Professor Elena Vakulenko took part in Joint Workshop "Current Issues in Labour Market and Human Capital Dynamics"

HSE University

On December 12, 2025, the Faculty of Economic Sciences at HSE University and the School of Economics at Shanghai University held a joint online research workshop. Focusing on topics in labour market dynamics, human capital formation, and economic development, the event fostered a productive dialogue between Russian and Chinese scholars.

Researchers from the School of Economics at Shanghai University presented studies addressing child poverty measurement, the effects of migration on household energy use, and how venture capital markets adapt to institutional shocks in the high-tech sector.

Scholars from HSE University also addressed socio‑economic challenges relevant to both developed and developing economies. Elena S. Vakulenko presented her paper, “Mortgage and Childbirth: Opportunity or Burden?”, examining how mortgage burdens and preferential lending programs influence reproductive decisions of Russian families. Ksenia V. Rozhkova’s study, “Labour Market Returns to Master’s Degree”, quantified the wage premium associated with master’s‑level education in Russia. Finally, Soubhagya Sahoo shared findings from his research “Informing the Search: A Field Experiment in an Urban Labor Market”, which demonstrated how targeted information affects job search efficiency and employment outcomes.

The workshop highlighted the high quality of contemporary research at both institutions. Such exchanges not only underscore the shared academic interests of HSE University and Shanghai University but also establish a strong foundation for further collaboration in economic research.