International Conference on the Human-Centered University

As part of the HSE St. Petersburg International Partnership Week, the laboratory organized a conference dedicated to the fifth-generation university, the social mission of universities, and sustainable development. Researchers from Russia, Asia, and Latin America discussed new models of university engagement with society and presented their research on the social mission of universities and social entrepreneurship.

On May 19, as part of the International Partnership Week at HSE St. Petersburg, the international conference "The Human-Centered University: Forging the Fifth Generation University through Social Mission, Entrepreneurship, and the Solidarity Economy
Aligning with Society 5.0 and Industry 5.0" was held.

Opening the conference, Magdalena Gaete, Head of the Laboratory for Reputation Management in Education, emphasized the importance of maintaining a human-centered approach amid the technological transformation of universities:

"We are increasingly talking not only about the fifth-generation university, but also about the possible transition to the next stage of higher education development, related to artificial intelligence. However, regardless of these transformations, the university must remain a human-centered environment—a space for dialogue, social connections, the joint search for solutions, and societal development."

Welcome address by Magdalena Gaete

The conference brought together researchers, faculty, and university representatives from Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, India, China, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. Participants discussed modern approaches to the development of higher education, the role of universities in addressing societal challenges, and new models of university engagement with government, business, and local communities.

The discussion focused on:

• the concept of the fifth-generation university (5GU);
• the development of the social mission of universities;
• social entrepreneurship and the solidarity economy;
• the role of universities in sustainable development;
• university engagement with local communities and international partners.

During the conference, staff from the Laboratory for Reputation Management in Education presented the results of their research on the social mission of universities and social entrepreneurship in Russia.

Anna Ivanova and Ilya Chesnokov-Posadsky, analysts at the laboratory, presented a study of universities in the Priority 2030 program, analyzing the connections between national development goals, the ESG agenda, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Russian university communication. The researchers discussed prospects for developing international comparative analysis and the potential for comparing Russian data with international practices.

"Today, it is especially important to create research that simultaneously addresses domestic needs and remains relevant to the international academic community. We see great potential in developing cross-country comparative analysis—from studying national university support programs to the broader framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This approach allows us to develop research that is useful for both Russian audiences and international partners," noted Anna Ivanova.

A separate section of the conference was devoted to research on social entrepreneurship in Russia. Varvara Kulkova and Polina Mironova presented the laboratory's current projects, which focus on the development of social entrepreneurship, mechanisms of social impact, and the application of research findings in educational programs and practice-oriented initiatives.

The research presented at the conference served as the basis for an expert discussion with colleagues from universities participating in the international consortium of social entrepreneurship mirror laboratories and other international partner organizations.