Shanghai Ranking Names HSE Top Russian University in 11 Subjects
HSE University is this year’s leading Russian university in 11 subjects in the Shanghai Ranking. In seven of these, the university is the only Russian higher education institution to appear. This year, the university was ranked among the top universities for Communications for the first time and returned to the ranking for Sociology.
HSE University retained high positions in Mathematics (placing in the 51–75 group) in the global ranking, and held on to its leading position among Russian universities. It also maintained its positions in Biological Sciences (301–400) and Public Administration (151–200).
The university improved its positions in Political Sciences (76–100) and Economics (151–200). It also demonstrated significant improvement in its standings in both Education and Management, entering the 301–400 group in both subjects. HSE University also improved its position in the Business Administration category, moving up to the 151–200 group.
This year, the university appeared in the Communication subject ranking for the first time (201–300), and also returned to the Sociology ranking (151–200). HSE is the only Russian university to appear in either subject ranking.
The Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects is compiled by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy. It covers 55 subjects in five categories: Natural Sciences, Engineering, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Social Sciences. In 2023, 5,000 universities from 104 countries took part in the ranking, out of which more than 1,900 were included in the lists of the top universities in the world. This year, twenty Russian universities appeared in the Ranking of Academic Subjects.
See also:
Banking Crises Drive Biodiversity Loss
Economists from HSE University, MGIMO University, and Bocconi University have found that financial crises have a significant negative impact on biodiversity and the environment. This relationship appears to be bi-directional: as global biodiversity declines, the likelihood of new crises increases. The study examines the status of populations encompassing thousands of species worldwide over the past 50 years. The article has been published in Economics Letters, an international journal.
Scientists Discover That the Brain Responds to Others’ Actions as if They Were Its Own
When we watch someone move their finger, our brain doesn’t remain passive. Research conducted by scientists from HSE University and Lausanne University Hospital shows that observing movement activates the motor cortex as if we were performing the action ourselves—while simultaneously ‘silencing’ unnecessary muscles. The findings were published in Scientific Reports.
HSE Scientists Reveal What Drives Public Trust in Science
Researchers at HSE ISSEK have analysed the level of trust in scientific knowledge in Russian society and the factors shaping attitudes and perceptions. It was found that trust in science depends more on everyday experience, social expectations, and the perceived promises of science than on objective knowledge. The article has been published in Universe of Russia.
IDLab: Fascinating Research, Tough Deadlines, and Academic Drive
The International Laboratory of Intangible-driven Economy (IDLab) was established at the HSE campus in Perm 11 years ago. Its expertise in data processing and analysis allows researchers to combine fundamental studies with applied projects, including the development of risk and cybersecurity models for Sber. The head of the laboratory, Professor Petr Parshakov, and Senior Research Fellow Professor Mariya Molodchik spoke to the HSE News Service about IDLab’s work.
HSE Lecturers Awarded Yandex ML Prize 2025
The Yandex ML Prize is awarded to lecturers and heads of educational programmes who contribute to the development of artificial intelligence in Russia. This year, 10 laureates were selected from 300 applicants, including three members of the HSE Faculty of Computer Science (FCS). A special Hall of Fame award was also presented for contributions to the establishment of machine learning as an academic field. One of the recipients was Dmitry Vetrov, Research Professor at the HSE FCS.
HSE University and Banking and Finance Academy of Uzbekistan Sign Memorandum on Scientific Cooperation
The partnership aims to foster academic collaboration in the fields of global economics, sustainable development, and Islamic finance. Strengthening academic ties with Uzbekistan represents a promising direction for scientific exchanges and the implementation of international projects in sustainable development.
HSE Scientists Optimise Training of Generative Flow Networks
Researchers at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science have optimised the training method for generative flow neural networks to handle unstructured tasks, which could make the search for new drugs more efficient. The results of their work were presented at ICLR 2025, one of the world’s leading conferences on machine learning. The paper is available at Arxiv.org.
Neural Network Trained to Predict Crises in Russian Stock Market
Economists from HSE University have developed a neural network model that can predict the onset of a short-term stock market crisis with over 83% accuracy, one day in advance. The model performs well even on complex, imbalanced data and incorporates not only economic indicators but also investor sentiment. The paper by Tamara Teplova, Maksim Fayzulin, and Aleksei Kurkin from the Centre for Financial Research and Data Analytics at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences has been published in Socio-Economic Planning Sciences.
‘To Help Make the World More Sustainable, Fair, and Humane’
The BRICS International School: New Generation has concluded at HSE University, bringing together more than 100 participants from 38 BRICS and Global South countries. The attendees included early-career researchers, diplomats, entrepreneurs, journalists, and civil society representatives.
Larger Groups of Students Use AI More Effectively in Learning
Researchers at the Institute of Education and the Faculty of Economic Sciences at HSE University have studied what factors determine the success of student group projects when they are completed with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). Their findings suggest that, in addition to the knowledge level of the team members, the size of the group also plays a significant role—the larger it is, the more efficient the process becomes. The study was published in Innovations in Education and Teaching International.