A characteristic feature of the HSE is represented in the combination of university level education programmes with a set of high level research and development centres. Research and education activities are carried out in such areas as economic theory, history of economic studies, institutional economic theory, macroeconomics, mathematical and instrumental methods in economics, sociology, law, psychology, public administration, education, information sciences, and political studies.

Presently the HSE is the biggest center for socio-economic analysis in Russia and Eastern Europe. The total number of customers of the research work is over 160. They include the RF Presidential Administration and the Russian Government; regional governmental bodies; companies from the real economy sector and leading universities. The HSE has several framework agreements with large companies regarding cooperation in both the academic and educational spheres. The HSE provides complex support for universities, including foresight for the appropriate scientific and technological areas, recommendations on building development programmes, tools for strategic management, academic development and international positioning mechanisms.

The HSE has contributed to the development of the Government Programme of Social Economic Development of Russia, the Concept of the Civil Service and Administrative Reform and the Programme of Education Modernization, as well as other major reform agendas of the Russian Government. The HSE research and development unit includes 41 research institutes and centres of various profiles, 32 laboratories combining study and research, including those established at the HSE Faculties in the frameworks of the HSE Innovative Development Programme in 2006-2007, and 13 international laboratories headed by leading international researchers. The HSE structure also includes the Academic Fund, which plays an important role in supporting innovative research and academic mobility at the University.

In 2010-2011, the HSE won three grants from the Russian Ministry of Education and Science to attract leading researchers.