Research&Expertise

About a year ago, HSE University was among the first group of Russian universities to receive a grant from the ‘Priority 2030’ Strategic Academic Leadership Programme and began implementing strategic research projects. HSE University recently defended its report before the programme's board. Elena Odoevskaya, HSE University Vice Rector and coordinator of the HSE Development Programme for the Period until 2030 and the ‘Priority 2030’ programme, spoke to the HSE News Service about what has been achieved this year and how the format of strategic projects is changing at the university.

The Twelfth International Academic Conference ‘Foresight and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy’ is kicking off at HSE University on November 22. Alexander Sokolov, chair of the organising committee, talked to the HSE News Service about the evolution of the foresight agenda. Two of the conference speakers, Ibon Zugasti from Spain and Mlungisi Cele from South Africa, shared some highlights of their research.

Expeditions to the Eastern Arctic and Kara Seas investigated the thermal properties of bottom sediments. Numerous zones of bubbling methane flux were discovered in the shelf of the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, which researchers believe is affecting climate warming in the Arctic. The study has been published inMarine and Petroleum Geology.

HSE Vice Rector Maria Yudkevich speaks about the launch of Mirror Laboratories, the third open project competition held by HSE University. Teams from Russian universities, research organisations, and government research centres looking to collaborate with HSE research departments are invited to participate in the competition. Applications will be accepted until May 20.

Foresight and STI Policy are among the symposium topics of the XXIII Yasin International Academic Conference. How has foresight developed in Canada? How did academic life change during the pandemic? What can early-career foresight researchers expect? The HSE News Service discussed these questions with Jonathan Calof, one of the symposium’s speakers.

The HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation and Rosstat, has released new pocket data book in the ‘Digital Economy’ series. The publication presents a wide range of indicators describing the state and dynamics of the digital economy development in Russia. For some indicators, international comparisons are available, and for the first time a section on the children and teenagers’ engagement in the digital environment is included.

On Friday, June 11, UNESCO held a ceremony to launch its new UNESCO Science Report, which arrives at a crucial moment as countries reach the halfway mark of meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The Report shows that, over the past five years, countries of all income levels have begun efforts to transition to economies that are both digital and green. At the ceremony, six of the Report’s authors provided overviews of trends in their regions. Representing the East European region was Professor Leonid Gokhberg, First Vice Rector of the HSE University and Director of the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK).

The pandemic has put global development on hold and this is a chance for Russia to occupy market niches that were previously closed. But innovation should become as essential as air and, without information technology, new niches will still not be open. Alexander Chulok, Director of the HSE UniversityCentre for Science and Technology Foresight, spoke about this in a special report at the global conference‘Accelerate Global 2020’.