Forbes University Ranking: HSE Has Top Reputation among Employers
On May 22, Forbes Education released its updated ranking of the 100 best universities in Russia for 2025. HSE University retained its second-place position, having established itself as the university with the highest employer reputation. Among the top 20 were 12 universities from Moscow, three from St Petersburg, two from Tatarstan, and one each from the Sverdlovsk, Novosibirsk, and Tomsk regions.
Forbes Education continues to monitor the dynamic changes in the field of higher education, identifying institutions that demonstrate high standards of quality and demand. In this new, seventh edition of the ranking of Russia’s best universities, institutions were assessed based on 17 criteria grouped into key metrics: networking quality, reputation among employers, international image, and academic environment. The Forbes factor was also taken into account, awarding additional points to universities whose alumni are featured in the Russian Forbes list or were among the winners of the 2024 30 Under 30 ranking.
This year, HSE maintained its second-place ranking, outperforming Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) by 0.7 points and reaffirming its status as the university with the strongest reputation among employers. Other institutions also stood out in specific metrics: Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (best university for admissions quality), MSU (leader in the ‘International Reputation’ category), and Innopolis University (top in academic environment quality).
A total of 564 higher education institutions were included in the long list. The analysis was based on data from the Monitoring of Educational Institutions conducted by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, surveys of the country’s top employers, and information from open sources.
To assess employer reputation, a survey was conducted among major companies featured in the list of Russia’s best employers. The survey identified universities whose graduates are considered the most qualified and are the top choice for recruitment. Companies also named institutions they believe provide the highest quality training in fields such as economics, information technology, engineering, marketing and communications, natural sciences, the humanities, and the creative industries. The survey covered 43 industries across various Russian regions.
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HSE University to Host Second ‘Genetics and the Heart’ Congress
HSE University, the National Research League of Cardiac Genetics, and the Central State Medical Academy of the Administrative Directorate of the President will hold the Second ‘Genetics and the Heart’ Congress with international participation. The event will take place on February 7–8, 2026, at the HSE University Cultural Centre.
HSE University Develops Tool for Assessing Text Complexity in Low-Resource Languages
Researchers at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have developed a tool for assessing text complexity in low-resource languages. The first version supports several of Russia’s minority languages, including Adyghe, Bashkir, Buryat, Tatar, Ossetian, and Udmurt. This is the first tool of its kind designed specifically for these languages, taking into account their unique morphological and lexical features.
Language Mapping in the Operating Room: HSE Neurolinguists Assist Surgeons in Complex Brain Surgery
Researchers from the HSE Center for Language and Brain took part in brain surgery on a patient who had been seriously wounded in the SMO. A shell fragment approximately five centimetres long entered through the eye socket, penetrated the cranial cavity, and became lodged in the brain, piercing the temporal lobe responsible for language. Surgeons at the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital removed the foreign object while the patient remained conscious. During the operation, neurolinguists conducted language tests to ensure that language function was preserved.
HSE Scientists Use MEG for Precise Language Mapping in the Brain
Scientists at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have demonstrated a more accurate way to identify the boundaries of language regions in the brain. They used magnetoencephalography (MEG) together with a sentence-completion task, which activates language areas and reveals their functioning in real time. This approach can help clinicians plan surgeries more effectively and improve diagnostic accuracy in cases where fMRI is not the optimal method. The study has been published in the European Journal of Neuroscience.
Transition to Sustainable Development Requires Deep Structural Transformation of Business
A group of researchers has proposed assessing the ESG transformation of businesses through the partner turnover ratio in raw material and distribution supply chains. The researchers note that the path towards sustainability requires a deep and often costly restructuring of partner networks. This and other papers were presented at the Third International Annual Conference ‘ESG Corporate Dynamics: the Challenges for Emerging Capital Markets.’
HSE Researchers Offer Guidance to Prevent Undergraduate Burnout
Researchers at the HSE Institute of Education have identified how much time students should ideally devote to their studies, extracurricular activities, and personal life to maintain strong academic performance without compromising their mental health. An analysis of responses from 2,753 students, combined with their actual academic results, revealed several risk factors—such as excessive homework—as well as positive factors, including sufficient sleep, regular exercise, and moderate participation in projects. Based on these findings, the researchers developed practical recommendations for both students and universities. The paper has been published in the European Journal of Education.
HSE Scientists Contribute to Development of Postquantum Ring Signature for Sber
A new cryptographic data protection mechanism has been jointly proposed by experts from the HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics, Sber, and QApp. The researchers have developed a postquantum ring signature scheme that ensures anonymity (within a defined group of participants), as well as the integrity and authentication of the source of digital transactions, even in the presence of an adversary equipped with a quantum computer.
‘National Symbols of States Are an Integral Part of Cultural Code’
In December 2025, HSE University hosted the first Forum of the BRICS Law Schools Consortium organised by the HSE Faculty of Law. The forum brought together 42 international delegates (including 10 deans) from 14 universities in Belarus, China, South Africa, India, and Indonesia. The programme included expert discussions, the signing of cooperation agreements, and the adoption of decisions on the future areas of activity of the BRICS Law Schools Consortium, which was established at the initiative of the HSE Faculty of Law.
When a Virus Steps on a Mine: Ancient Mechanism of Infected Cell Self-Destruction Discovered
When a virus enters a cell, it disrupts the cell’s normal functions. It was previously believed that the cell's protective response to the virus triggered cellular self-destruction. However, a study involving bioinformatics researchers at HSE University has revealed a different mechanism: the cell does not react to the virus itself but to its own transcripts, which become abnormally long. The study has been published in Nature.
Researchers Identify Link between Bilingualism and Cognitive Efficiency
An international team of researchers, including scholars from HSE University, has discovered that knowledge of a foreign language can improve memory performance and increase automaticity when solving complex tasks. The higher a person’s language proficiency, the stronger the effect. The results have been published in the journal Brain and Cognition.