‘Cities Are Key Actors of Interaction in the Global Arena’

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The HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development (FURD) and India’s leading research centre, the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), have agreed to strengthen their partnership comprehensively in the study and analysis of urban development across BRICS countries. In addition, students and experts from Russia and India will take part in joint academic events and research projects.

The faculty already has international partnership agreements with various countries. The collaboration with ORF will become part of the Urban Hub—a platform that presents Russia’s expertise in this field within BRICS. The strengthening of ties with the Indian research centre took place as part of Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue, a global platform held in Mumbai. Victoria Khomich, First Deputy Dean and Head of International Affairs at FURD, participated in the forum. The event was organised by ORF in partnership with India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

Photo courtesy of Victoria Khomich

Modern urban planning must focus on improving residents’ quality of life and enhancing the comfort of the urban environment. When these goals are achieved, human capital and the number of highly qualified specialists in cities will grow. Victoria Khomich shared key tools for achieving these objectives and for fostering cooperation among the cities and countries of BRICS.

These tools include data-analytical approaches to assessing the technological and spatial development of global cities, which the faculty is developing together with partners from China and India, as well as FURD’s new educational programme, the Master’s in Urban Futures.

Victoria Khomich (left)

Photo courtesy of Victoria Khomich

‘Cities are not only elements of a country’s economic development, but also key actors of technological, industrial and informational interaction in the global arena. Significant progress in understanding urban transformations is achieved through international dialogues, where the discussion concerns virtually every inhabitant of the Earth,’ said Victoria Khomich.

Forum participants also noted that urbanisation is increasingly concentrated near oceans, and that there is an urgent need to make use of the advantages of maritime cooperation between cities to ensure sustainable economic growth and climate resilience. This is also relevant for Russia, where many cities and regions lie along the coast. BRICS countries are actively coordinating their efforts in developing marine resources, new logistics schemes, and transport routes. As trade develops and national economies grow, coastal cities will continue to expand and prosper.

‘All of us can see climate change, which is inseparably linked to anthropogenic factors—greenhouse gas emissions, ocean pollution, and other processes. Today we are focused on mass urbanisation and the improvement of technologies, but an important question remains: what role should port cities, for example, play in the development of the “green” or “blue” economy, where sustainable use of water resources lies at the core—supporting economic growth, improving living conditions, and creating jobs, all with an emphasis on preserving the natural ecosystem?’ said Victoria Khomich. ‘And here a great number of tasks emerge for scientific and practical consideration—at the level of cities and regions, as well as at the level of countries and integration blocs such as BRICS.’

Photo courtesy of Victoria Khomich

The expert stressed that sound political decisions and investment instruments can transform coastal cities into sustainable, future-ready urban ecosystems capable of meeting challenges by drawing on their unique geographical location and ocean potential. Such cities are already developing rapidly and will continue to do so; to ensure they remain human-centred and comfortable to live in, these processes must be coordinated. By forming the Urban Hub that represents Russia within BRICS, the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development is contributing to the progressive and equitable development of cities worldwide.

During her visit to India, Victoria Khomich also visited Somaiya Vidyavihar University—the first self-financing private university in Mumbai, which in 2024 ranked among the top three universities in the state of Maharashtra according to the EducationWorld India Higher Education Rankings (EWHIER). The parties agreed to deepen cooperation and strengthen student engagement through expanded mobility programmes and joint events.