues yield truly unique results. Our next ambitious goal is to launch an international educational programme.’
Ruslan Goncharov
‘The Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism has always welcomed international cooperation. Our ambition is to become a recognised expert centre in urban development across BRICS countries—and we are steadily moving in that direction. At present, our team is studying best practices in the development of small towns in several BRICS countries, including China, and assessing how applicable they are to the Russian context. We will present interim results of this research at the Vysokovsky Forum on June 5, 2025, and I take this opportunity to invite everyone to attend. We have excellent relations with our Chinese colleagues, and we are grateful for the warm welcome and active support of our research initiatives. We eagerly look forward to putting all our plans into action,’ concluded Ruslan Goncharov.
See also:
Scientists Develop Effective Microlasers as Small as a Speck of Dust
Researchers at HSE University–St Petersburg have discovered a way to create effective microlasers with diameters as small as 5 to 8 micrometres. They operate at room temperature, require no cooling, and can be integrated into microchips. The scientists relied on the whispering gallery effect to trap light and used buffer layers to reduce energy leakage and stress. This approach holds promise for integrating lasers into microchips, sensors, and quantum technologies. The study has been published in Technical Physics Letters.
HSE University–St Petersburg and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Release First Book of Mirror Laboratory
Malaysia hosted the AHIBS 'Weaving Horizons for Sustainable Impact' international conference, which featured the presentation of the first Russian–Malaysian book of research articles.
HSE GSB and Alfa-Bank Host Summer School for Chinese Students
The international summer school Digital Product Management, a joint educational project by the HSE Graduate School of Business (HSE GSB) and Alfa-Bank, brought together over 30 students from leading Chinese universities.
HSE University Students and Postgraduates Take Part in Peking University International Summer School
In July 2025, Peking University hosted its annual Quantum Molecular Dynamics Summer School, which has moved onto an international stage. Its first foreign guests were students and postgraduates from the HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM). They took part in an extensive academic programme and had the opportunity to visit a laboratory that works with optoelectronic materials and energy devices.
HSE University to Host BRICS International School: New Generation
Registration for the BRICS International School: New Generation, one of the leading international educational projects aimed at prospective leaders interested in the agenda of global development and cooperation within the framework of BRICS, has opened.
HSE University Strengthens Ties with Peking University
On July 21, 2025, representatives from Peking University led by Zhang Jin, Vice President of Peking University and Chancellor of Shenzhen Graduate School, paid a visit to HSE University. The delegation included forty students, teachers, and administrators. During their visit, leaders from both universities discussed potential areas for future collaboration, and representatives from three HSE University departments held meetings with Chinese students.
HSE University Brings Together Researchers at International AI Summer Institute in Shanghai
In early July 2025, the International Summer Institute on Artificial Intelligence in Education took place in Shanghai. It was organised by the HSE Institute of Education in cooperation with East China Normal University (ECNU). More than 50 early-career researchers and keynote speakers from nine countries—ranging from Russia and China to Canada and Singapore—gathered to share the latest findings from their work and to forge new international partnerships.
'We Are Now Nearing Practical Application of a Stimulus-Free Brain-Mapping System'
Neural interfaces developed by scientists at HSE University in collaboration with clinicians make it possible to communicate with the brain and decode its signals. The use of such interfaces opens up opportunities to stimulate brain activity, restore and normalise muscle control in patients who have suffered a stroke, heart attack, or other neurological disorders, and support the rehabilitation of individuals with traumatic brain injuries or limb loss. Alexey Ossadtchi, Director of the Centre for Bioelectric Interfaces at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, discusses the centre and its work.
HSE University Presents Smart Orthosis at Hope for Technology Forum
On July 10–11, 2025, Moscow hosted the 10th Hope for Technology National Forum of the Rehabilitation Industry and Universal Design. The event was aimed at discussing innovative achievements in the rehabilitation industry. The MIEM Student Design Bureau and the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience presented a smart orthosis, which was developed at the request of orthopedists.
Experts Assess How BRICS Countries’ Education Systems Are Evolving
The BRICS Expert Council–Russia, based at HSE University and operating in collaboration with the HSE Institute of Education, has released an analytical report titled ‘The Transformation of General Education in BRICS Countries.’ The study explores how BRICS nations are addressing shared challenges, including equitable access to schooling, digital integration, support for inclusion, linguistic diversity, and intercultural dialogue.