The International Linguistic Convergence Laboratory at the HSE Faculty of Humanities studies the processes of convergence among languages spoken in regions with mixed, multiethnic populations. Research conducted by linguists at HSE University contributes to understanding the history of language development and explores how languages are perceived and used in multilingual environments. George Moroz, head of the laboratory, shares more details in an interview with the HSE News Service.

On July 4, 2025, the graduation ceremony for students of the International Preparatory Year Programme took place. The event marked an anniversary for the International Preparatory Year, which has been operating since 2015. The idea of creating a preparatory faculty arose from the need to provide quality training in the Russian language for those who want to study at Russian universities, especially at HSE University.

Fan Minlan, a 25-year-old from the coastal city of Zhangzhou in southeastern China, has recently graduated from the HSE Master’s Programme in Population and Development. In her interview with the HSE News Service, Fan Minlan speaks about her decision to enrol at HSE University, the challenges of speaking Russian, her career plans, and the love story that started with her studies.

On July 7, 2025, HSE University hosted a delegation from China. The delegation, led by Wei Guotan, Chair of the University Council of Communication University of Zhejiang (CUZ), was welcomed by HSE Vice Rector Dmitry Zemtsov, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Creative Industries Tatiana Rivchun, and representatives of the HSE Institute for Creative Industries Development and the HSE Art and Design School—the initiators of the partnership with their Chinese colleagues.

Overweight Russians tend to earn significantly less than their slimmer counterparts, with a 10% increase in body mass index (BMI) associated with a 9% decrease in wages. These are the findings made by Anastasiia Deeva, lecturer at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences and intern researcher in Laboratory of Economic Research in Public Sector. The article has been published in Voprosy Statistiki.

Dilmurod Kholmatov, from Tashkent (Uzbekistan), is a student of the Master’s in Law of International Trade and Dispute Resolution at the HSE University–Moscow Faculty of Law. He has finished his first year of studies and plans to pursue a career in international commercial arbitration after graduation. In his interview, Dilmurod explains how the programme is preparing him to achieve his career ambitions, explains why student involvement in academic conferences is important, and talks about taking part in a charity race.

Celestina Adu, from Ghana, is pursuing her Master’s in Economics and Economic Policy at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences. Recently, she won silver at a scientific student conference in Nizhny Novgorod. In her interview, she delves into her research on AI and its impact on education, offering advice for prospective international students based on her experiences in Russia.

An international team of researchers including scientists from HSE University has experimentally demonstrated that individuals with bipolar disorder tend to perceive the world as more volatile than it actually is, which often leads them to make irrational decisions. The scientists suggest that their findings could lead to the development of more accurate methods for diagnosing and treating bipolar disorder in the future. The article has been published in Translational Psychiatry.

On July 6–7, 2025, the 17th BRICS Summit took place in Rio de Janeiro. For the first time in the organisation’s history, representatives of civil society from BRICS countries participated. HSE Vice Rector, Head of the BRICS Expert Council–Russia, and Co-Chair of the Russian Chapter the BRICS Civil Forum Victoria Panova attended the meeting of the bloc’s national leaders.