About the School

The School of Asian Studies (SAS) is one of the leading Russian academic institutions in East Asian and Middle Eastern studies. It combines a strong scientific and analytical background with research and teaching covering China, Japan, Korea and the Middle East.

Since its founding in in 2010, SAS has taken a pioneering approach to combine modern Asian studies with a strong methodological and theoretical basis and deep proficiency in Asian and Middle Eastern languages, namely Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Arabic.

The school's staff, all of whom are fluent in one of several oriental languages, are renowned scholars or internationally recognised experts in East Asian and Middle Eastern studies. Among them are Prof. Andrey Karneev, Prof. Eugeny Steiner, and associate professors Mikhail Karpov and Alexey Muraviev. The staff of the SAS bring their expertise in various fields to a wide range of state and private institutions for cooperation with Asian regions, including joint state-level bodies Asian countries.

SAS takes a comprehensive approach to research and teaching in Asian Studies, combining classical academic knowledge with modern methods and practical implementation. This approach includes:

• research into the development of Asian and Middle Eastern civilisations, starting from social and cultural anthropology to modern social, political, and economic development
• correlation in studies between traditional history, culture, religions, art, literature, Asian and Middle Eastern philology and modern socio-economic and political issues
• emphasis on deep professional knowledge of various aspects of modern and classical Eastern languages for academic readings and professional communication

SAS offers two popular programmes:

• The Bachelor's in Asian studies. This is a five-year programme with two main specialisations: 'Oriental Society and Culture' and 'Political and Economic Development of the East.'
• The Master's in 'Socio-economic and Political Development of Modern Asia.' This is a two-year programme taught exclusively in English.

Some undergraduate courses and all graduate courses are offered in English.

Teaching and research interests at SAS have a clear interdisciplinary background, with a strong emphasis on Eastern societies, politics, socio-economic development, economics and business, religions, art, and the history of traditional and contemporary East Asia.

Teaching at SAS combines fundamental research in the methodology and theory of Asian and Middle Eastern societies with practical implementation of the knowledge gained. The school blends several approaches: social and cultural anthropology of Eastern societies, political and cultural development, socioeconomic studies of Asian societies, and more. SAS offers a unique opportunity to gain a professional understanding of the development of modern Asian societies and politics and the future political and socioeconomic development of these countries.

The research cluster at SAS supports several important academic projects open not only to senior researchers and professors, but also to students. This allows students to meaningfully contribute to research discussions, joint publications, and academic and analytical work from the very beginning of their time at the university.

Projects include

• research into economic and cultural connections in various countries in Asia
• research into classical scriptures and their cultural and historical context
• mutual perception of Western and Eastern cultures in history and the present
• Asian diasporas
• sociopolitical trends in contemporary Asia

In terms of international exchange, SAS cooperates closely with the programmes and research centres of leading universities such as Beijing Normal University, Shanghai University, and Guangzhou University (China); City University of Hong Kong; Sheffield University (UK); Akita University (Japan); Chung-Ang University, and Seoul Technological University (Republic of Korea); among others.

SAS also offers classes in Asian Studies to senior schoolchildren at the HSE Lyceum and leads the very popular School of Young Orientalists, which is open to anyone interested. Every year SAS holds 'Oriental Crazy Day,' giving future applicants and their parents an opportunity to attend open lectures, master classes, and training sessions and even sample Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.