‘University Life in Partnership with Artificial Intelligence’
HSE University is one of the leaders in IT education and research in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Thanks to this, the university recently received the highest grant of the Priority 2030 programme. The integration of AI technologies into education is set to become a strategic direction for the university’s development over the next five years. What changes are coming to HSE University in this regard and how they will affect students and teachers? These issues were discussed at a meeting of HSE University’s Academic Council on December 20.
At the beginning of the meeting, HSE University Rector Nikita Anisimov noted that the university had proven its leading position in the first group of the ‘Research Leadership’ area of the Priority 2030 programme and received the largest grant.
He outlined and commented on eight points characterising HSE University’s development in 2023, which formed the basis of his report at the meeting of the Programme Council:
connecting social and humanitarian knowledge with digital sciences
capitalisation of accumulated scientific potential
creating human-oriented technologies through strategic projects
maintaining high standards of education quality
youth development for the country’s sustainable future
development of the management system to ensure the university’s sustainability
ensuring a contribution to supporting youth and the development of education and science in Russia’s regions
maintaining the position of a world-class national research university in the new geopolitical conditions
One of the Priority 2030 Council’s recommendations was to focus more on AI technologies for people. ‘In conditions where no one has any doubts about the role and value of artificial intelligence technologies for the further existence of humanity, we need to understand how it will become part of our large community’s life,’ said Nikita Anisimov.
As Yaroslav Kuzminov, HSE University’s Academic Supervisor, emphasised, ‘HSE University is practically the only university that has retained the scale of financial support from previous years due to the fact that we acted impeccably in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Development of Russia by participating in the Digital Departments project.’
HSE University’s Vice Rector Sergey Roshchin gave a report on AI, the main item on the meeting agenda.
According to him, the university realised earlier than others that everyone should have digital competencies, and today HSE University is virtually an information technology university. The number of bachelor’s and master’s programmes that are in one way or another related to computer science is larger than the number of programmes in economics and management.
Sergey Roshchin suggested treating existing achievements as prerequisites for further development. ‘There is quite a serious turn ahead,’ he said.
In the near future, they plan to update the Data Culture project, under which all students of bachelor’s programmes will receive digital competencies. One component of the project will be changed this academic year as an experiment, then next year systematically. Students will have to study data analysis, methods of working with AI, and generative models in various fields—from design and Asian studies to management and law.
The developments of the Data Culture project will be transferred to a major (part of the main educational programme that forms the knowledge system in the main area of training), where courses related to the use of AI will appear. According to Sergey Roshchin, only 5% of disciplines currently cover interaction with various elements of AI.
The space of programmes whose graduates have subject and instrumental competencies and can apply these competencies in the selected subject areas will expand. There are already many such programmes at the master’s and bachelor’s levels, such as Computational Social Sciences.
Generative models should become part of students’ learning toolset—they can be used in projects, coursework, and graduation papers. In addition, students will have the opportunity to take part in projects to test technologies for identifying generative models.
Updating the skills, abilities, and competencies of teachers is another large-scale task which will allow the university to remain competitive. ‘2024 should be a year of large-scale retraining of teaching staff,’ concluded Sergey Roshchin.
Artificial intelligence should also be utilised to assist teachers by performing routine tasks. For example, an AI evaluator is being developed based on an array of data from independent exams within the framework of the Linguatest certification testing system implemented by HSE University.
According to the speaker, HSE University should become a university where artificial intelligence permeates all subject areas. The university’s online campus has already engaged in reworking all AI-related aspects, and this work needs to be implemented at the four traditional campuses as well.
There is also an ethical aspect of using AI in the educational process. Sergey Roshchin proposed the formulation of an ethical code within HSE University, which will be the first regulation of how different participants in the educational process interact with AI.
Commenting on the report, Nikita Anisimov noted that the discussion is about a very serious area in which ‘we take responsibility not just for the introduction of education in the field of artificial intelligence at the university, but for the life of the university in partnership with artificial intelligence.’
See also:
HSE University to Host BRICS International School: New Generation
Registration for the BRICS International School: New Generation, one of the leading international educational projects aimed at prospective leaders interested in the agenda of global development and cooperation within the framework of BRICS, has opened.
HSE University Strengthens Ties with Peking University
On July 21, 2025, representatives from Peking University led by Zhang Jin, Vice President of Peking University and Chancellor of Shenzhen Graduate School, paid a visit to HSE University. The delegation included forty students, teachers, and administrators. During their visit, leaders from both universities discussed potential areas for future collaboration, and representatives from three HSE University departments held meetings with Chinese students.
HSE University Brings Together Researchers at International AI Summer Institute in Shanghai
In early July 2025, the International Summer Institute on Artificial Intelligence in Education took place in Shanghai. It was organised by the HSE Institute of Education in cooperation with East China Normal University (ECNU). More than 50 early-career researchers and keynote speakers from nine countries—ranging from Russia and China to Canada and Singapore—gathered to share the latest findings from their work and to forge new international partnerships.
'We Are Now Nearing Practical Application of a Stimulus-Free Brain-Mapping System'
Neural interfaces developed by scientists at HSE University in collaboration with clinicians make it possible to communicate with the brain and decode its signals. The use of such interfaces opens up opportunities to stimulate brain activity, restore and normalise muscle control in patients who have suffered a stroke, heart attack, or other neurological disorders, and support the rehabilitation of individuals with traumatic brain injuries or limb loss. Alexey Ossadtchi, Director of the Centre for Bioelectric Interfaces at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, discusses the centre and its work.
HSE University Presents Smart Orthosis at Hope for Technology Forum
On July 10–11, 2025, Moscow hosted the 10th Hope for Technology National Forum of the Rehabilitation Industry and Universal Design. The event was aimed at discussing innovative achievements in the rehabilitation industry. The MIEM Student Design Bureau and the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience presented a smart orthosis, which was developed at the request of orthopedists.
Experts Assess How BRICS Countries’ Education Systems Are Evolving
The BRICS Expert Council–Russia, based at HSE University and operating in collaboration with the HSE Institute of Education, has released an analytical report titled ‘The Transformation of General Education in BRICS Countries.’ The study explores how BRICS nations are addressing shared challenges, including equitable access to schooling, digital integration, support for inclusion, linguistic diversity, and intercultural dialogue.
Centre for Language and Brain Conducts First Neurolinguistic Field Study of Reading in Yakut
In July, a team from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, in collaboration with the Centre for the Study, Preservation, and Development of Native Languages of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), conducted the first-ever neurolinguistic expedition to the village of Churapcha to study reading in the Yakut language using electroencephalography (EEG). For the first time, EEG data from 43 adults and behavioural data from 40 children was collected during the two-week expedition.
HSE Neurolinguists Reveal What Makes Apps Effective for Aphasia Rehabilitation
Scientists at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have identified key factors that increase the effectiveness of mobile and computer-based applications for aphasia rehabilitation. These key factors include automated feedback, a variety of tasks within the application, extended treatment duration, and ongoing interaction between the user and the clinician. The article has been published in NeuroRehabilitation.
HSE University Strengthens Ties with Central Asia
Experts from the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development (FURD) took part in the international forum ‘The SCO in the Era of Digital Diplomacy: Scientific Initiatives for Global Balance.’ The event, held in Astana, was organised by the Eurasian Association for International Studies and the Institute for the Study of Regional Integration (Kazakhstan).
Scientists Develop AI Tool for Designing Novel Materials
An international team of scientists, including researchers from HSE University, has developed a new generative model called the Wyckoff Transformer (WyFormer) for creating symmetrical crystal structures. The neural network will make it possible to design materials with specified properties for use in semiconductors, solar panels, medical devices, and other high-tech applications. The scientists will present their work at ICML, a leading international conference on machine learning, on July 15 in Vancouver. A preprint of the paper is available on arxiv.org, with the code and data released under an open-source license.