Faculty of Humanities (Nizhny Novgorod)

Amaël Renard is a second-year student of “Philology” course, who travelled from Germany to Nizhny Novgorod and got into HSE. After graduating from thirteen years of school, Amael took a break in his education, visiting seventeen countries during that time, and then enrolled in our bachelor's program with little knowledge of Russian. Amael's path was not easy, but now he is successfully juggling philology, working as a tutor, playing sports, and traveling. Amael told us about his experience of university admission and adaptation in a completely new environment.

Alina Minnigulova and Maria Khudyakova at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have presented the latest research findings on the linguistic and neural mechanisms of language impairments and their progression in patients following neurosurgery. The scientists shared insights gained from over five years of research on the dynamics of language impairment and recovery.

Scientists at Privolzhsky Research Medical University (PRMU) and the Centre for Language and Brain Studies at the HSE Campus in Nizhny Novgorod have developed methods to diagnose autoaggressive and heteroaggressive tendencies in adolescents using eye-tracking technology. This will allow psychiatrists and psychologists to address this condition in young people before they may harm themselves or others. Anna Khomenko, Senior Research Fellow of the Centre for Language and Brain Studies at the HSE Campus in Nizhny Novgorod, presented the results of the project at the NeuroThursday seminar.

The steadily growing interest in studying at HSE University, particularly among applicants from CIS and Asian countries, reflects the high quality of Russian education. This year, as part of a separate admissions process for international applicants, 2,267 students were enrolled across all HSE University's campuses for the 2024/25 academic year, representing a 14% increase compared to last year.

HSE University in Nizhny recently hosted the 2nd Autumn Neuro-linguistic School ‘NeuroSciCom: Popularising Language and Brain Studies’ for scientists and students at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain Studies in Nizhny Novgorod. The school was held as part of the 'Human Brain Resilience: Neurocognitive Technologies for Adaptation, Learning, Development and Rehabilitation in a Changing Environment' Strategic Project of the Priority 2030 programme.

The HSE Art and Design School in Nizhny Novgorod, together with the ‘Protected Quarters’ project to revive Nizhny Novgorod’s historical territories, have carried out the ‘Timeless’ creative project, which included a design laboratory and an educational programme. As a result of the creative workshop, students made concepts for souvenir products based on the local identity.

Linguatest,the recently launched Russian foreign-language certification testing system developed by HSE University specialists, continues to develop and expand its geographic scope. Test centres are currently open in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod, and a new one is set to appear in Khabarovsk.

On September 1st, a new season of the open Student Research Paper Competition (SRPC) started. This competition is aimed at developing the potential of university students who are interested in academic activities. Students, as well as 2023 graduates of Russian and foreign universities, can submit their papers for the competition until October 15^th, 2023. This year SRPC turns 20 years old, throughout the competition’s history, Vadim Radaev, HSE University’s First Vice Rector, has been the chair of the organising committee. In today’s interview, he talks about the history of the competition and the key stages in its development.

Every year, approximately 25 languages ​​disappear from the world's linguistic mosaic, which contains more than 7,000 languages. HSE University in Nizhny Novgorod at the initiative of the HSE Library hosted the festival, “Language Mosaic”, dedicated to International Mother Language Day.

Linguatest, Russia’s first foreign-language certification system, has been launched in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The system was developed by specialists from HSE University in cooperation with the National Accreditation Agency and the Prosveshchenie group of companies, who are providing certification and publishing support for the project. Nizhny Novgorod is the first city after Moscow to offer testing under the system.