Victoria Vladimirovna Panova is a leading Russian expert on BRICS, the G20, civil society diplomacy, international education, and academic cooperation. Since 2024, she has served as Head of the BRICS Expert Council in Russia. She is also the Russian W20 Sherpa, a position she has held since 2015, and Co-Chair of the W20 Working Group on Education, STEM, and the Digital Divide. From 2022 to 2026, she served as Vice Rector for International Relations at HSE University, where she contributed to the institution’s global engagement, strategic partnerships, and international academic mobility.
Previously, Dr. Panova served as Vice President for International Relations at Far Eastern Federal University from 2017 to 2022 and as Dean of its School of Oriental Studies. Earlier in her career, she held senior academic and administrative positions at MGIMO University. Since 2015, she has co-chaired the Civil BRICS process and helped establish the BRICS Civil Forum and BRICS Academic Forum. She is also a member of the BRICS Think Tank Council and previously served as Regional Director for Russia at the G8 Research Group of the University of Toronto. Her expertise includes BRICS and G20 cooperation, women’s economic empowerment, civil society engagement, strategic research, international partnerships, and academic mobility.
