E. Styrin's internship at the University of Macau

Evgeny M. Styrin, Head of the International Laboratory for Digital Transformation in Public Administration, completed an internship and exchanged experiences with colleagues from the Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Macau (from April 21 to 26, 2025).

During the program, E. Styrin gave two lectures and exchanged views with participants in two key areas: methodology for digital transformation research and the status of digital transformation in public administration in the Russian Federation.

Despite differences in governance systems, particular interest was shown in the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies in public administration, the management of this process, and approaches to evaluating the effects of such implementations. The Department of Public Administration expressed interest in conducting comparative analyses of national policies on digitalization, smart city governance, healthcare, and public opinion integration into government decision-making. 

Considering cultural specificities and relations with Chinese partners, discussions were held with eight representatives of academic staff from universities in Macau and Hong Kong to present the achievements of Styrin’s research unit and the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE) as a whole.  

An agreement was reached with Prof. Yonghong Wu, Head of the Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, to explore mechanisms for securing grant funding to initiate joint research and educational projects. Opportunities are aligned with the priority of cooperation with Russia, which requires further discussion with university leadership. 

With Prof. Ning Liu, Associate Professor at the Department of Government and International Relations, City University of Hong Kong, potential collaborations between research teams were discussed. Agreements were made to involve PhD students in joint participation at conferences. Opportunities for teaching within developed courses were highlighted, particularly in smart city topics and comparative studies between Moscow and Hong Kong. 

Similarities in research organization and mutual replication of research models were identified. While formalizing interdepartmental cooperation agreements is procedurally complex, the benefits are clear: immediate inclusion of student and faculty exchanges, joint research initiatives, and resource-sharing. Both universities are well-funded institutions, enabling diverse forms of collaboration without requiring financial contributions from the Russian side – a competitive advantage. The high professionalism of Chinese partners (95% have Western Ph.D. degrees) facilitates global academic integration, such as targeting publications in top public administration journals, leveraging the strong publication records of City University of Hong Kong and University of Macau. Integrating Chinese research insights into the Laboratory’s curriculum and professional development programs is promising. Extending mutual internships, especially for PhD students, could accelerate dissertation completion through higher-quality publications. The current positive political relations between Russia and China create a favorable environment for expanded collaboration, a critical factor in strengthening ties with Chinese partners.