Reading is not a popular pastime for young people today. Classic and modern literature often lose out to fantasy fiction, which is often made into films and videogames and allows young readers to become viewers and participants of an alternate reality, according to Lyubov Borusiak, Associate Professor of the HSE School of Integrated Communications, who presented the findings from her study of young readers' preferences at the HSE's XVI April International Academic Conference.

In an environment where the natural-resources growth model is exhausted, human capital becomes the Russian economy's key competitive advantage. The problem of how the state, business and citizens can develop and invest in it was the main theme for the plenary discussion 'Social Policy Priorities' which took place on 7 April at the HSE's XVI April International Confernce on Modernizing the Economy and Society.

In Russia, demand for law comes primarily from the state rather than from society. The adoption of simple and clear directly effective laws, the expansion of juries and the active use of information technologies could enhance interest on the part of the citizenry in issues of law and law enforcement, noted participants in the plenary session ‘Demand for Law: Factors and Driving Forces’, which was held at the XVI April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development at HSE.

Some university teachers, but not all, are involved in their school's affairs and tend to take its failures personally and celebrate its successes as their own. Some teachers are willing to work weekends, help their colleagues and engage in various extracurricular activities, while others stick firmly to their job descriptions and rarely agree to do anything not expressly stated in their contract. According to Andrey Lovakov, Junior Research Fellow at the HSE International Research Laboratory for Institutional Analysis of Economic Reforms, what makes a difference between the former and the latter is the level of commitment to their institution determined by a number of factors.

High rates of mortality, early death and poor health are the main problems affecting elderly Russians—who nevertheless continue to work and help their children and grandchildren. The state's policy for older citizens should focus on providing better access to quality health care and creating opportunities for Russians aged 50 and over to contribute as volunteers and continue their education, according to participants of the HSE seminar 'Active Aging in the Context of Social Policy: How to Measure It'.

Consumerist culture, the marital market, mass media and the entertainment industry all impose stringent standards on the female body—it has to be sexy, healthy and thin. Young women’s obsession with the slim body ideal supported by social networks can indicate serious neurotic disorders. Some online pro-anorexia groups of high school and college students romanticise excessive weight loss and take pride in using their willpower to suppress their appetite, found researchers Darya Litvina and Polina Ostroukhova of the HSE branch in St. Petersburg.

Whether a potential employee's values match those of the company plays a significant role in hiring for major international companies, even though recruiters in Russia may not be consciously aware of this factor, since these values are not given much attention in the Russian corporate culture. Physical appearance is another important factor in job applicant selection, found Professor Veronica Kabalina and Master's graduate Anna Pakhomova of the HSE Faculty of Management.

Quantum cryptography is an almost perfect method of encrypting sensitive data. Information sent over quantum cryptography networks cannot be intercepted without distortion, and any attempt at eavesdropping can be easily detected. However, the problem with quantum cryptography is that it only works over relatively short distances. A team of researchers of the HSE Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM) Department of Quantum Optics and Telecommunications has developed and tested a system capable of increasing the transmission distance by an order of magnitude.

For a business startup to grow and thrive, its employees should have a vested interest in its success. Employee incentives may include bonuses, equity and profit sharing, recognition of accomplishments, opportunities for career development, and flexible work schedules. But being inspired by a new challenge and proud of work well done can motivate people even more effectively, according to Olga Gaponova, Associate Professor at the Department of General and Strategic Management, HSE Branch in Nizhny Novgorod.

The age profile of marriage in Russia is changing. A growing number of people are getting married for the first time above the age of 25. Remarriages have also shifted along the time axis, which indicates a change in matrimonial habits. Early marriages have become less popular and the average age of men and women getting married has increased, says Sergei Zakharov, deputy director of the HSE Institute of Demography.

The larger the household, the greater the likelihood that it will escape poverty. Each member of a large family pays less for housing, food, clothing and furniture due to economies of scale. They have lower transport and telecommunications expenses than members of small families do, say Kseniya Abanokova, Junior Research Fellow at the Centre for Labour Market Studies, and Michael Lokshin, Leading Research Fellow at the Centre.

Russia is entering a period of decline in first marriages. The 1990s generation now reaching marrying age is not numerous; and in addition, people now tend to marry at a later age. However, the upcoming decline in marriages is nothing new—Russia experienced a similar situation both thirty and fifty years ago, according to Sergei Zakharov, Deputy Director of the HSE's Institute of Demography.