Mirror Laboratory of HSE University-St Petersburg and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Is Presented at Meeting of Working Group on Education, Science and Technologies
The Working Group on Education, Science and Technologies had the first meeting organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia. The participants discussed the cooperation formats, including the development of the mirror laboratory of HSE University-St Petersburg and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in the sphere of social entrepreneurship which was officially opened during the HSE International Partners' Days.
The meeting of the Working Group was led by Ajrat Gatiyatov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, and Megat Sany Megat Ahmad Supian, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia. The meeting gathered Alexander Sorokin, Dean of the School of Social Sciences at HSE University-St Petersburg, Mohd Ariffin Abu Hassan, Director of UTM International, and others.
One of the topics discussed by the members of the Working Group was the cooperation formats for Russia and Malaysia in science. During the meeting, HSE University-St Petersburg and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia presented the mirror laboratory in the sphere of social entrepreneurship. This project will become a platform for research and the creation of programmes to support social entrepreneurs. An important direction is the cooperation with government agencies, NPOs, corporations and public organisations.
During the meeting, the participants presented the preliminary results of the mirror laboratory's activities. The scientists from HSE University-St Petersburg and UTM are developing a methodology for researching social entrepreneurship which would allow us to take into account the socio-cultural, political and economic peculiarities of both countries and consider their initiatives in the sphere of social entrepreneurship development. At the moment, there is no relevant methodology for comparing these two countries.
During the discussion, the participants also announced the first summarised publication about the approaches to social entrepreneurship, on which the researchers from HSE University and UTM are working, and a general-audience digest. To discuss the joint work, the researchers will regularly meet at both universities: in June, Magdalena Gaete, Head of the Laboratory for Reputation Management in Education, will attend the seminar on social entrepreneurship at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Alexander Sorokin, Dean of the School of Social Sciences
The creation of the mirror laboratory has become a challenge for researchers at the School of Social Sciences and the business school AHIBS (UTM). Comparative research in the sphere of social entrepreneurship in two countries requires formulating a general methodology, semantic and conceptual understanding of social entrepreneurship and active implementation of joint research, educational and cultural initiatives. The open mind, activism and energy of our Malaysian colleagues allowed us to unite successfully and head towards the results together. As a result, at the meeting, we presented not only the project itself but also the first results of our joint work. Our cooperation format was highly appraised by the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia which was especially pleasant.
Mohd Ariffin Abu Hassan, Director of UTM International
Our cooperation is based on trust, sustainability and influence not only on Russian and Malaysian society but also on the whole world. Trust is a foundation on which our partnership is built, it allows us to work together seamlessly and effectively. Sustainable development guarantees that our initiatives offer not short-term solutions but lasting contributions to society's life. The most important thing is that our collective contribution is aimed at transforming communities and positive changes in the whole world.
The project of creating the mirror laboratory started on May 18, 2023, at the XIV International Economic Forum 'Russia—Islamic World: KazanForum' where the Memorandum of Understanding and Research and Educational Cooperation was signed by HSE University and UTM. The Malaysian part of the laboratory started its work in November 2023 at the business school AHIBS in Kuala Lumpur. The official opening of the Russian laboratory unit was held on May 24 at the HSE International Partners' Days. The researches are conducted at the School of Social Sciences at HSE University-St Petersburg.