Young Academics Meet Henry Kissinger in Seminar at HSE
On 5th February, American diplomat and political scientist Henry Kissinger visited the HSE Faculty of World Economics and International Affairs. On Kissinger’s initiative the meeting was organised as a seminar for a dozen or so of the brightest young academics at HSE, MGIMO and RAS institutes. The best master’s students were also invited. The event was chaired by Sergey Karaganov, Dean of the Faculty.
‘The discussion was about global uncertainty and the importance of defining the new rules of the game, Russia-US relations, Russia and Europe,’ said Timofey Bordachev, Director of the Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies. ‘We also discussed China’s role and the potential for Russia and China to create a new ‘community of interests and values’ in Eurasia, a Greater Eurasia. The meeting was a massive intellectual boost for the young political scientists. Kissinger has an amazing ability to talk only about what really matters, to dispense with particulars and go straight to broad and deep generalisations. We are all extremely grateful to him for his invaluable lesson’.
‘I first read Kissinger’s books forty years ago in the Spetskhran [special storage where censored books were kept in Soviet times]. In those days they were hard to get hold of’, Faculty Dean Sergey Karaganov remarked. ‘Several generations of international affairs specialists around the world were brought up on them. Incredibly they are still very relevant today. And his latest book, published two years ago World Order is even better than the rest. Almost forty years ago I saw Kissinger with my own eyes but as a young academic I couldn’t speak to the great man. I’m glad we’ve been able to give this opportunity to our young colleagues. I’m proud a great academic said in all seriousness that he was pleasantly surprised by the standard of the presentations our junior academics made at the seminar. He promised to come back to talk to us again and we’re looking forward to it already.’
See also:
‘HSE Offers a Lot, Not Just Academically, but Also in Terms of Community and Unexpected Opportunities’
Zhou Jinyu, from China, is a fourth-year student of the Bachelor’s programme ‘Data Science and Business Analytics’ at the HSE University Faculty of Computer Science. On March 5, 2026, Zhou Jinyu delivered the report ‘Exploration of Object-Centric Process Mining Using Object-Centric Sequence Diagrams’ as part of the PAIS Lab seminar. In her interview with the HSE News Service, she spoke on her research topic, how object-centric process mining lets data reflect reality, and her overall experience of studying at HSE University.
‘The Identity of a Political Community Is Not Fixed—It Is Continuously Constructed and Contested’
Wang Yali has been interested in Russian language and politics since her time as an undergraduate at Peking University. After graduating with a degree in Asian and African Languages and Literatures and a second degree in International Relations, she pursued a Master’s in International Relations at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at HSE University–Moscow. She is now pursuing a PhD at the Doctoral School of Political Science, examining Russian narratives of ‘East,’ ‘West,’ and its own place among them.
HSE Scholars to Join Sino-Russian Association of Fundamental Sciences
The Sino-Russian Association of Fundamental Sciences has officially begun its work in China. It brings together research centres in mathematics, physics, chemistry, life sciences, and Earth sciences, with participation from HSE University scholars. During the launch conference, the Sino-Russian Mathematics Series project was also presented; it envisages the publication of 100 textbooks and monographs over the next ten years. HSE University representatives Ivan Arzhantsev and Sergei Lando have joined the project’s editorial board.
International Winter School for Students from Two Leading Chinese Universities Held at HSE MIEM
Chinese students gained practical knowledge in the design, assembly, and operation of small spacecraft and systems, as well as in quantum mechanics, superconductivity, and materials science for solar energy.
‘Living and Studying in China Is a Unique and Unforgettable Experience’
Arina Kurbetyeva is a third-year student of the Bachelor’s in Digital Technologies and Telecommunications run by the HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM). During her second year, she spent one semester in China at CUHK-Shenzhen University as part of an academic mobility programme. The student shared her experience of studying in China with the HSE News Service.
‘Analytical Centres and Programmes for PhD Students’: HSE University–St Petersburg Offers New Formats of Cooperation with PRC
The Rope Shop Educational Space of HSE University–St Petersburg hosted a conference on the present and future of Russian–Chinese relations. Together with Luo Zhanhui, Consul General of China in St Petersburg, leading experts in Asian and African Studies discussed vectors for the long-term development of the countries, the synergy of joint projects, and future educational partnerships.
Transition to Sustainable Development Requires Deep Structural Transformation of Business
A group of researchers has proposed assessing the ESG transformation of businesses through the partner turnover ratio in raw material and distribution supply chains. The researchers note that the path towards sustainability requires a deep and often costly restructuring of partner networks. This and other papers were presented at the Third International Annual Conference ‘ESG Corporate Dynamics: the Challenges for Emerging Capital Markets.’
HSE University Hosts China Academy of Art Delegation to Strengthen Academic and Research Cooperation
On December 12, HSE University welcomed a delegation from the China Academy of Art — one of the most prestigious creative universities in Asia. The visit built on the dialogue launched in September and reaffirmed the mutual interest in collaboration outlined during the visit of Natalia Logutova, Deputy Director of the HSE Institute for Creative Industries Development, to the academy’s campus in Hangzhou. The parties discussed ideas that could form the foundation for long-term partnership—from digital reconstructions of historical spaces to joint educational programmes and research initiatives.
Eighth International U4U Online Seminar Unites Experts from 14 Countries
The HSE Online Campus hosted a two-day international U4U (Universities for Universities) seminar, which traditionally serves as a platform for exchanging expertise in online learning. This year, the event has reached a global scale, attracting international experts and representatives of universities from around the world. Together, they discussed key challenges and strategies for the development of online education. The online meeting was held in mid-November.
‘Keep Working, Keep Publishing—Consistency Matters’
Ziyuan Zhu, from Beijing, China, is an international PhD student at the Institute for Public Administration and Governance at HSE University in Moscow. In this interview with the HSE News Service, Ziyuan talks about how studies can influence one’s outlook on life, comparing public service models in different countries, and why being a Chinese student in Russia is advantageous in research.