Research & Expertise

Alexander Sokolov, Director of the International Research and Educational Foresight Centre at the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK) and Head of UNESCO Chair on Future Studies, presented HSE’s extensive experience and cutting-edge methodological solutions in Foresight-studies on emerging technologies and workforce competencies at the Malaysia National Engineering Convention 2026.

Using big data mining system iFORA, the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK) has identified the key global scientific topics for 2025, along with associated promising technologies and products.

Beyond technological solutions, the development of anthropomorphic robotics also demands ethical ones. In July 2026, the HSE Institute for Robotics Systems hosted a foresight session dedicated to developing an Ethical Standard for Anthropomorphic Robotic Complexes. Representatives from businesses, government bodies, scientific organisations, and universities gathered to discuss key ethical and legal issues surrounding the development of anthropomorphic robotic complexes. The main outcome of the meeting was a draft of the Ethical Standard.

The Innovation and Technology Management Conference (InnoTech 2026), organised by Elsevier publishing house in partnership with Tsinghua University, has taken place in Beijing. The event focused on the challenges of managing technological development in the age of artificial intelligence. Olesia Maibakh and Danil Yatskin, researchers from the International Research and Educational Foresight Centre at the HSEInstitute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK), presented the findings of the large-scale foresight study ‘IT in Russia: Development Scenarios’ conducted with the support of Yandex.

Artificial intelligence (AI) significant impacts on the economy and society, touching on a wide range of areas, from strategic management and decision-making to everyday communication. Experts from the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK) used the iFORA system to map key fractures —areas where changes have already become irreversible and will only intensify.

HSE researchers are training large language models (LLMs) to understand Russian-language scientific terminology while improving their energy efficiency. The adapted model runs 2.7 times faster and requires 73% less memory than the original open model, allowing it to operate on more affordable hardware. The programme has passed state registration.

Participants of International Symposium "Foresight in a Rapidly Changing World" at the XXVI April International Academic Conference Named After Evgeny Yasin attempted to find answers to questions such as how to process large amounts of unstructured data, how to integrate artificial intelligence into analytical processes, and how to understand when innovation is ready to enter the market. "The world is changing, and we need to change our Foresight methodology along with it," emphasized Olesia Maibakh (HSE ISSEK Foresight Center), moderator of session "Foresight: New Approaches and Methods." The four presentations complemented each other, forming a unified picture: from a specific instrumental solution to infrastructure, from infrastructure to governance, and finally, to how to determine the moment for specific actions.

Can a Formula 1 race become a testing ground for digital forecasting, and how can climate intelligence help companies adapt to shocks? The second session of International Symposium “Foresight in a Rapidly Changing World” within XXVI April International Academic Conference named after Evgeny Yasin focused on finding answers to these questions. The discussion, which brought together experts from Russia, Canada, France, and Brazil, was moderated by Yulia Milshina, Deputy Director of the ISSEK Foresight Center (HSE University).