News

Economists from HSE and RUDN University have analysed issues related to corporate digital transformation processes. The introduction of digital solutions into corporate operations reduces the number of patents in the field of green technologies by 4% and creates additional financial difficulties. However, if a company focuses on sustainable development and increases its rating in environmental, social, and governance performance (ESG), the negative effects decrease. Moreover, when the ESG rating is high, digitalisation can even increase the number of patents by 2%. The article was published in Sustainability.

A team of Russian researchers has synthesised a novel compound for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), a treatment for advanced cancer that uses the boron-10 isotope. The compound exhibits low toxicity, excellent water solubility, and eliminates the need for administering large volumes. Most importantly, the active substance reaches the tumour with minimal impact on healthy tissues. The study was published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences shortly before World Cancer Day, observed annually on February 4.

A team of students from the HSE Faculty of Computer Science, led by Anton Andreychuk, a researcher from the AIRI Institute, won first place in all categories of the international League of Robot Runners competition. This contest for developers focuses on advancing research in multi-agent pathfinding (MAPF) and AI-based task distribution systems for large warehouses.

In early March, representatives of HSE University-St Petersburg organised a series of entry competitions for applicants from China. The exams were held in three cities—Beijing, Nanjing and Chengdu—at the Russian Cultural Centre (RCC) in Beijing and leading Chinese universities.

X5 Group and the Graduate School of Business at HSE University are relaunching their joint master’s program. The previous title, “Retail Management”, has been replaced with “B2C Business Management: Technologies and Innovations”, accompanied by a complete overhaul of the curriculum. The new focus is on customer experience, emerging technologies, and innovation in management — the competencies most in demand in today’s business landscape.

The School of International Cooperation has been established within the HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs (WEIA). The school initiates, promotes, and implements programmes for continuing education and professional retraining, corporate education programmes, and international intensive training courses for professionals and executives working with foreign government officials, businesspeople, entrepreneurs, students, and researchers.

The New Stage of the Alexandrinsky Theatre hosted the fifth annual CIBA conference, organised by professors and students of the Master's programme 'Arts and Culture Management' at HSE University-St Petersburg. More than 300 participants, including students, creative experts, entrepreneurs, and representatives of cultural institutions, attended the event.

Scientists have discovered significant structural differences in the brain's pathways, tracts, and thalamus between children with autism and their neurotypical peers, despite finding no functional differences. The most significant alterations were found in the pathways connecting the thalamus—the brain's sensory information processing centre—to the temporal lobe. Moreover, the severity of these alterations positively correlated with the intensity of the child's autistic traits. The study findings have been published in Behavioural Brain Research.

In April, HSE University will host Days of Computer Science (DCS), an annual event organised by the Faculty of Computer Science and its partners. The programme includes popular science lectures and discussions, a student festival, a maths blitz competition, quizzes, film screenings, and much more.

A delegation from HSE University-St Petersburg headed by Evgeny Zelenev, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies, has visited the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies (TSUOS). The meeting marked a new stage of cooperation development between the leading educational institutions in Russia and Uzbekistan.