About the School

The School of International Regional Studies is a structural subdivision of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University, whose staff conducts scientific and educational activities in the field of international regional studies.

International regional studies, as a field of knowledge, with a clear-cut and responsive to contemporary challenges formulation of goals and objectives should become an important tool in the implementation of Russia's plans to bring its goods and services to the global markets. 

International regional studies is a field designed to work for the promotion of national interests abroad, strengthening Russia's position on international markets, providing political support in potential partner countries, attracting foreign investments and innovative technologies for the development of Russian industry. 

International regional studies, as a branch of knowledge, particularly in higher education, should train professionals with special expertise in political, economic, and cultural marketing. Such specialists are necessary for Russia to participate in the fierce competition for countries’ markets, where professional regional studies experts from the USA and the European Union traditionally carry out the policy of their states. 

In scientific-applied research, international regional studies should focus on studying the potential of world markets, countries, regions of the world to develop analytical recommendations to the political leadership, government, large-scale commercial enterprises about promising industry niches for Russian economic and political actors. 

International regional studies , as a field of knowledge, studies the economic, political, cultural potential, prospects, and corresponding risks of concrete foreign countries and regions to promote national political and economic interests of the state in them.

Along with this, the basics of International regional studies include knowledge of the language, culture, interethnic and interreligious dialogue, geography, the socio-economic and political structure of a particular country/region. 

The main task for the research activity of Russian universities in the field of International regional studies should be the development of methodologies to promote the brand of Russia. In addition, for the educational activity - the formation of methods to train specialists that correspond to modern market conditions.  

The School's mission is to create a research institution that will train a new generation of highly distinguished regional specialists.

The research and teaching activities are carried out in close cooperation with other divisions of the university by influential regional studies specialists who play key roles in both international and state-sponsored projects within the following sections:

1.    South Asian Studies

2.    European Studies

3.    Ibero-American Studies

4.    Сhina and East Asia

5.    Middle Eastern and North African Studies

6.    South East Asia Studies

Seeking to revive international regional studies as an academic discipline, the School works to increase the number of high-quality and authoritative publications in the field and engages young academics, PhDs, and Master’s students in its research activities.

School members with real-world experience and many years of working abroad are involved in all areas of the School’s work. The combination of outstanding staff, strong research potential, and proven experience enable the School to carry out top-level academic, research, and educational projects, as well as government-funded research.

The School’s instructors create unique courses that explore the economic and political trends of selected countries and regions. A significant part of the undergraduate coursework is conducted in English.

The School is active in project activities. International and regional projects implemented jointly with foreign and local partners: Akita University (Japan), Tehran University (Iran), University of Oslo (Norway), Arctic Economic Council, Akureyri University (Iceland), University of Finance and Management (Czech Republic), Lithuanian Business University of Applied Sciences (Lithuania), Orion Partners AS Company, Technical and Mercantile Consulting Company (Norway) are operating on a constant basis.

School members are involved as experts in the development of educational standards for foreign regional studies, requirements for specialized academic disciplines in various undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate educational programs, and actively participate in the work of international consortium on regional studies.

The tasks of the School include activation and coordination of the work of specialists in regional studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University, and colleagues from other universities, scientific institutions, and practitioners involved in the educational process and research of a wide range of problems of international regional studies and country studies.