On April 4–14, HSE University will host the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development. Every year, the conference provides a forum for leading Russian and international experts and government officials to discuss timely issues related to the economy and social policy.

The Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology opened at HSE University in 2019, enrolment in the first bachelor’s programme took place in 2020, and the first master’s programme was launched in 2022. Nikolay Kurichev, Dean of the Faculty, describes how the idea to train geographers within the walls of HSE University originated, what results have been achieved, and what difficulties have been encountered over the years.

On March 16, the results of the Open Doors International Olympiad for master’s and doctoral applicants were announced. The competition is organised by the Association of Global Universities. The winners of the olympiad will be able to study at Russian universities for free under Russian government quotas for foreign citizens. HSE University is one of the Olympiad’s organisers and the site of its distributed project office.

Cost of living, COVID regulations, extracurricular activities, and advice for international students: Yesuigen Tsogjavkhlan, from Mongolia, reflects on her experience as an international student majoring in ‘Public Policy and Analytics’ at HSE University-St Petersburg and shares her story of coming to Russia.

On March 15, Judas Everett defended his doctoral dissertation ‘The Effect of the Patterns in the Dissolution of Communism on the Transition to New Systems in Eastern Europe’, which investigates the relationship between the demise of communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe and the quality of democracy in the post-communist regime. In his interview, Judas talks about the topic of his research and explains why political science is more important than ever.

A team of Russian scientists, including HSE MIEM researchers, have presented a 3D model of SARS-CoV-2 S-protein transmembrane domain. The researchers believe that the model they have created can contribute to a better understanding of viral mechanisms and potentially lead to the development of novel antiviral drugs. The study has been published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

The HSE University Academic Writing Centre (AWC) was created to offer linguistic support to researchers writing articles in English. We spoke to the head of the AWC, Svetlana Suchkova, about the centre’s current initiatives, whether it has had to change the focus of its activities, and why HSE University staff come to the centre.

Graduate students from HSE University’s Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod campuses have created Prezentos—an online shop featuring unique gifts. The students spoke to the HSE News Service about how their master’s programme at HSE University brings its students together and inspires them to create their own commercial projects.

On March 12, the HSE University Pokrovka building hosted an Open Day. Applicants learned about the rules of admission, the university’s campuses in four cities, programmes, extracurricular activities, and more. At the entrance, volunteers handed out maps of the campus with event locations, so that everyone could plan their own route through the stands, workshops, and other activities.