Stephen Sodoke, from Ghana, is a recent graduate of the Master’s degree in Population and Development at HSE University in Moscow. Having completed his programme at the end of June 2025, he now plans to continue his research work on a doctoral programme. In this interview with the HSE News Service, Stephen talks about what surprised him about life in Russia, his involvement in extracurricular academic activities, and more.

In 1968, Paul Chernoff proposed a theorem that allows for the approximate calculation of operator semigroups, mathematical constructions that describe how the states of multiparticle systems change over time. The method is based on a sequence of steps which make the result increasingly accurate. But until now it was unclear how quickly these steps lead to the result and what influences this speed. This problem has been fully solved for the first time by Oleg Galkin and Ivan Remizov from the Nizhny Novgorod campus of HSE University.

An international team of scientists, including researchers from HSE University, has developed a new generative model called the Wyckoff Transformer (WyFormer) for creating symmetrical crystal structures. The neural network will make it possible to design materials with specified properties for use in semiconductors, solar panels, medical devices, and other high-tech applications. The scientists will present their work at ICML, a leading international conference on machine learning, on July 15 in Vancouver. 

On July 7, 2025, HSE University hosted a delegation from China. The delegation, led by Wei Guotan, Chair of the University Council of Communication University of Zhejiang (CUZ), was welcomed by HSE Vice Rector Dmitry Zemtsov, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Creative Industries Tatiana Rivchun, and representatives of the HSE Institute for Creative Industries Development and the HSE Art and Design School—the initiators of the partnership with their Chinese colleagues.

Celestina Adu, from Ghana, is pursuing her Master’s in Economics and Economic Policy at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences. Recently, she won silver at a scientific student conference in Nizhny Novgorod. In her interview, she delves into her research on AI and its impact on education, offering advice for prospective international students based on her experiences in Russia.

On July 6–7, 2025, the 17th BRICS Summit took place in Rio de Janeiro. For the first time in the organisation’s history, representatives of civil society from BRICS countries participated. HSE Vice Rector, Head of the BRICS Expert Council–Russia, and Co-Chair of the Russian Chapter the BRICS Civil Forum Victoria Panova attended the meeting of the bloc’s national leaders.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the HSE International Preparatory Year programme. The programme offers a one-year foundation course for international applicants preparing to enter Russian universities. HSE lecturers help future students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to successfully undertake a degree programme in Russia.

Alexey Kovtun, master’s student of Business Analytics at HSE University, shared his experience of exchange studies at Shanghai University in China. In this interview, he talks about his favourite classes, the value of building trusting relationships, and the important lessons he learnt during his trip.

The International Summer Institute on AI in Education has opened in Shanghai. The event is organised by the HSE Institute of Education in partnership with East China Normal University (ECNU). More than 50 participants and key speakers from over ten countries across Asia, Europe, North and South America have gathered to discuss the use of AI technologies in education and beyond.