INSTITUTE FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES DEVELOPMENT

The Higher School of Economics (HSE) is ranked among the top 40 young universities worldwide (QS). It consistently appears in leading international educational rankings such as QS, THE, ARWU, and U.S. News Best Global Universities by Subject.

The Institute for Creative Industries Development is one of HSE’s key divisions, serving as a center of expertise in designing and implementing educational programs and technologies, as well as conducting research and analysis of the creative economy and its industries.

Our academic programs are led by top industry practitioners—including representatives of companies in the creative sector, members of creative industry associations, entrepreneurs, managers, and researchers.
 

To serve as a platform for developing and implementing public and government projects that encourage active collaboration among professionals, communities, local authorities, and institutions within the creative industries.

To meet today’s challenges in education and research by training highly qualified specialists who blend creative and entrepreneurial skills, addressing the shortage of professionals ready for modern industry demands.

We focus on developing the creative economy and establishing infrastructure that empowers creative businesses, while promoting public engagement in creative entrepreneurship.

Education

Our academic programs—bachelor’s, master’s, and continuing education—are designed to prepare specialists in high demand across today’s creative industries, combining creative thinking with project management, business, and research skills.

From their first year, students engage in project-based learning, developing real-world initiatives such as city festivals, contemporary art exhibitions, or digital products. Along the way, they gain hands-on experience with digital tools and build a solid theoretical foundation in cultural studies and communication history.

Our programs are available in multiple formats: on-campus, online, and hybrid. Many also offer English-language tracks.

Nota Bene: For information on cooperative academic programs, dual diploma options, or student exchanges, please contact us at creative@hse.ru.

An advanced undergraduate program that combines management skills with deep expertise in the development of the creative industries.

By the end of the program, each student will have built a professional project portfolio and launched a fully developed, sustainable startup—from concept to release—applying a complete set of contemporary organizational, marketing, and financial strategies.

Each student’s academic trajectory is shaped by their chosen specialization:

•    Digital Product Creation and Product Management 
•    Curatorship and Art Management
•    Launching and Managing a Media Startup
•    Management in the Audiovisual Industries
•    Event Design and Experience Economy 

The program is grounded in leading Russian and international practices for creating, managing, developing, and promoting creative projects and products.

The Master’s program Management in Creative Industries is designed to train professionals in managing organizations and communities within the creative sector, leading creative projects, and launching startups and business ventures in the creative industries.

Students of the program will master the following skills:

  • Project and startup development: Creating concepts for projects or startups in the creative industries, conducting preliminary research, and analyzing regulatory frameworks and market trends.
  • Business and market analysis: Applying business technologies, planning and forecasting methods, and market research techniques—including the use of professional software and AI tools—to shape effective project strategies and define business models.
  • Team and resource management: Leading project teams, setting tasks, preparing reports and presentations for external audiences, and developing funding applications for investors, grants, crowdfunding, and other platforms.
  • Applied research in the creative economy: Integrating findings from current academic and applied research into the development of projects and startups in the creative industries.

Explore the student portfolio from the academic programs of the Institute for Creative Industries Development: https://hse.space/creative/.

Areas of expertise

RESEARCH

 

  • Analysis of the creative industries sector, including assessment of the creative economy’s status in Russia and its regions, and identification of key factors driving ecosystem development.
  • Exploration of opportunities to increase the capitalization of intangible assets within the creative industries.
  • Study of conditions for production, distribution, and promotion of goods and services from domestic creative industries.
  • Investigation into the need for accessible and geographically balanced infrastructure for creative industries, including creative clusters, incubators, and shared-use centers for specialized equipment.
  • Assessment of ways to enhance cultural connectivity through restoration of historical and cultural monuments, preservation of valuable urban heritage sites, and development of networks of historical and cultural reserves

DEVELOPMENT

 

  • Proposals to create an inclusive institutional environment and infrastructure supporting creative self-realization and employment for women, youth, and persons with disabilities in the creative industries.
  • Initiatives to advance education systems and develop competencies essential for creative industries and entrepreneurship, with a focus on fostering conditions for self-realization among women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
  • Measures to preserve historical and cultural heritage, identity, and traditional knowledge, including local cultural contexts and raw materials; revitalization and scaling of folk arts and crafts; and integration of these traditions into modern goods and services.
  • Strategies to promote author, event, creative, cultural, and historical tourism.

 

Nota Bene: For collaboration on research projects, academic partnerships, or internship opportunities, please contact us at creative@hse.ru.

Projects

CREATIVE HUB

CREATIVE HUB is a vibrant platform for discussion and research that highlights the opportunities and projects of the Institute for Creative Industries Development and the HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. It serves as a bridge connecting customers, partners, and colleagues through collaboration and the exchange of ideas.

The CREATIVE HUB program offers a diverse range of events, including business conferences, round tables, master classes, workshops, TED and artist talks, open lectures, festivals, and video screenings. Each event integrates research and project components, emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach.
 

Creative.HSE Digest

Creative.HSE Digest is a regular publication from the Institute for Creative Industries Development at HSE. It features reviews of key events and research, keeping readers updated on the latest scientific developments and best practices. The digest also covers legislative initiatives and showcases notable regional and federal cases in the creative industries.

Tourism Laboratory

The Tourism Laboratory is part of the Institute for Creative Industries Development at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. It undertakes practical and research projects focused on tourism.

Areas of activity include:

  • Conducting field research on the tourism sector in specific regions, including student expeditions
  • Developing projects based on research findings
  • Preparing scientific and practical publications from research results
  • Participating in tourism-related events such as exhibitions, conferences, and round tables to present research outcomes
  • Organizing competitions tailored to the interests of specific clients (Open Calls)
  • Preparing grant applications and securing other project funding
  • Developing tourism-related ratings and rankings
  • Organizing student business events centered on tourism topics

Incubator-Accelerator of Creative Startups

The Incubator-Accelerator offers residents a digital platform, mentoring, marketing and PR support, resources, and essential education to launch and sustain successful startups in creative entrepreneurship.

Regional Creative Potential Rating

The Regional Creative Potential Rating is conducted regularly in partnership with the All-Russian R&C Research Centre. It identifies key factors that shape the creative environment and evaluates their impact on the socio-economic development of various regions.

Creativecity.Academy

Creativecity.Academy

Creativecity.Academy is a digital platform that unites educational initiatives, creative projects, and people within a modern media environment. The platform supports the development of regional creative potential and effectively showcases the achievements of creative clusters.

Collection of Russian Brands

This collaborative project with the All-Russian R&C Research Centre gathers comprehensive data on prominent regional Russian brands. It also analyzes trends and development dynamics within this sector of marketing.

Nota Bene: If you’re interested in joint projects, competitions, or events, please contact us at creative@hse.ru.