HSE University and InfoWatch Group Sign Cooperation Agreement

HSE University and the InfoWatch Group of Companies marked the start of a new stage in their collaboration with the signing of a new agreement. The partnership aims to develop educational programmes and strengthen the practical training of specialists for the digital economy. The parties will cooperate in developing and reviewing curricula, and experts from InfoWatch will be involved in teaching and mentoring IT and information security specialists at HSE University.
The agreement results from years of fruitful cooperation between HSE University and the InfoWatch Group of Companies that began in 2016. In 2017, the HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM) established a Joint Department of Information Security with InfoWatch. This was the starting point for developing the company's educational programme and integrating their expertise into university courses.
From 2018 to 2019, MIEM launched a master's programme in cyber-physical systems security as part of this collaboration. In 2024, InfoWatch Academy and HSE University jointly launched an online course on personal data protection. During this time, experts from both organisations worked together to develop information security systems scenarios for simulating incidents and analysing insider actions. These were tested in the university’s educational activities and numerous student cybersecurity competitions. In 2025, a joint research team from both partners developed a security monitoring tool for machine learning models.
The new agreement will combine the academic potential of HSE University with the practical experience of InfoWatch, and is expected to boost motivation among young professionals.
Dmitry Kovalenko
‘The collaboration between HSE MIEM and InfoWatch is a compelling example of effective long-term partnership between a leading university and a leading IT company. Since 2017, the Joint Department with InfoWatch under the leadership of MIEM graduate Natalya Kaspersky has operated successfully. The company's specialists are actively involved in MIEM’s educational and project activities. Over the years, we have developed unique collaboration models that allow us to train top-tier information security professionals and conduct relevant research. We are delighted that our successful partnership continues to grow stronger,’ says Dmitry Kovalenko, Vice Rector, Director of MIEM.
Natalya Kaspersky
‘The agreement with HSE University is not a ceremonial formality. InfoWatch Group has worked with universities for many years, particularly with my alma mater, MIEM. We continue to share our experience and expertise, launch laboratory complexes, and will now delve even deeper into the core of information security curricula. This is all done to ensure that graduates immediately become highly skilled and in-demand specialists in the labour market, with no need for retraining,’ explains Natalya Kaspersky, President of InfoWatch Group.
See also:
HSE University to Host Second ‘Genetics and the Heart’ Congress
HSE University, the National Research League of Cardiac Genetics, and the Central State Medical Academy of the Administrative Directorate of the President will hold the Second ‘Genetics and the Heart’ Congress with international participation. The event will take place on February 7–8, 2026, at the HSE University Cultural Centre.
HSE University Develops Tool for Assessing Text Complexity in Low-Resource Languages
Researchers at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have developed a tool for assessing text complexity in low-resource languages. The first version supports several of Russia’s minority languages, including Adyghe, Bashkir, Buryat, Tatar, Ossetian, and Udmurt. This is the first tool of its kind designed specifically for these languages, taking into account their unique morphological and lexical features.
HSE Scientists Uncover How Authoritativeness Shapes Trust
Researchers at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience have studied how the brain responds to audio deepfakes—realistic fake speech recordings created using AI. The study shows that people tend to trust the current opinion of an authoritative speaker even when new statements contradict the speaker’s previous position. This effect also occurs when the statement conflicts with the listener’s internal attitudes. The research has been published in the journal NeuroImage.
Language Mapping in the Operating Room: HSE Neurolinguists Assist Surgeons in Complex Brain Surgery
Researchers from the HSE Center for Language and Brain took part in brain surgery on a patient who had been seriously wounded in the SMO. A shell fragment approximately five centimetres long entered through the eye socket, penetrated the cranial cavity, and became lodged in the brain, piercing the temporal lobe responsible for language. Surgeons at the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital removed the foreign object while the patient remained conscious. During the operation, neurolinguists conducted language tests to ensure that language function was preserved.
HSE MIEM and AlphaCHIP Innovation Centre Sign Cooperation Agreement
The key objectives of the partnership include joint projects in microelectronics and the involvement of company specialists in supervising the research activities of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Plans also focus on the preparation of joint academic publications, the organisation of industrial placements and student internships, and professional development programmes for the company’s specialists.
Scientists Discover One of the Longest-Lasting Cases of COVID-19
An international team, including researchers from HSE University, examined an unusual SARS-CoV-2 sample obtained from an HIV-positive patient. Genetic analysis revealed multiple mutations and showed that the virus had been evolving inside the patient’s body for two years. This finding supports the theory that the virus can persist in individuals for years, gradually accumulate mutations, and eventually spill back into the population. The study's findings have been published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.
HSE Scientists Use MEG for Precise Language Mapping in the Brain
Scientists at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have demonstrated a more accurate way to identify the boundaries of language regions in the brain. They used magnetoencephalography (MEG) together with a sentence-completion task, which activates language areas and reveals their functioning in real time. This approach can help clinicians plan surgeries more effectively and improve diagnostic accuracy in cases where fMRI is not the optimal method. The study has been published in the European Journal of Neuroscience.
HSE Scientists Develop DeepGQ: AI-based 'Google Maps' for G-Quadruplexes
Researchers at the HSE AI Research Centre have developed an AI model that opens up new possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases, including brain cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Using artificial intelligence, the team studied G-quadruplexes—structures that play a crucial role in cellular function and in the development of organs and tissues. The findings have been published in Scientific Reports.
HSE Strategic Technological Projects in 2025
In 2025, HSE University continued its participation in the Priority 2030 Strategic Academic Leadership Programme, maintaining a strong focus on technological leadership in line with the programme’s updated framework. A key element of the university’s technological leadership strategy is its Strategic Technological Projects (STPs), aimed at creating in-demand, knowledge-intensive products and services.
Transition to Sustainable Development Requires Deep Structural Transformation of Business
A group of researchers has proposed assessing the ESG transformation of businesses through the partner turnover ratio in raw material and distribution supply chains. The researchers note that the path towards sustainability requires a deep and often costly restructuring of partner networks. This and other papers were presented at the Third International Annual Conference ‘ESG Corporate Dynamics: the Challenges for Emerging Capital Markets.’


