Irina Lisovskaya

The work within the project 'Mirror Laboratories' continues: we share on the progress and the impressions of the participants.

The team of Centre for Youth Studies at HSE University organised a series of presentations on results of the project 'Resilience and creative potential of the youth of the North Caucasian region in the context of educational and labor migration', which is supported by Russian Science Foundation. In April researchers presented findings from the fieldwork in Nalchik and Vladikavkaz and discussed migration intentions of the youth, local identities and development of creative spaces in North Caucasus cities with colleagues, students and representatives from creeative industries.

The researchers of the Centre participated in XXVI April International Academic Conference named after Evgeny Yasin with the results of the projects about 'student' sciences, stand-up, and creativity of the youth of the North Caucasus.

In the recent issue of Sociological Research in 2026, two articles by CYS researchers based on the materials of expeditions to the North Caucasus were published at once. Elena Omelchenko and Irina Lisovskaya look at how young people in the cities of the region explain their migration intentions. In their article, Evgenia Kuziner and Natalia Solovyova analyze the practices of youth creativity by comparing two cases (Nalchik and Pyatigorsk).

In early February, the Expert Council on assessing the results of Mirror Laboratories was held. The project, in partnership with Kazan Federal University (KFU), on the educational migration of students from small towns and villages, received high ratings and was extended for a third year. Here we share information about our future plans.

The field stage of the project "At the start of academic careers: student participation in scientific communities and initiatives as a vector for the development of national science", supported by a grant from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, continues. The research team delves into the world of student science through interviews and observations.

On March 28, 2025, in Moscow, as part of the XV Grushin Conference, the sections "Inclusive Society: Challenges and Prospects of Human-Centricity" and "Human Capital in an Inclusive Society" were held. Experts discussed key barriers and drivers of inclusion in Russian society, paying special attention to issues of employment, education, representation in the media field and social policy.

The Centre for Youth Studies at HSE University-St Petersburg has held the International Research Conference 'Agency and Sustainability of Youth in the Age of Global Challenges'. More than 100 researchers from Russia, India, Argentina, and Brazil discussed the adaptation of young employees in the labour market, the influence of digitalisation on the youth's lives, the role of youth culture in the city, and other issues. The article outlines the highlights of the conference and its results.

Irina Lisovskaya and Albina Garifzyanova spoke about the results of the analysis of 62 interviews with students taken as part of the project «Scenarios for the social inclusion of regional youth in the context of educational migration».

Moving to a new city often leads to temporary loneliness and a loss of familiar surroundings. This means that young people who move to a new place must find ways to adapt quickly. Can loneliness become a resourceful state, or does it suppress resourcefulness? Sociologists from HSE University-St Petersburg and Kazan Federal University (KFU) discussed this issue during the seminar 'SOC Up', which was based on research conducted as part of the Mirror Laboratory initiative.

The project " Anti-crisis Potential of Youth Policies in Russia and Europe in the Era of Global Risks: National Imaginary, Patriotism and Social Engagement" is almost over. In the course of the project, researchers conducted a comparative analysis of youth policies achieving anti-crisis solutions in Germany, Finland, Great Britain, Greece, and Russia. The results of the study were presented at seminars, conferences, and roundtables dedicated to youth and youth policy.