HSE and Yandex to Expand Collaboration in Training AI Specialists

© HSE University

Over the next ten years, the partnership between Yandex and the HSE Faculty of Computer Science (FCS) will broaden across three key areas: launching new educational programmes, advancing AI research, and exploring the application of generative neural networks in the educational process. Established by HSE University and Yandex a decade ago, the Faculty of Computer Science has since emerged as a frontrunner in training developers and experts in AI and machine learning, with a total of 3,385 graduates from the faculty over this period.

The primary areas of collaboration between HSE University and Yandex encompass education and research in computer science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. This year, with support from Yandex, HSE University will introduce a master's programme in AI in marketing and product, while also incorporating AI as a field of study into the Modern Computer Science master's programme to train specialists in generative technologies and large language models. Additionally, interdisciplinary programmes in IT fields will be developed for social science students.

Nikita Anisimov, Rector, HSE University

For a decade, the HSE Faculty of Computer Science has been a source of cutting-edge advancements in IT, training highly skilled specialists. The best of the best enrol in the FCS as students and graduate from it. In 2023, 93 finalists and prize winners of the All-Russian Olympiad of School Students enrolled in the first year of the FCS's Bachelor's, with 73 of them joining the programme in Applied Mathematics and Information Science. Software Engineering has the highest minimum score requirement among all educational programmes at HSE University, standing at 305 points. One of the key objectives for HSE University is to strengthen training in the field of AI. Our students excel in international programming competitions and emerge as sought-after specialists in an industry that requires an in-depth understanding of future technologies. Through collaboration with major players in the artificial intelligence industry such as Yandex, HSE University will foster a new generation of AI experts capable of tackling the most challenging tasks.

The LAMBDA Laboratory of Methods for Big Data Analysis and Yandex Laboratory were created with support from Yandex. The Yandex scholarship is available for young researchers at the FCS, with the company annually supporting up to 16 students engaged in scientific work. A joint doctoral programme in artificial intelligence will open in September. In addition to this, Yandex is one of the industry partners of the HSE AI Research Centre.

Daria Kozlova, Director of Education at Yandex

Yandex and the HSE FCS were among the first in the country to initiate systematic efforts to advance IT education. Graduates of the faculty are highly sought after, both in the business world and in academia. Over the next few years, Yandex and the FCS plan to substantially broaden their collaboration in IT training. According to our projections, over the next decade, the number of graduates from Yandex programmes at the faculty is expected to quadruple compared to the last decade.

The HSE Faculty of Computer Science, in collaboration with Yandex, has been integrating AI-based tools into the educational process and research. This year, new training courses in working with neural networks will be launched for both students and faculty.

Graduates of the FCS are employed in leading Russian IT companies, engage in R&D, and establish their own start-ups and businesses. Specifically, at Yandex, these graduates work in business groups that develop services such as Search, Market, Taxi, and others. HSE University is a prominent AI research hub, ranking second among Russian universities in terms of the number of publications at A* conferences: between 2015 and 2023, a total of 168 papers were published with FCS affiliation. In the AI Alliance Russia's university ranking, HSE University holds the top position in the A+ leadership group based on criteria including graduates' employability, quality of the educational environment, and initiatives for schools.