Education System Reforms Led to Better University Performance, HSE Researchers Find
A study by researchers at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences and the Institute of Education have found that the number of academic papers published by research universities in international journals has tripled in the past eight years. Additionally, universities have developed more distinct specialisations. Thus, sectoral universities specialising in medical, pedagogical, technical, and other fields are twice as likely to admit students to target places. The study has been published in Vocation, Technology & Education.
Anna Panova, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Economic Sciences, and Victoria Slepyh from the Laboratory for University Development at the HSE Institute of Education analysed data from 485 state universities in Russia for the period between 2015 and 2023 to assess the effectiveness of the country's education system reforms. Using data from the annual monitoring of educational institutions' effectiveness conducted by the Ministry of Education and Science, along with applicants' USE scores reflecting enrolment quality and data on graduates' employment and salaries, the authors analysed the dynamics of the higher education system's performance and compared results across universities.
The findings suggest that education system reforms have significantly improved university performance and reinforced their specialisations. Research universities have achieved remarkable success. This group includes 35 universities, comprising both officially designated research universities, such as HSE University, MIPT, MEPhI, and others, and those with a special status, such as Moscow State University and St Petersburg State University. Their international publication activity has nearly tripled since 2015, reaching 95 papers per 100 faculty members in Scopus-indexed journals. Research universities attract the most qualified applicants, whose USE scores are on average 5-6 points higher than those of applicants to universities in other groups. Also, research universities are more likely than other types to attract extra resources, with their non-budgetary funds more than doubling.
'One of the key reasons for this is the Matthew effect, a mechanism through which more successful universities accumulate even greater success over time, reinforcing their leadership. Research universities offer several advantages that make them appealing to top applicants and ensure their graduates' competitiveness. These universities have effectively developed a research infrastructure and attracted talented researchers. This motivates the enrolment of top applicants, who go on to achieve career success, enhancing the university's reputation and, in turn, allowing it to attract more talented applicants. In other words, the success of research universities across various fields is a self-sustaining process,' explains Anna Panova.
Sectoral universities are the largest group of universities in the country, comprising 354 institutions, including medical, pedagogical, and technical universities, such as Pavlov University in St Petersburg, Moscow Pedagogical State University, and Moscow Aviation Institute, among others. Sectoral universities publish only 14 papers in international journals per 100 faculty members, nearly seven times fewer than research universities. Instead, sectoral universities focus on publishing in Russian journals, with 287 publications per 100 faculty members, reflecting the limited resources available for international activity. These universities rank second in terms of enrolment quality, with an average USE score of 70 for their applicants.
However, sectoral universities lead in training workforce for the industry, with about 10% of their students enrolled in targeted placements—nearly twice as many as in other types of universities. In certain sectors, such as medicine, targeted enrolment covers up to 28% of students. While graduates of sectoral universities find it easier to become employed after graduation, graduates of research universities earn the highest salaries compared to other categories.
Federal and flagship universities, such as Ural Federal University, Far Eastern Federal University, Voronezh State Technical University, and others, are making significant contributions to strengthening regional economies and advancing scientific development. Since 2015, their publication activity in international journals has nearly tripled, reaching up to 50 publications per 100 faculty members. In terms of enrolment quality, federal and flagship universities are only slightly behind sectoral universities. About 5% of applicants are admitted to targeted placements, and universities in this category have, on average, the highest number of specialist training contracts with organisations.
The authors note that in recent years, the effectiveness of the education system has significantly improved, and the reforms have yielded positive results. The ongoing transformation aims to better align the system with market demands.
'Universities are actively competing with institutions offering continuing and vocational education and have been developing their own programmes in these areas. For example, they offer online courses and flexible educational programmes, enabling them to compete with other education providers. The availability of continuing education programmes helps graduates regularly update their skills and adapt to changes in the labour market. It can be assumed that the Matthew effect also plays a role in this process, as universities offering vocational training programmes gain competitive advantages by attracting applicants who might otherwise opt for other forms of education. This strengthens the position of universities in the workforce training system and expands their influence on the educational market' explain the authors.
See also:
Scientists Show That Peer Influence Can Be as Effective as Expert Advice
Eating habits can be shaped not only by the authority of medical experts but also through ordinary conversations among friends. Researchers at HSE University have shown that advice from peers to reduce sugar consumption is just as effective as advice from experts. The study's findings have been published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
HSE University Develops Tool for Assessing Text Complexity in Low-Resource Languages
Researchers at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have developed a tool for assessing text complexity in low-resource languages. The first version supports several of Russia’s minority languages, including Adyghe, Bashkir, Buryat, Tatar, Ossetian, and Udmurt. This is the first tool of its kind designed specifically for these languages, taking into account their unique morphological and lexical features.
HSE Scientists Uncover How Authoritativeness Shapes Trust
Researchers at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience have studied how the brain responds to audio deepfakes—realistic fake speech recordings created using AI. The study shows that people tend to trust the current opinion of an authoritative speaker even when new statements contradict the speaker’s previous position. This effect also occurs when the statement conflicts with the listener’s internal attitudes. The research has been published in the journal NeuroImage.
Language Mapping in the Operating Room: HSE Neurolinguists Assist Surgeons in Complex Brain Surgery
Researchers from the HSE Center for Language and Brain took part in brain surgery on a patient who had been seriously wounded in the SMO. A shell fragment approximately five centimetres long entered through the eye socket, penetrated the cranial cavity, and became lodged in the brain, piercing the temporal lobe responsible for language. Surgeons at the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital removed the foreign object while the patient remained conscious. During the operation, neurolinguists conducted language tests to ensure that language function was preserved.
AI Overestimates How Smart People Are, According to HSE Economists
Scientists at HSE University have found that current AI models, including ChatGPT and Claude, tend to overestimate the rationality of their human opponents—whether first-year undergraduate students or experienced scientists—in strategic thinking games, such as the Keynesian beauty contest. While these models attempt to predict human behaviour, they often end up playing 'too smart' and losing because they assume a higher level of logic in people than is actually present. The study has been published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization.
Scientists Discover One of the Longest-Lasting Cases of COVID-19
An international team, including researchers from HSE University, examined an unusual SARS-CoV-2 sample obtained from an HIV-positive patient. Genetic analysis revealed multiple mutations and showed that the virus had been evolving inside the patient’s body for two years. This finding supports the theory that the virus can persist in individuals for years, gradually accumulate mutations, and eventually spill back into the population. The study's findings have been published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.
HSE Scientists Use MEG for Precise Language Mapping in the Brain
Scientists at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have demonstrated a more accurate way to identify the boundaries of language regions in the brain. They used magnetoencephalography (MEG) together with a sentence-completion task, which activates language areas and reveals their functioning in real time. This approach can help clinicians plan surgeries more effectively and improve diagnostic accuracy in cases where fMRI is not the optimal method. The study has been published in the European Journal of Neuroscience.
For the First Time, Linguists Describe the History of Russian Sign Language Interpreter Training
A team of researchers from Russia and the United Kingdom has, for the first time, provided a detailed account of the emergence and evolution of the Russian Sign Language (RSL) interpreter training system. This large-scale study spans from the 19th century to the present day, revealing both the achievements and challenges faced by the professional community. Results have been published in The Routledge Handbook of Sign Language Translation and Interpreting.
HSE Scientists Develop DeepGQ: AI-based 'Google Maps' for G-Quadruplexes
Researchers at the HSE AI Research Centre have developed an AI model that opens up new possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases, including brain cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Using artificial intelligence, the team studied G-quadruplexes—structures that play a crucial role in cellular function and in the development of organs and tissues. The findings have been published in Scientific Reports.
New Catalyst Maintains Effectiveness for 12 Hours
An international team including researchers from HSE MIEM has developed a catalyst that enables fast and low-cost hydrogen production from water. To achieve this, the scientists synthesised nanoparticles of a complex oxide containing six metals and anchored them onto various substrates. The catalyst supported on reduced graphene layers proved to be nearly three times more efficient than the same oxide without a substrate. This development could significantly reduce the cost of hydrogen production and accelerate the transition to green energy. The study has been published in ACS Applied Energy Materials. The work was carried out under a grant from the Russian Science Foundation.