Urban Studies Experts from HSE Discuss Cooperation Prospects with Chinese Partners
The team of the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development (FURD) has held a series of meetings with partners in China as part of its working visit focused on advancing cooperation. The agenda included urban and agglomeration ranking research, the development of unique educational programmes in urban studies, and other key topics.
Dean of FURD Evgeny Mikhaylenko, Deputy Dean for International Affairs Victoria Khomich, and Head of the Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism Ruslan Goncharov met with partners in Guangzhou and Shenyang. Notably, they held talks with the leadership of the Guangdong–CIS International Technological Cooperation Union—one of the faculty’s key partners in China. Discussions centred around joint projects such as urban and agglomeration ranking studies, academic exchanges with Chinese universities, and FURD’s planned participation in the Global Mayors’ Forum in Guangzhou in 2025.
Evgeny Mikhaylenko
‘Joint Russian–Chinese research in the field of urbanism will help tackle complex governance challenges in both major metropolitan areas and smaller towns, as well as identify development prospects. We are continuing to expand our collaboration in scientific research and plan to launch a joint educational project in the future,’ said Dean of the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development Evgeny Mikhaylenko.
Guo Fengzhi
Guo Fengzhi, Secretary General of the Guangdong–CIS International Technological Cooperation Union, expressed gratitude to the FURD delegation for their friendly visit to China. ‘We held effective negotiations on a number of key areas concerning scientific and technological innovation, educational collaboration, experience exchange, and project cooperation,’ said Guo Fengzhi. ‘The faculty has long been our partner and works successfully with many regions of China. I believe the meetings in Guangzhou and Shenyang will contribute significantly to the development of Russian–Chinese relations, and we look forward to strengthening our longstanding cooperation.’
During a meeting at South China University of Technology in Guangzhou—a long-time partner of FURD—the parties discussed the joint development and implementation of innovative international programmes in urban studies. Following the talks, Russian and Chinese scholars agreed to begin designing an academic programme that will combine the unique expertise of both sides and aims to be a cutting-edge international educational product.
At Guangdong University of Finance and Economics (GUFE), which the FURD delegation visited in return following a Chinese visit to HSE in April, discussions focused on expanding academic exchange opportunities, organising summer schools, and conducting joint research within BRICS urban contexts. Moreover, GUFE’s urban studies team is planning a return visit to FURD in July 2025 to finalise cooperation plans and sign a partnership agreement.
In northern China, in Shenyang, the FURD team was received by representatives of the Shenfu Reform and Innovation Demonstration Zone Management Committee, headed by Deputy Director Liu Jia, who visited FURD in 2024. During their working meeting, both sides agreed to establish a joint mechanism for academic exchanges between HSE and Shenyang universities, as well as plans for joint international events within the BRICS framework.
Victoria Khomich
‘FURD is one of Russia’s most recognisable centres of urban expertise—from the north to the south of China. Our collaboration with educational institutions, municipalities, and urban development committees in special economic zones continues to open up new opportunities for experience exchange and integration of the faculty’s potential into the international space,’ said Victoria Khomich. ‘Joint international projects like the Urban and Innovation Environment Index and the Dynamic Urbanistics initiative—winner of HSE’s International Academic Cooperation competition in partnership with Tianjin University—demonstrate how collaborative efforts with international colleagues yield truly unique results. Our next ambitious goal is to launch an international educational programme.’
Ruslan Goncharov
‘The Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism has always welcomed international cooperation. Our ambition is to become a recognised expert centre in urban development across BRICS countries—and we are steadily moving in that direction. At present, our team is studying best practices in the development of small towns in several BRICS countries, including China, and assessing how applicable they are to the Russian context. We will present interim results of this research at the Vysokovsky Forum on June 5, 2025, and I take this opportunity to invite everyone to attend. We have excellent relations with our Chinese colleagues, and we are grateful for the warm welcome and active support of our research initiatives. We eagerly look forward to putting all our plans into action,’ concluded Ruslan Goncharov.
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