HSE University and Shanghai Institutes for International Studies Discussed New Cooperation Formats

On September 16, HSE University hosted a meeting with a delegation from the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS). The parties discussed prospects for academic cooperation and exchanged ideas for joint research initiatives.

The SIIS delegation was led by the President, Professor Chen Dongxiao. It also included Zhao Long, Deputy Director at the Institute for International Strategic and Security Studies, Cao Jiahan, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Russian and Central Asia Studies, and Qiu Haiyan, Research Fellow at the Centre for Russian and Central Asia Studies. HSE University was represented by Vice Rector Victoria Panova, Anastasia Likhacheva, Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs (FWEIA), Alexander Lukin, Head of the School of International Affairs under FWEIA, and Sofia Sadykova, Deputy Head of the International Partnerships Office.

In her welcoming remarks, Vice Rector Victoria Panova highlighted the shared research interests of HSE University and the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies and stressed the importance of advancing scientific cooperation between Russia and China. FWEIA Dean Anastasia Likhacheva emphasised the potential for joint projects in Arctic studies. She expressed interest in signing an academic exchange agreement between the faculty and SIIS, invited colleagues to participate in the FWEIA conferences in December, and proposed co-organising a round table for the faculty's section at the HSE April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development in 2026.

President of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies Chen Dongxiao thanked his hosts for the warm welcome and underscored the importance of shifting research focus from Western dominance to a multipolar world order.
"We see great value in expanding joint research through frameworks like BRICS, the SCO, and other international associations. It is important to study not only efficiency and interests, but also challenges and issues related to legitimisation and protectionism. Research on the impact of emerging disruptive technologies on international relations and politics is another highly promising area," Professor Chen Dongxiao noted.
Following the meeting, both sides expressed their intent to formalise the discussed agreements in a memorandum of understanding or an academic exchange agreement and to continue promoting joint research in international relations, global politics, and related fields.