News

This year 1500 participants from 100 countries took part in the Junction International Hackathon. A team of second-year students of the HSE Faculty of Computer Science (Timofey Smirnov, Igor Zverev, Ainur Nuriev and Aldar Danilov) led by Maxim Dyakov (first-year student of the programme in E-Business) presented a smart lighting project.

Although HIV infection rates are high among the transgender community in Russia, many transgender people know very little about the virus, as well as their own health status. In Russia’s first study to examine transgender people as an at-risk social group for HIV transmission, demographers attribute these high infection rates to the community’s social stigmatization and isolation, as well as a lack of access to medical services. The study’s findings have been published in the HSE journal, Demographic Review.

The Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies of the Faculty of Humanities has launched a Center of Iranian Studies and the Persian Language. On December 6, representatives of HSE University and the Cultural Representative of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Moscow signed the cooperation agreement.

Okna Rosta, HSE University's bulletin, published a two-part interview with Rector Yaroslav Kuzminov about HSE’s Development Strategy this fall, and The HSE Look is glad to present it to our English-speaking audience as well.

What do we remember about Soviet theatre, what can historical documents tell us about it, and how do Soviet narratives impact life in contemporary theatres and beyond? At the Theatre and Time Conference, hosted by HSE University, participants discussed these questions and more.

Abrar Riaz has come to Moscow from Pakistan to study in theCognitive Sciences and Technologies: from Neuron to Cognition Master’s programme at HSE University. He was accepted to the programme through Russia’s Open Doors Scholarship Project. Abrar spoke with the HSE News Service about why he chose HSE University and what it was like to participate in the competition.

In honour of International Volunteer Day, which was celebrated on December 6, HSE News Service spoke with HSE student organization leaders about their volunteer work. It turns out that HSE students are very active members of their communities: from painting with children in local orphanages to helping out at animal shelters, students participate in a wide range of volunteer efforts—and have fun while doing it.

On December 4, the HSE ART GALLERY opens a pre-auction exhibition of works by students of the HSE Art and Design School. Within two weeks, the exposition will be available to all lovers of contemporary art, after which it will go to GUM, where the pieces will be put up for auction at the joint New Year’s SAMPLE and the HSE ART GALLERY auction.