Alena Nefedova
- Senior Research Fellow:Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge / Laboratory for Economics of Innovation
- Associate Professor:Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge / Department of Educational Programmes
- Alena Nefedova has been at HSE University since 2010.
Education and Degrees
- 2017
Candidate of Sciences* (PhD)
HSE University - 2014
Master's in Applied Methods of Social Analysis of Markets
HSE University, sociology - 2012
Bachelor's in Economic Sociology
HSE University, sociology Doctoral programme in Social Science
HSE University
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.
Awards and Accomplishments
Nominee for Golden HSE Award-2019: https://www.hse.ru/en/gold/alumni
Departmental Medal of the Federal State Statistics Service 'For merits in the conduct of the All-Russian Population Census 2010'

Young Faculty Support Program (Group of Young Academic Professionals)
Category "New Researchers" (2016-2017)
Category "Future Lecturers" (2015)
Courses (2021/2022)
- Economic and Social Statistics (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 3 year, 1 module)Rus
- Research Seminar "Survey and Interview in Media Research" (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Communications, Media, and Design; 2 year, 3 module)Rus
- Seminar of the Mentor “Scientific Research Methods for STI” (Master’s programme; Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge; 1 year, 1-3 module)Eng
- Past Courses
Courses (2020/2021)
- Economic and Social Statistics (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 3 year, 1 module)Rus
- Economic Sociology (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Economic Sciences; 4 year, 1, 2 module)Rus
- Economic Sociology (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Economic Sciences; 3 year, 1, 2 module)Rus
- Economic Sociology (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Economic Sciences; 2 year, 1, 2 module)Rus
- Исследовательский проектный семинар (НИС) (Optional course (faculty); Faculty of Economic Sciences; 1-3 module)Rus
- Research Seminar (Master’s programme; Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge; 1 year, 3 module)Eng
Courses (2019/2020)
- Research Seminar (Master’s programme; Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge; 1 year, 3 module)Eng
- Research Seminar (Master’s programme; Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge; 2 year, 1-3 module)Eng
- Sociology (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Economic Sciences; 1 year, 3, 4 module)Rus
- Sociology (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 1 year, 2 module)Rus
- Sociology of Markets (Optional course (university); 1, 2 module)Rus
Courses (2018/2019)
- Sociology (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 1 year, 1, 2 module)Rus
Sociology (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Economic Sciences; field of study "38.03.01. Экономика", field of study "38.03.01. Экономика"; 1 year, 3, 4 module)Rus
Courses (2017/2018)
- Sociology (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Social Sciences; 1 year, 1, 2 module)Rus
Sociology (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Economic Sciences; field of study "38.03.01. Экономика", field of study "38.03.01. Экономика"; 1 year, 3, 4 module)Rus
20221
20213
- Chapter Kotsemir M. N., Dyachenko E., Nefedova A. Publish more or publish differently? New aspects of relationship between scientific mobility and performance of young researchers, in: 18th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SCIENTOMETRICS & INFORMETRICS Proceedings. , 2021. P. 585-596.
- Article Nefedova A. Why international students choose to study at Russia’s leading universities // Journal of Studies in International Education. 2021. Vol. 25. No. 5. P. 582-597. doi
- Article Нефедова А. И., Волкова Г. Л., Дьяченко Е. Л., Коцемир М. Н., Спирина М. О. Международная мобильность и публикационная активность молодых ученых: что говорят статистика, библиометрия и сами сотрудники // Журнал Новой экономической ассоциации. 2021. Т. 52. № 4. С. 98-121. doi
20201
20172
- Article Fursov K., Nefedova A., Thurner T. What user-innovators do that others don't: A study of daily practices // Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 2017. Vol. 118. P. 153-160. doi
- Article Nefedova A. Why International Students Choose the Study at Higher School of Economics // Higher Education in Russia and Beyond. 2017. Vol. 2. No. 12. P. 10-12.
20163
- Chapter Fursov K., Nefedova A., Thurner T. How user-innovators can be identified? Evidence collected from the analysis of practices, in: 21st international conference on science and technology indicators. , 2016. doi doi
- Preprint Fursov K., Nefedova A., Thurner T. What user-innovators do that others don't: a study of daily practices / NRU HSE. Series SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION "SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION". 2016. No. 62. doi
- Article Гудова Е. А., Нефедова А. И. Железнодорожный терминал. "Жизнь - это ожидание", или московский вокзал глазами скучающего пассажира // Laboratorium. Журнал социальных исследований. 2016. Т. 8. № 2. С. 120-138.
20151
20111
Choosing to Study in Russia
Why do international students choose Russian universities?
Few Innovators among State Employees in Russia
Science and culture with up to 8% workplace innovators are the only exceptions.
Why Foreign Students are Flocking to Russia
The OZY portal, citing the results of research by Alena Nefedova from HSE ISSEK Laboratory for Economics of Innovation writes about Russian education as the “soft power” of the state.
Science. Technology. Innovation: 2019
The pocket data book contains main indicators characterising S&T and innovation potential of the Russian Federation. There are the information about intellectual property, S&T output, data of international comparisons given.
Creating 'Users' and Studying 'Non-users' of Technologies
The social sciences and the humanities are beginning to play an increasing role in technology and innovation studies: it becomes obvious that the long-term social effects of scientific and technological development are important side of it. Similar studies are gaining momentum in Russia. For instance, HSE ISSEK has been measuring public perception of science, technology and innovation indicators in the framework of 'Monitoring the Innovative Behaviour of the Population' for more than 10 years. It latest results were presented by Alena Nefedova at the International scientific-practical conference 'Russian User Studies' (November 29 – December 1, 2018, St. Petersburg).
7 Facts about Foreign Students
The Higher School of Economics has entered the top 5 of Russian universities most popular with foreigners, according to Rossotrudnichestvo (in terms of the number of applications for quotas submitted in the 2018/19 academic year). Gathered facts about international student mobility in the world, the country, HSE and the ISSEK 'Governance of Science, Technology and Innovation' Master’s programme.
The Attractiveness of Academic Career in Russia
The new issue of the HSE ISSEK newsletter 'Science, Technology and Innovation' presents statistics on the growth of the number of researchers in Russia, the share of graduates hired by R&D organisations, and the growth of R&D personnel’s average monthly salaries during the previous 15 years.
Export of Russian higher education: features of formation and structuring of demand
On February 9 Nefedova A.I. took part in the "Culture matters" research seminar with the report on "Export of Russian higher education: features of formation and structuring of demand".
Roadmaps of ISSEK Postgraduates
A number of events happened in late October — early November, important to HSE ISSEK members who combine their work with postgraduate studies (or did, or are about to begin).
Why International Students Choose the Study at Higher School of Economics?
Junior Research Fellow at the HSE Laboratory for Economics of Innovation, Alena Nefedova conducted a study on the reasons for choosing the Higher School of Economics by foreign students. The results were published in the journal Higher Education in Russia and Beyond (HERB).
Alena Nefedova Presented a Report on the "Soft Power" of Russian Education at the UCL Institute of Education
Alena Nefedova, a Junior Research Fellow at the Laboratory for Economics of Innovation of the HSE ISSEK, presented the results of the study of the export potential of Russian education at the research seminar of the Centre for Global Higher Education at the UCL Institute of Education, where she interned in the month of March.
Alena Nefedova presented a report on the "soft power" of Russian education at the UCL Institute of Education
Alena Nefedova, a Junior Research Fellow at the Laboratory for Economics of Innovation of the HSE ISSEK, presented the results of the study of the export potential of Russian education at the research seminar of the Centre for Global Higher Education at the UCL Institute of Education, where she interned in the month of March.