
Overcoming Baby Duck Syndrome: How Repeated Use Improves Acceptance of Interface Updates
Users often prefer older versions of interfaces due to a cognitive bias known as the baby duck syndrome, where their first experience with an interface becomes the benchmark against which all future updates are judged. However, an experiment conducted by researchers from HSE University produced an encouraging result: simply re-exposing users to the updated interface reduced the bias and improved their overall perception of the new version. The study has been published in Cognitive Processing.

Mathematicians from HSE Campus in Nizhny Novgorod Prove Existence of Robust Chaos in Complex Systems
Researchers from the International Laboratory of Dynamical Systems and Applications at the HSE Campus in Nizhny Novgorod have developed a theory that enables a mathematical proof of robust chaotic dynamics in networks of interacting elements. This research opens up new possibilities for exploring complex dynamical processes in neuroscience, biology, medicine, chemistry, optics, and other fields. The study findings have been accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters, a leading international journal. The findings are available on arXiv.org.

‘People Often Don’t Understand What’s Going On around Them—but We Can Explain’
Georgy Stalinov conducts field-based social research and has created a video podcast about unusual social phenomena based on fieldwork materials. In an interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, he spoke about hitchhiking with lorry drivers, why working as a taxi driver can be a bad idea, and whether poaching exists in Kamchatka.

‘The Development of Creative Industries Has Become a Priority for Both Russia and Uzbekistan’
The Tourism Development Institute under the Committee for Tourism of the Republic of Uzbekistan and HSE University have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at establishing and developing academic, cultural, and other partnerships in the fields of education and tourism. The initiative for signing the agreement came from the Institute for Creative Industries Development at the HSE Faculty of Creative Industries.

‘Artificial Intelligence Has Become the Lifeblood of the Global Economy’
Experts from HSE University took part in the BRICS Academic Forum (FABRICS) held in the capital of Brazil this year. The main theme of the event was to discuss cooperation among countries in the Global South amid geopolitical turbulence and rapid technological change. Academics and experts from BRICS member states and partner nations explored topics such as global healthcare, AI technologies, trade, climate change, and reform of the multilateral global security and governance architecture.

A Market of a Billion Opportunities: HSE Experts on Doing Business in India
The rapid growth of India’s economy and its predominantly young population present unprecedented opportunities for Russian businesses. However, success in this vast market requires a deep understanding of its internal diversity, as well as cultural and legal nuances. These issues were the focus of the business session ‘India: A Market of a Billion Chances. How to Succeed,’ organised by the expert club of the Eastern Perspective programme at the HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs.

Researchers Present the Rating of Ideal Life Partner Traits
An international research team surveyed over 10,000 respondents across 43 countries to examine how closely the ideal image of a romantic partner aligns with the actual partners people choose, and how this alignment shapes their romantic satisfaction. Based on the survey, the researchers compiled two ratings—qualities of an ideal life partner and the most valued traits in actual partners. The results have been published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Trend-Watching: Radical Innovations in Creative Industries and Artistic Practices
The rapid development of technology, the adaptation of business processes to new economic realities, and changing audience demands require professionals in the creative industries to keep up with current trends and be flexible in their approach to projects. Between April and May 2025, the Institute for Creative Industries Development (ICID) at the HSE Faculty of Creative Industries conducted a trend study within the creative sector.

Roundtable on Russia–China Cooperation in Antimonopoly Policy Held at HSE University
HSE University hosted a roundtable titled ‘New Challenges for Antitrust Regulation: The Chinese Perspective.’ The event was organised by the International BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre (BRICS Centre). Special guests included Chinese colleagues from the Competition Policy and Assessment Centre (CPAC) of the State Administration for Market Regulation of the People’s Republic of China (SAMR). Last year, the BRICS Centre and CPAC SAMR signed an agreement on strategic cooperation.

‘The Fundamental Principle of Scientific Knowledge Is Honesty’
Daria Mazur has wanted to pursue science since she was 13 years old—ever since she discovered in the seventh grade that she was good at physics. In an interview for the HSE Young Scientists project, she spoke about her theoretical research on the electric double layer, speed reading, and the MGMT song ‘Little Dark Age.’
Submission deadline: April 6, 2025