HSE University, MR, and A101 Group to Train Specialists in Territorial Development

© HSE University

In 2026, a new Bachelor’s programme in Development and Urban Planning will be launched at HSE University’s Faculty of Urban and Regional Development. The educational programme’s key partners are the MR development company and the A101 Group of Companies.

The rapid development of urban areas across Russia creates a demand for skilled professionals equipped to tackle diverse challenges, from spatial planning and the use of cutting-edge digital tools to navigating legal frameworks and regional economies. The new bachelor’s programme at the Faculty of Urban and Regional Development is a direct response to that need.

Mariam Paskacheva

‘Today’s labour market needs urban planners who understand the principles of development. Our team sees this as an educational challenge and is committed to training such interdisciplinary specialists,’ says Mariam Paskacheva, Academic Supervisor of the Development and Urban Planning programme.

Faculty teachers and experts are practitioners in various urban planning fields. Maryam Paskacheva emphasises that in its projects, the Faculty of Urban and Regional Development engages directly with the key actors involved in urban development—developers, citizens, public service representatives, and architects—and passes this experience on to students.

Ruslan Goncharov

‘The Faculty of Urban and Regional Development is not only a leading educational centre but also an expert and analytical hub,’ says Ruslan Goncharov, Head of the Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism at HSE University’s Faculty of Urban and Regional Development. ‘Our team at the Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism develops master plans, urban strategies, and territorial concepts, and also conducts research in collaboration with developers. Launching the Development and Urban Planning programme is the logical next step in our cooperation with industry leaders. It has no analogues in Russian higher education.’

The five-year bachelor’s programme will grant graduates a diploma in Urban Planning. By the time they graduate, students’ portfolios will include real-life cases from leading Russian development companies, design bureaus, and consultancies partnering with the programme, preparing them to make strategic decisions for cities and agglomerations.

Maria Chernyakova

‘Launching the Development and Urban Planning programme at one of the best universities in the country is a response to the demands of a dynamically growing economic sector, which needs unique professionals who possess not only academic knowledge but also the ability to manage turnkey projects—from site selection and creating real estate products across all categories to market launch, promotion, sales, construction, and subsequent operation,’ says Maria Chernyakova, a partner at MR development company. ‘This is a complex skillset that merges business and urban planning, a profession that shapes the cities of the future. A key advantage for applicants is the seamless pathway from the classroom to tackling real tasks in one of the most sustainable business sectors, facilitated by the direct involvement of key industry players.’

MR has operated in the Russian market since 2003 and is one of the country’s largest developers and sellers of residential and commercial real estate. The company is currently implementing diverse projects in Moscow, including business-class, premium, and luxury residential buildings, as well as commercial and office spaces, totalling 2.2 million square metres. The company is also developing MR Private, a collection of luxury real estate projects near iconic historical and cultural landmarks.

The programme provides comprehensive socio-economic, legal, technical, and humanities knowledge, along with practical skills for analytical, research, and project work, including project management. Graduates will master a wide range of professional tools, enabling them to think holistically and make informed decisions for the development of cities, agglomerations, and other territories in both the short and long term.

Dmitry Tsvetov

‘Specialists from the Faculty of Urban and Regional Development have a solid theoretical foundation coupled with hands-on project development and analytics experience,’ said Dmitry Tsvetov, Director of Development at the A101 Group of Companies. ‘A101 Group has extensive “field” experience with numerous completed and planned projects. The collaboration is mutually beneficial, as theory and practice refine each other, clarifying which approaches work.’

The A101 Group of Companies is a key Russian developer and a leader in integrated territorial development. It consistently ranks among Moscow’s top five developers by construction volume and in the top three for housing commissioning, according to the Unified Register of Developers. In the first half of 2025, A101’s construction volume reached 1.9 million square metres, and the group’s land bank spans 2.4 thousand hectares.

Applications for the programme will open in the summer of 2026, with the admission campaign starting on June 20. Admission requires Unified State Exam (USE) scores in specialised mathematics, Russian language, and one elective subject: physics, history, computer science, or geography.

Read more about the bachelor’s programme and admission rules on the programme page.

On January 27, 2026, at 11 am (Moscow time), the Faculty of Urban and Regional Development, along with the teams from MR and A101 Group, will host the discussion ‘Development and Urban Planning: Which Specialists Is the Market Waiting For?’ The event will explore the specialists the market needs and the initiatives that leading developers, development corporations, and universities can implement to foster a professional environment. You can register here.