Benjamin Owusu Sarpong, from Kumasi, Ghana, is a final-year student of the Master's programme 'Politics. Economics. Philosophy' at HSE University–Moscow. Now in the final stage of his studies, Benjamin spoke to the HSE News Service to reflect on his experiences—including the various ways HSE brings different cultures together, the numerous opportunities for self-development outside the classroom, and the essential Russian phrases every international student needs to get by.

In corporations, sports, and academia, people often face challenges they cannot handle alone. In such cases, selecting the right team is crucial. Tatiana Mayskaya, Associate Professor at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences and the International College of Economics and Finance, together with colleagues from foreign universities, examined team characteristics and found that less diverse teams are better suited to objectives where a high average performance is important, whereas more diverse teams are preferable when avoiding failure is critical. The paper has been published in Economic Theory.

Economists at HSE University have examined how smokers respond to changes in cigarette prices. When tobacco prices increase, cigarette consumption does not always decline. In fact, spending on tobacco may even rise: according to the researchers, a 1% decrease in cigarette affordability leads to a 0.28% increase in per capita tobacco expenditure. The findings suggest that to reduce smoking rates, tobacco prices must rise faster than household incomes. The study has been published in Voprosy Statistiki.

The devices, created by student teams, will conduct space research on the properties of promising solar cells, on-board energy storage systems, and serial electronics for student satellites.

HSE MIEM, in partnership with Nanotronika JSC, is launching a new master's track: Digital Systems of Technological Complexes of Electronics . Students will study the design of specialised equipment for electronic manufacturing while working on real-world engineering projects together with the industrial partner. The new track is designed to prepare specialists for one of the fastest-growing and most in-demand sectors of the high-tech industry.

On July 3, 2026, the International Preparatory Year programme held its graduation ceremony. This academic year,235 students from 57 countries were enrolled in the programme. Many of the graduates will continue their studies on HSE University bachelor’s and master’s programmes in 29 fields. The HSE News Service talked to the programme supervisors, teachers, and graduates about their impressions and plans.

Researchers at the International Laboratory of Microphysiological Systems of the HSE Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology investigated how different isoforms of the same microRNA influence gene function in prostate adenocarcinoma. The study found that in some cases, microRNAs can reinforce each other’s effects by targeting and suppressing the same genes. This finding offers a fresh perspective on the molecular mechanisms underlying tumour development and on the search for disease biomarkers. The results have been published in PeerJ.

Mikhail Samatov focuses on the theoretical study of perovskite solar cells. In this interview for the HSE Young Scientists project, he talks about working on HSE University’s supercomputer, collaborating with Peking University, and making furniture.

The HSE Art and Design School Gallery at the Winzavod Centre for Contemporary Art has opened the exhibition ‘The Art of the Book. From Sign to Media.’ The project invites visitors to see the book not merely as a vehicle for text but as an independent artistic form with its own typography, composition, structure, and materiality. The exhibition runs from July 7 to August 25, 2026.