Institute of Asian and African Studies

On 17 February, another meeting of the Discussion Club on International Relations in East Asia was held, led by Maria Chizhevskaya.

The "Economics of Asia and Africa" track at the Department of Asian and African Studies has long been one of the most popular on our programme. Yet many students hesitate when they first see the name: "Will I manage? Do I need to already know something complex and highly specific to feel confident here?" Let us be clear: no, you don't. Our tracks follow a "simple to complex" logic — we start with foundational concepts and gradually guide you toward independent research. Most importantly, you get to explore what genuinely interests you. Want to dive into Emirati airlines? Chinese digital platforms? We will always find a supervisor who can help you turn curiosity into serious academic work — just as we did for Ekaterina Slinkina. Combining her passion for aviation, hands-on experience at an airport, and economic analysis, she turned personal interest into a successful thesis. Here's what she gained along the way.

The Department for Chinese, South and Southeast Asian Studies, HSE University – Saint Petersburg, together with the Research and Educational Group “Folklore and Cultural Heritage in Asian Countries” (the Institute of Asian and African Studies), invite undergraduate students, master’s students, doctoral students, and early career researchers to participate in an interdisciplinary conference focusing on the cultural heritage of East and Southeast Asia.

The Rope Shop Educational Space of HSE University–St Petersburg hosted a conference on the present and future of Russian–Chinese relations. Together with Luo Zhanhui, Consul General of China in St Petersburg, leading experts in Asian and African Studies discussed vectors for the long-term development of the countries, the synergy of joint projects, and future educational partnerships.

HSE University–St Petersburg has held the first 'Contemporary Studies of the Sultanate of Oman: Methods, Concepts, Texts' international school for early-career researchers. The programme gathered more than 30 students and experts from Russia, Oman, Italy, and France.

November at the Department of International Relations and Political Science of Central Asia and East Asia was very active.

HSE University-St Petersburg held the 3rd International Academic Conference ‘Army, Elites, and Society in the Middle East and North Africa’. The event brought together researchers from Russia, Oman, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and several other countries.

On 21 October 2025, a working meeting was held in St Petersburg between representatives of the Institute for Oriental and African Studies and a delegation from Inha University, Republic of Korea.

Recently, Popcorn Books released the Russian edition of the Taiwanese manhua “ About Cats and the Sea” , translated by Ekaterina Naumova , a graduate of HSE University – St. Petersburg. We asked Ekaterina to share her experience working on this translation — the choices she made, the challenges she faced, and the emotions she carried with her throughout the process.

The Institute of Asian and African Studies at HSE University-St Petersburg is preparing to hold the international conference 'Army, Elites and Society in the Middle East and North Africa'. How large research projects appear and why international cooperation is important for Asian and African studies—read on to find out from Milana Iliushina, head of the Department of Middle Eastern and African Studies.