HSE University Launches Competition for Early-Career Scientists Focused on Strategic Projects' Topics

HSE University's Strategic Development Programme Office has launched a Project Competition for Early-career Scientists. The competition is open to staff members, students, and doctoral students of HSE University. The organisers are accepting applications for research initiatives within the framework of strategic projects.

Elena Odoevskaya

Vice Rector, HSE University

— The strategic projects of the 'Priority 2030' programme at HSE University are designed to facilitate interdisciplinary research and foster the establishment and advancement of world-class scientific schools. Our competition has been developed with the insights gained from three years of experience in implementing strategic projects and aims to offer early-career researchers the opportunity to tackle priority research objectives of the university. We will closely monitor the progress of our colleagues and assist them in promoting their results both within and beyond HSE University.

The 2024 competition stands apart from previous initiatives in that it offers a single framework for participants to seek support for research focused on the topics of any of HSE University's five strategic projects:

• 'Success and Self-Sustainability of the Individual in a Changing World';
• 'Social Policy for Sustainable Development and Inclusive Economic Growth';
• 'National Centre of S&T and Socio-Economic Forecasting';
• 'AI Technologies for People';
• 'Human Brain Resilience: Neurocognitive Technologies for Adaptation, Learning, Development and Rehabilitation in a Changing Environment.'

Submissions must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• at least 75% of the researchers, including the project head, must be students, graduate students, or staff members of HSE University, aged 35 or younger;
• the project implementation period must be from May 1 to November 15, 2024;
• the submitted project must contribute to addressing the objectives and achieving the expected outcomes of one of HSE University's strategic projects;
• the proposed project’s expected outcomes must include publishing at least one article or registering at least one item of IP (intellectual property) based on the results of the project.

Priority will be given to initiatives aimed at achieving applied results that can be commercialised, as well as those involving external partners.

The winning projects will receive the following:

• financial support for research of up to 1 million roubles;
• the opportunity for collaboration with leading HSE researchers and industry partners, and for subsequent integration into the strategic projects of HSE University;
• the opportunity to engage in the development of innovative technologies, digital solutions, and tools aimed at addressing the most pressing and socially significant issues;
• the opportunity for further commercialisation of the results with support from HSE University's Centre for R&D Commercialisation and Technology Transfer.

The competition will be conducted in several stages.

1. Application submission deadline: April 18, 2024 (inclusive).
2. Review of submissions and announcement of selected applications for on-site defence: by April 24, 2024 (inclusive).
3. Public defence of applications: April 25-26, 2024.
4. Announcement of the results: April 30, 2024.

To apply, please fill out the form on the competition website and attach the required documents. The templates are available here.

A webinar about the competition will be held on April 9, 2024, at 16:00 (Moscow time). Please follow this link to register for the webinar. Individual consultations are also available for participants of the competition. Please contact: strategy@hse.ru for more information.

April 04