HSE University-St Petersburg and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Open Joint Laboratory
HSE University-St Petersburg and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) have opened a mirror laboratory in the sphere of social entrepreneurship. The opening ceremony of the Russian part of this laboratory took place in the framework of the International Partners' Days which gathered delegations from 23 foreign universities.
In St Petersburg, the laboratory was launched by Nikita Anisimov, Rector of HSE University, Anna Tyshetskaya, Director of HSE University-St Petersburg, and Ahmad Fauzi Ismail, Rector of UTM.
Director of HSE University-St Petersburg
'Today, we are opening the first international mirror laboratory with UTM at HSE University-St Petersburg. Scientific collaborations make universities stronger and help to reach more extensive results. Due to such laboratories, we can organise effective daily communication. The implementation of the agreements reached with our Malaysian colleagues shows our commitment to the development of academic and cultural exchange. Such projects are possible thanks to our international partners, and we hope to open other joint laboratories with leading world universities in the future'.
The mirror laboratory will be a platform for research and development of programmes to support social entrepreneurs. An important direction will be the cooperation with government agencies, NGOs, corporations and public organisations. Professors and students of HSE University and UTM will work on identifying innovations and preparing strategies in the sphere of social entrepreneurship.
The opening of the mirror laboratory has become a new stage in the academic exchange of two universities, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail is sure of that: 'Universiti Teknologi Malaysia is the first university in our country which became a partner of HSE University. As researchers, we realised it a long time ago: if you want fast results, you should go alone. But if you make long-term plans, you should go together. It is not only science that will benefit from it but the citizens of our countries as well'.
The project was launched on May 18, 2023, at the XIV International Economic Forum 'Russia—Islamic World: KazanForum' which featured the ceremony of signing the Memorandum of Understanding and research and academic cooperation agreement between HSE University and UTM—one of the leading universities in Malaysia (188th place in the global ranking 'QS World University Rankings 2023'). In November 2023, the Malaysian part of the laboratory started its work at the business school AHIBS in Kuala Lumpur.
Rector of HSE University
'A mirror laboratory is an innovative format of cooperation. This project initiated by HSE University-St Petersburg gave a start to the programme of international mirror laboratories of HSE and foreign universities. As a result of the contest held by HSE University, it is planned to create seven labs including one with Tsinghua University. These scientific units will participate in joint research and prepare papers in the next three years'.
The project entails the preparation of research papers for high-ranking journals, the creation of analytic reports on social entrepreneurship as well as a reference book with the best practices and cases. Besides, there will be research conferences in St Petersburg and Kuala Lumpur. The implementation of the project involves active expansion of interaction with the ASEAN countries and the development of international methodology for assessing and supporting projects in the sphere of social entrepreneurship.
