Whatever task Saraa Ali, Junior Research Fellow at the Laboratory of Methods for Big Data Analysis (LAMBDA) of the AI and Digital Science Institute (HSE Faculty of Computer Science), is working on, she thinks about how it can benefit people. She told the Young Scientists of HSE University project about her large family, diagnosing three-phase motors, and her dream of building a children’s home in her native country.

Having a sweet tooth may be linked not only to eating habits but also to the way people make decisions. Researchers at HSE University have found that people with a preference for sweet foods tend to behave more impulsively—not because they want immediate rewards, but because they are less willing to tolerate uncertainty. These findings may help improve treatments for addiction. The study findings have been published in Frontiers in Psychology.

The Dunning–Kruger effect, which describes a sharp surge in self-confidence among beginners followed by an equally rapid decline as they gain experience, can be explained by the nature of the learning process and the acquisition of new knowledge. This conclusion was reached by Andrey Vorchik of the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences together with independent researcher Murat Mamyshev.

Polina Nesterenko, who completed Year 10 at the HSE Lyceum this year, took part in the 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the United Nations’ main annual forum for monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Held at UN Headquarters in New York, the forum brings together representatives of states, UN agencies, international organisations, civil society, business, and academia each year to discuss the global sustainable development agenda.

HSE University and the Government of Perm Krai have signed a strategic partnership agreement. The document, signed by HSE University Rector Nikita Anisimov and Perm Krai Governor Dmitry Makhonin, defines new areas of collaboration in the creative economy, education, and human resources in Primakamye.

Umarkhon Isaev, from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, graduated from the International Bachelor's Programme in Finance and Economics at ICEF HSE in 2026. In this interview, Umarkhon talks about what made ICEF the ideal place to pursue his interest in finance, how his programme challenged him in ways he had never experienced before, and why it’s important to find friends who have your back when times are tough.

Zou Jiaxu moved to Moscow from Heihe, China, at a young age. Having finished high school in Moscow, she decided to enrol in the Bachelor’s in Media Communications at the Institute of Media of the HSE Faculty of Creative Industries. Now in her second year of studies, Zou talked to the HSE News Service about the opportunities for practical experience available to HSE students, her volunteering and extracurricular activities, why learning Russian is a never-ending process, and the importance of making friends wherever you go.

The HSE Centre for Studies of Civil Society and the Nonprofit Sector, together with the World Peoples Assembly, organised the roundtable ‘NGOs in African Countries. The Invisible Force of Change.’ The event took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of the World Public Summit: Africa. Experts discussed the role of the non-profit sector in the development of African countries, as well as contemporary approaches to assessing its contribution to social development.

Huh Yun is from South Korea, lived in Kyrgyzstan, and has now moved to Moscow to study on the HSE University and Kyung Hee University Double Degree Programme in Economics and Politics in Asia at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs. In this interview with the HSE News Service, Yun talks about what makes HSE a forward-thinking university, how students can help each other settle into university life, and why it’s important to keep challenging yourself.