XV International Conference on Higher Education Held at HSE University
As its central theme, the conference focused on finding a balance between upholding high academic standards at universities and promoting the well-being of both students and faculty. The first plenary session examined the phenomenon of student families, with conference participants discussing how these families fit into the broader demographic context and proposing measures to support them.
HSE Rector Nikita Anisimov opened the conference.
He reminded that the BRICS summit was ongoing in Kazan on the same days and that international colleagues were also present at this conference. 'People worldwide are sharing perspectives, experiences, and, most importantly, evidence-based insights on the development of higher education,' said the HSE Rector. Higher education is a tool for promoting well-being, sustainability, and independence of the state, with universities having an impact which is not limited to short-term outcomes. Thus, it is essential to establish long-term performance assessment cycles that extend beyond a student's time at the university. He also proposed revisiting the idea of establishing an intergovernmental observatory for higher education or education more broadly.
The HSE Rector called for uniting the efforts of scholars researching higher education in the BRICS countries 'for the sake of a better future for our states.'
Olga Petrova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, who earned her master's degree from the HSE Institute of Education, welcomed the conference participants.
'It is encouraging to see that each year, despite the challenges, the conference brings together a growing number of researchers, speakers, and debaters, developing solutions that are later implemented by the Government of the Russian Federation. It is important to note that since its establishment, HSE University has consistently been at the forefront of scientific research,' the Deputy Minister said.
She anticipates that foreign experts' attendance of the conference will contribute to the creation of a multipolar world and foster an accurate assessment of current developments.
HSE Vice Rector Elena Odoevskaya, who also earned her master's from HSE University, described the conference as a 'dialogue among old friends,' noting that its participants are familiar with one another, with some having met at this venue for the past fifteen years. At the same time, the conference is also engaging for young researchers in the field of higher education. Elena Odoevskaya encouraged them to 'make the most of this forum and not hesitate to ask questions.'
Dmitry Zemtsov, HSE Vice Rector, noted that the conference participants were reflecting on the higher education system from within that very system. According to Zemtsov, the conference raised challenging questions, and the presentation titles were both detailed and precise. 'I hope that the results of this conference will provide food for thought for the coming year,' Dmitry Zemtsov added.
In presenting the conference programme, Evgeniy Terentev, Director of the HSE Institute of Education, emphasized that out of approximately 200 applications, only 88 were selected—those that included abstracts grounded in data and research findings. 'The conference was envisioned as a tool to foster an evidence-based culture of discussion in the field of education, and I believe we have successfully accomplished this important mission,' said the IoE Director.
He added that the conference was intended as an opportunity to 'build a bridge' between the educational community and researchers, and to help ensure that research benefits the state. Another objective is to empower young people; thus, 'the conference was organised from start to finish by colleagues, including students and research assistants at the Institute of Education.'
The first plenary discussion addressed the dual challenge of balancing family responsibilities and pursuing a career while studying at university. The discussion was moderated by Ivan Gruzdev, Director for Internal Monitoring and Student Academic Development at HSE University, who noted that higher education researchers are drawn to phenomena that emerge in the agenda. While student families have been studied Russia for several years, this issue has recently come to the centre of attention. The discussion was organised in the traditional manner of the Institute of Education, featuring not only researchers but also representatives from the government.
Olga Petrova emphasised that during their time at university, students should be instilled with the sense that family is essential and important, and that life is difficult without it. For university administration, student families should be recognised as a special category that requires additional care and support. Recent monitoring conducted by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science has revealed that there are currently 22,000 student families in the country, of which 5,000 are families with children. According to the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre, 50% of surveyed students (100,000 participants) agree that establishing a strong family is their primary objective, while 44% believe that children are the essence of life.
Olga Korobova, member of the State Duma, believes that the concept of 'student family' should be enshrined in law (a relevant bill was recently introduced) and that student families should be entitled to specific support measures, including financial assistance. Indeed, this category of families has unique needs; they often do not have a source of income, face housing challenges, and simultaneously strive to obtain a high-quality education.
According to Tamara Rostovskaya, Deputy Director of the Institute for Demographic Research at FCTAS RAS, there will be a special emphasis on student families in the new ‘Family’ National Project, while Professor Anna Bagirova at UrFU presented the results of research on strategies for balancing university studies with parenting. Ivan Pavlyutkin, Associate Professor at the HSE Faculty of Social Sciences and father of three, stressed that combining family life and university studies is a challenge primarily for selective universities. Sergey Startsev, Leading Analyst at the HSE Centre of Internal Monitoring, and Elena Tarasova, Research Assistant at the HSE Institute of Education, presented the findings from their study of student families in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
The next event on the first day of the conference was a round table titled 'Psychological Well-Being in Universities: How to Measure and Manage?' Following this, discussions continued in breakout sessions. In late afternoon, the conference participants were addressed by a keynote speaker, Fei Guo, Associate Professor at the Institute of Education of Tsinghua University; the topic of her report was 'Psychological Academic Capital, Student Engagement, and Educational Outcomes.'
The XV International Conference on Higher Education, featuring 23 thematic sessions and 88 presentations, spanned three days. On October 24, global initiatives from BRICS universities, career trajectories for educators, and collaborations with businesses were discussed. On October 25, participants focused on university-business interactions and the application of AI technologies in education, including their role in training modern engineers.