Research students

Express your opinion on the acceptance of Belarus to the Bologna Process.
Read the text on the educational policy in the Republic
of Belarus. State the message of each paragraph of the text.


Belarus: Education in the 21^st Century
Many countries consider education a major vehicle of social advancement. Training of highly qualified specialists, capable of solving the most complex problems of modern society is the main priority of higher education. The efforts of our scientists have always been focused on the fundamental problems of humanities, natural and social sciences.
At the end of the century the system of higher and further education in Belarus underwent a process of great reforms. They were initiated to provide closer links between education and technological needs of industry. The major significance of the reforms was to move toward the democratization of university administration and the “humanitarization” of the educational process in terms of students’ individual aptitudes and needs.
A distinguishing feature of our universities is that they are becoming internationally oriented. We have joined the European Cultural Convention which enables us to participate in all projects concerning higher and further education, academic mobility and recognition of qualification. The universities also expand their cooperation with such authoritative international organizations as UNESCO and the Council of Europe.
The need to make education more democratic and universal arises from the fact that our country is integrating into the European community. Issues such as environment, exchanges rate and economic competition, public health, national security, poverty, population control and human rights affect every country domestically as well as internationally.
The characteristic feature and the main trend in modern higher and further education is not only to check students’ knowledge but develop their abilities and creative thinking. Today’s scientific and technological progress demands of the university graduates to be prepared to deepen their knowledge individually and adapt themselves quickly to the changes in science or industry.
Much has already been done and is being done to transform the national system of education. A wide range of non-state schools, colleges and institutes have been introduced.
Of course, university education in Belarus still faces a great variety of problems, connected with introduction of new disciplines, retraining of the faculty, reorienting university policies and programs towards new goals. But if we want to prosper in the new environment of the 21^st century, our universities must truly orient themselves around new goals.