Oksana Sinyavskaya
- Deputy Director: Institute for Social Policy
- Center Director: Institute for Social Policy / Centre for Comprehensive Social Policy Studies
- Associate Professor: Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs / School of World Economy
- Member of the HSE Academic Council
- Oksana Sinyavskaya has been at HSE University since 2009.
Education and Degrees
All-Russian Centre of Living Standard
Moscow Higher School of Social and Economic Sciences
Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia
According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, Candidate of Sciences belongs to ISCED level 8 - "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar. Candidate of Sciences allows its holders to reach the level of the Associate Professor.
- Social and economic aspects of demographic processes; the effectiveness of family and population policies;
- Approaches to, implementation and effectiveness of pension reform; pension systems and markets;
- Active ageing: approaches, implementation, indices; social policies toward elderly population; long-term care of elderly and people with disabilities;
- Employment at different stages of the human life-cycle (e.g.: employment of women with children, of elderly and pensioners, retirement decisions);
- Social policies at times of COVID-19, economic crises and social policy reforms
Authority / Responsibilities
Deputy Director of the Institute for Social Policy / Head of the Center for Comprehensive Social Policy Studies :
• General governance of academic research and applied projects of the Institute for Social Policy.
• Preparation and organization of the implementation of academic research and applied projects of the Center for Comprehensive Social Policy Studies projects of the Institute of Social Policy
• Coordination of the preparation of analytical materials/briefs on research topics.
• Expert-analytical and informational support on the issues of pension provision, social services and long-term care system, active ageing, the national project “Demography” of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, Accounts Chamber, Expert Office of the Presidential Administration, management HSE.
Courses (2024/2025)
- Research Seminar "Theory and Methodology of Population Studies" (Master’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 2 year, 1-4 module)Rus
- State Policy in the Sphere of Social support: Theory and Practice (Master’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 1 year, 3, 4 module)Rus
- Past Courses
Courses (2023/2024)
- Inequality and welfare states in international perspective (Master’s programme; Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs; 1 year, 3, 4 module)Eng
- Research Seminar "Theory and Methodology of Population Studies" (Master’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences field of study Economics, field of study Economics; 2 year, 1-4 module)Rus
- Research Seminar “Social Policy” (Master’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 1 year, 1-4 module)Rus
- State Policy in the Sphere of Social support: Theory and Practice (Master’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 1 year, 3, 4 module)Rus
Courses (2022/2023)
- Research Seminar "Theory and Methodology of Population Studies" (Master’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences field of study Economics, field of study Sociology, field of study Sociology; 2 year, 1-4 module)Rus
- Research Seminar “Social Policy” (Master’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 1 year, 1-4 module)Rus
- State Policy in the Sphere of Social support: Theory and Practice (Master’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 1 year, 3, 4 module)Rus
- Welfare States in the Face of the Challenges of Globalization and Migration (Master’s programme; Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs; 1 year, 3 module)Eng
Courses (2021/2022)
- Research Seminar "Theory and Methodology of Population Studies" (Master’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 2 year, 1-4 module)Rus
- State Policy in the Sphere of Social support: Theory and Practice (Master’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 1 year, 3, 4 module)Rus
- Welfare States in the Face of the Challenges of Globalization and Migration (Master’s programme; Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs; 1 year, 2, 3 module)Eng
Courses (2020/2021)
- State Policy in the Sphere of Social support: Theory and Practice (Master’s programme; Institute for Social Policy; 1 year, 3, 4 module)Rus
- Welfare States In the Face of the Challenges of Globalization and Migration (Master’s programme; Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs; 1 year, 3, 4 module)Eng
Editorial board membership
Conferences
- 2015
British Society for Population Studies Annual Conference 2015 (Leeds). Presentation: Socio-demographic correlates of second and subsequent births. Estimates based on Russian Census data
1st Meeting of the North-East Asian Forum on Population Ageing (Tokyo). Presentation: Active Ageing in Russia
Employment history
Oxana Sinyavskaya is Deputy Director of the Institute for Social Policy and Associate Professor at the National Research University – Higher School of Economics in Moscow. She holds a PhD (Candidate of Science) in Economics from Russian Centre for Standard of Life and focuses on the social policy analysis in contemporary Russia.
Her research projects include social and economic consequences of ageing, active ageing, the design and implementation of pension reforms, organization of social services and long-term care, social protection of people with disabilities, platform employment, informal employment, family policies and their effects on fertility, female employment and poverty, gender issues. In 2002-2012, she was Project Director of Russian Generations and Gender Survey (GGS), a part of the international Generations and Gender Program (GGP). From 2021, she is Project Director of Russian SHARE.
She has published over 100 scientific publications on the pension reform issues, social policy evaluation, demography, etc. She has publications in Russian, French and English.
During the last 22 years, she has been actively involved in applied social policy studies the Russian government and Presidential Administration and international organizations (UNDESA, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, ILO). In 1997-1998, 2000, 2008, 2011, and 2013 she worked as a consultant for Russian government on pension reform issues.
Dr. Sinyavskaya is a member of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP), European Association for Population Studies (EAPS), and of the (Expert) Council of the Independent Institute for Social Policy. In 2015-2018 she was a member of the L’Oreal “Share & Care Program” Advisory Board. In 2018-2020, she was a member of the working group for expert development of the draft concept of “Active Ageing in the Russian Federation”; member of interdepartmental working group aimed at developing a draft plan of activities for the period 2021-2025 on the implementation of the second stage of the Action Strategy in the interests of older citizens; member of subgroup "Senior Generation" of the working group ONF "Social Justice". Besides, she is a member of Expert Advisory Council (EX) under the Chairman of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation on Strategic Management and Development of State Audit.
Courses
Welfare States in the Face of the Challenges of Globalization and Migration - Master's level, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs; - International Relations: European and Asian Studies; Speciality: Asian Studies, European Studies; 1st year; Blocks 1, 2
A. Likhacheva took part in the program “Mezhdunarodnoye obozreniye” (“International Review”)
Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the Higher School of Economics A. Likhacheva became a guest on the broadcast of the “Mezhdunarodnoye obozreniye” (“International Review”) program on the topic “The Future of the World Economy and World Politicians”.
HSE University Studies Human Capital as Part of Consortium
The Human Capital Interdisciplinary Research Centre (HCIRC) is a world-class research centre comprising a consortium of HSE University, RANEPA, MGIMO University, and the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). Its work was highly rated by the RAS in 2021. Lilia Ovcharova, HSE University Vice Rector and initiator of the centre’s creation, talked to the HSE News Service about integration in international studies on active ageing, creating a database on development trends in human potential, studying the effects of digitalisation, and the centre’s priority activities for the future.
‘Uncertainty Transforms the Social Protection System into a Safety Cushion’
As part of the XXIII Yasin (April) International Academic Conference, HSE University held a meeting between HSE scholars and Anton Kotyakov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation. The title of the meeting was ‘The Future of Social Security: Trends and Forecasts.’ The experts and the Minister discussed the experience and lessons learned from population support initiatives during the pandemic, social protection efforts to reduce poverty and inequality, measures to counter sanctions, and the situation in the labour market.
Inequality and Social Cholesterol: How to Find Balance in Society
What are the outcomes of growing inequality? How much inequality is there in Russian healthcare and education? What does Russian society think about inequality? (Spoiler: that it’s excessively high and unfair.) These questions and many others were discussed by Russian and French researchers at the conference ‘Socio-economic Inequality and Poverty in the Modern World: Measures, Dynamics, and Prospects in an Age of Uncertainty’.
Customs, Career Choices and Self-discrimination: Why Women Earn Less
Experts from the World Bank and HSE University discussed the gender gap in salaries in different countries and the impact of socio-cultural, economic and behavioural factors on differences in earnings.
Long-Term Care Systems: How to Help the Ageing Population
The number of people in need of long-term care will grow globally due to an ageing population. Russia is no exception. This is why the state is facing the task of creating an effective system of care for people who need it. At a workshop at HSE University, experts discussed how to model such systems and forecast their load.
Guaranteed Income: Dependence or a Chance to Escape Poverty?
Many national governments have responded to the sharp rise in poverty during the pandemic with new social support programmes, including direct cash payments. During a joint seminar between the HSE Institute for Social Policy and the World Bank held as part of work conducted by the Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Centre,experts discussed approaches that have been implemented abroad and the prospects of a minimum guaranteed income in Russia.
Online workshop "Social Protection as a Part of Anti-Crisis Support Packages during Covid-19 Pandemic: Global and Russian Experience"
The Institute for Social Policy at the National Research University Higher School of Economics held on December 17, 2020 the 15th academic workshop on the topic of Social Protection as a Part of Anti-crisis Support Packages during COVID-19 Pandemic: Global and Russian experience. The event was organized on the online platform Zoom in the framework of a research grant funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (grant ID: 075-15-2020-928) and in cooperation with the World Bank within the series of events under the topic “Active Ageing Policy and Pension Reforms: Russian and International Experience”.
The Journal Russia in Global Affairs Published a Paper by Dr. Sinyavskaya
The new issue of the journal Russia in Global Affairs contains an article 'Created by the Pandemic' by Oksana Sinyavskaya, Deputy Director of the Institute for Social Policy, HSE.
Who's Gonna Help the Elderly?
Researches by experts of the Institute of Social Policy at the National Research University Higher School of Economics on supporting the elderly withtin the COVID-19 pandemic continue to resonate in the mainstream media
Income, Poverty and Employment in the Era of Covid-19: Anti- and Post-crisis Social Protection Policies: International and Russian Experience
On June 4 and 5, 2020, the Institute for Social Policy hold the online two-day workshop on Covid-19 pandemic and social protection policies INCOME, POVERTY AND EMPLOYMENT IN THE ERA OF COVID-19: ANTI- AND POST-CRISIS SOCIAL PROTECTION POLICIES organized in partnership with the World Bank and the Financial Research Institute (NIFI).
How Other Countries All Over the World are Coping with the Coronavirus Pandemic: a Review by the Institute for Social Policy
The Institute of Social Policy experts prepared an overview of international practices for supporting the economy and population while fighting against the coronavirus pandemic in different countries of the world.
Online Academic Workshops Active Ageing Policy and Pension Reforms: Russian and International Experience has Passed to Online Format and Discussed Social Service in Crisis
On April 23, 2020 the Institute for Social Policy at HSE University held its 11th academic workshop devoted to Reverse Mortages within Social Service System in Crisis. This workshop being part of the series of events on Active Ageing Policy and Pension Reforms: Russian and International Experience was organized with the support of the Russian National Association of social service providers (NASO).
Meeting Happiness
How social activity affects the well-being of Europeans over 50 years old
HSE Institute for Social Policy Experts Assess the Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Social Security Institutions
Institute for Social Policy experts believe that as a result of the economic activity slow-down caused by measures to combat the coronavirus, a decrease in the wage fund, a reduction in the number of jobs, an increase in the unemployment and a revenues gap should be expected. Modeling shows that a 5% reduction in the number of jobs and wage fund will result in a decrease of 65.1 billion rubles per month.
The World Bank book "Exploring Universal Basic Income. A Guide to Navigating Concepts, Evidence, and Practices"
On February 26, 2020, the Institute for Social Policy at the National Research University Higher School of Economics presented the World Bank book Exploring Universal Basic Income. A Guide to Navigating Concepts, Evidence, and Practices. The book’s presentation was assured by Ruslan Yemtsov, Human Development Program Leader for China, Mongolia and Korea and one of the book’s authors.
Our Publications: First Edition "Active Ageing Policy and Pension Reforms: Russian and International Experience", Collection of Papers Edited by Oksana Sinyavskaya and Olga Voron
The book recently produced by the Institute for Social Policy includes papers written by Russian and foreign experts on the basis of their interventions delivered in 2019 at the HSE regular academic workshop “Active Ageing Policy and Pension Reforms: Russian and International Experience”.
Kazakh Survey «Generations and Gender» is Listened by Kazakh Parlamentarians
On February 18, 2020, Oksana Sinyavskaya, Deputy Director of the Institute for Social Policy, presented the results of the analysis of data from the first wave of the Kazakh survey «Generations and Gender» at the Committee on Socio-Cultural Development of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Russian-German Panel Discussion "Farewell, Equality of Opportunity and Intergenerational Justice? Youth Unemployment and Poverty in Old Age. Policy Decisions on the European Labour Market"
On February 12, 2020, the discussion heard to Russian HSE researchers Oksana Sinyavskaya, Deputy Director of the Institute for Social Policy, and Vladimir Gimpelson, Director of the Center for Labor Market Studies, and German experts Peter Haan, Head of Department of the German Institute of Economic Research (Berlin) and Manuela Barišić, Senior Manager of the Project Work and New Thinking, Bertelsmann Foundation (Berlin).
Institute for Social Policy Participates in the Gaidar Forum 2020
On January 15 and 16, 2020, the 11th Gaidar Forum devote to Russia and the World : Challenges of the New Decade took place in Moscow. Lilia Ovcharova, director of the Institute for Social Policy, and Oxana Sinyavskaya, deputy director of the same Institute, took part in the Forum.
The eighth academic workshop within the series of events under the topic “Active Ageing Policy and Pension Reforms: Russian and International Experience”
On October 24, 2019, the Institute for Social Policy at the National Research University Higher School of Economics held the eighth academic workshop devoted to the Reforming Pension System in Germanу. The event is organized in cooperation with the Embassy of Germany in Russia, the World Bank and German Friedrich Ebert Foundation Russia within the series of events under the topic “Active Ageing Policy and Pension Reforms: Russian and International Experience”
Active Ageing Policy and Pension Reforms: Russian and International Experience: Sixth Academic Workshop
On September 19, 2019, the Institute for Social Policy at HSE Universityheld its sixth academic workshop devoted to to the French pension system, its current state, reforming and living standard of pensioners (Le système de retraite français : état actuel, projet de réforme et niveau de vie des retraités). This workshop being part of the series of events on Active Ageing Policy and Pension Reforms: Russian and International Experience was organized in cooperation with the Embassy of France in Russia. It was inaugurated by Lilia Ovcharova, Vice Rector of HSE, and Daniel Mathieu, Counsellor for Social Affairs, Embassy of France in Russia.
On October 2, 2018, the Institute for Social Policy held a scientific seminar on the topic “Healthy lifestyle in old age: barriers and opportunities”
The seminar moderated by Oksana Sinyavskaya, deputy director of the Institute, heard a presentation by Dr. Elena Selezneva, Senior Research Fellow of the Center for Comprehensive Social Policy Studies.
Should we be afraid of pension reform?
On June 16, 2018, Oksana Sinyavskaya, deputy director of the Institute for Social Policy, answered this question in the TVC program “Postscript”. The expert believes that the Government will gain money for additional indexation. This will affect all pensioners – they will only benefit from this measure.
Lilia Ovcharova and Oksana Sinyavskaya talk about the influence of the retirement-age increasing program on the career of women
On June 14, 2018, business newspaper “Vzglyad” published comments by Lilia Ovcharova, director of the Institute for Social Policy, and Oksana Sinyavskaya, deputy director, on pension reform and its impact on the career of women.
On June 14, 2018, Oksana Sinyavskaya commented on the increase in retirement age on the Radio Liberty*
In Russia the retirement age will increase. Oksana Sinyavskaya, deputy director of the Institute for Social Policy, argues on why the Government has now decided to proceed this unpopular reform.
Oksana Sinyavskaya talks about the increase in retirement age
On June 14, 2018, Oksana Sinyavskaya, deputy director of the Institute for Social Policy, commented on the increase in retirement age on the Fifth Channel.
Roundtable "Myths of Old Age"
On February 15, 2018, the roundtable on "Myths of Old Age" was held at the Kudrin Foundation for the Development of Civil Initiatives. The event was attended by Lilia Ovcharova, director of the Institute for Social Policy, and Oxana Sinyavskaya, deputy director of this institute.
Research seminar "Estimating effects of 2007 family policy changes on probability of second and subsequent births in Russia"
Speakers - Svetlana Biryukova and Oksana Sinyavskaya (Centre for Family Policy and Quality of Life Studies HSE)