HSE University Hosts Discussions on Coordinating Russia's Initiatives within the Women's Twenty
On February 24, the Durasov House, a part of HSE University’s Pokrovka Campus, became the setting for a meeting of the Russian Chapter of the Women Twenty (W20) Working Group. Focused on education, the digital divide, and artificial intelligence (AI), the event brought together prominent experts, including Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council – Russia and Vice Rector at HSE University, alongside Evgeniy Terentev, Oksana Sinyavskaya, Maya Mlyakova, Fuad Aleskerov, Olga Savinskaya, and Sergey Kosaretsky. Together, the participants explored strategies to advance Russia’s scientific, educational, and technological initiatives on the global stage.
Victoria Panova, Vice Rector at HSE University, Head of the BRICS Expert Council – Russia, and Sherpa of Russia in W20, opened the meeting highlighting the significance of Russia’s initiatives as part of cooperation with the G20 countries. "Russia and HSE University in particular have multiple innovative projects in science and technology. Through various formats, we have the opportunity to promote our vision, initiatives, and standards through global international organisations,” she noted. Dr Panova also underscored the importance of advancing language projects and fostering specialist exchanges in regional studies to deepen cross-border collaboration in national languages.
Sergey Kosaretsky, Director of the Pinsky Centre of General and Extracurricular Education at the HSE University Institute of Education, proposed developing metrics to evaluate the quality of education across the BRICS nations. "We need to establish an internal monitoring system for educational initiatives within the group," he said. Prof Kosaretsky also stressed the urgency of analysing AI-related competencies and integrating digital tools to support schools in socially disadvantaged areas.
Olga Savinskaya, Academic Director of the Doctoral School of Sociology at HSE University, emphasised the need to boost women’s participation in technical sciences. "We should create focus groups of teachers whose students excel in Olympiads and major STEM projects. This approach can help design targeted programmes to engage more girls in technical disciplines," she proposed. Prof Savinskaya also highlighted the potential that Russian educational methods, such as using specialised materials for preschoolers, hold for identifying and nurturing talent from an early age.
Maya Mlyakova, Lead Expert at the HSE University Office for Research Projects, shed light on the limitations of artificial intelligence in addressing social challenges. "AI algorithms learn from static databases and often fail to incorporate social nuances into their decision-making," she explained. The expert also stressed the importance of developing new standards to evaluate AI algorithms and creating methodological frameworks to ensure their adaptability across diverse contexts.
Oksana Sinyavskaya, Deputy Director of the Institute for Social Policy at HSE University, brought attention to the issues of demography and social exclusion. She underscored the vital role of platform employment projects and digital technologies in empowering women. "We need to create opportunities for the reintegration of single women and older individuals into public life through modern technological solutions," Prof Sinyavskaya stated. She also highlighted the importance of developing programmes to promote active ageing.
Fuad Aleskerov, Head of the Department of Mathematics at the HSE University Faculty of Economic Sciences and Director of the International Centre of Decision Choice and Analysis, advocated for strengthening academic ties with India and China. "It’s crucial to deepen research and educational collaboration with these countries and initiate joint research projects," he noted.
Evgeniy Terentev, Director of the HSE University Institute of Education, revisited the university’s initiative to establish a code of ethical AI use in education. He also reinforced the importance of adopting unified metrics to assess educational quality across the BRICS nations. "Our goal is not only to address disparities in terms of quality of education among developing countries but also to empower young people through socially significant projects," Prof Terentev explained. He added that digital technologies could serve as a tool to support vulnerable groups, including schoolchildren in rural areas, mothers, and older adults.
The February 24 meeting marked a significant milestone in aligning Russian initiatives within the Women’s Twenty (W20), highlighting Russia's pivotal role in shaping discussions under the South Africa's Presidency in the G20. Participants concluded the session by voicing a shared commitment to further collaboration, focusing on developing recommendations for AI-driven educational programmes, promoting gender equality in access to opportunities, and bridging the digital divide. Plans were also set in motion to actively engage with international partners, fostering the exchange of best practices and advancing Russian technologies on the global stage.
This meeting is a part of a broader tapestry of international cooperation projects. Recent events have included meeting of W20 Delegation Heads, meetings of W20 Working Group Co-Chairs reflecting on the group’s decade-long contributions, and regular sessions of the Think 20 (T20). These events are united by a common goal: to deepen collaboration and drive solutions for key global challenges.
Earlier this year, Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council – Russia, was appointed Co-Chair of two W20 working groups and invited by South African colleagues to join the Think 20 (T20) as the sole Russian representative. The T20, a key G20 engagement group, functions as a "bank of ideas," uniting leading think tanks and top-level experts to address policy issues central to the G20 agenda.