Reforming Higher Education in Belarus and TEMPUS

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Reforming Higher Education in Belarus and TEMPUS

• Prof. Ihar Hancharonak
• National TEMPUS Office in Belarus

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Higher Education in Belarus Present State

• 55 higher education establishments(HEI) (state
  -43, private - 12),
• which are under jurisdiction of 13 ministries and
  state bodies
• Administration of the President of Belarus-1
• Belarusian Cooperation Union-1
• Brest Regional Executive Committee-1
• Council of Ministers-1
• Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry-4
• Ministry of Communication and Information
  Science-1
• Ministry of Culture-3
• Ministry of Defense-1
• Ministry of Education-21
• Ministry of Internal Affairs-3
• Ministry of Public Health-4
• Ministry of sport and Tourism-1
• State Aviation Committee-1

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4 Types of Higher Education Institutons in Belarus

• Classical University
• Profile University
• Institute
• Higher College
• More then 360 students per 10 000 population

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National Curriculum

• 4500-5700 instruction hours or 4-5-year period of
  study
• Structure
• humanities and social courses-25-35
• general science and general professional
  disciplines-35-45
• special disciplines-25-30
• disciplines of specialization-10-15

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New Legislative and Conceptual Acts on Higher
Education

• Concept of Development of Higher Education
  Belarus
• Act of Council of Ministers On preparation of
  Specialists with Higher Education(2001)
• Act of Council of Ministers Program of
  Development of Higher Education in the Regions of
  Belarus(2001)
• Act of the Council of Ministers Program of
  Development of Post-Diploma Education in Belarus
  at the Leading Higher Education
  Institutions(2001)

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Law of the Republic of Belarus

• On Higher Education (June 14, 2007) is almost
  totally coherent with the Bologna Process

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Republic of Belarus in the Bologna Area
2003
2005
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Bologna Indicators

• Quality Assurance (internal and external)
• Quality Assurance, Control and Management in
  higher education is provided by the President,
  Ministry of Education (Dept. of Quality Control,
  Rectors Council) on the basis of system of
  National Educational Standards. Procedure for
  internal QA has been elaborated and implemented
  into practice by the Ministry of Education under
  procedures of attestation and accreditation.

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Qualificationsframework -Referenceframework-
Min. of Education Bologna-Process
Levels of Qualifications- -Specialist -Master -
Doctorat
Levels of Qualifications
Described by bundling learning
outcomes according to descriptors
Knowledge and understanding
Skills
Applying ku
Making judgements
Knowledge Under- standing
Competences
Communication
Learn to learn
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Recognition (ECTS, Diploma Supplement, Europass,
Lisbon Recognition Convention)

• ECTS has been introduced on the experimental
  level only at the Belarusian State University as
  result of TEMPUS Project.
• Recognition of Diplomas of Higher Education is
  provided by the Ministry of Education with
  assistance of the Belarusian ENIC Office.
  Doctoral Degrees (3rd Cycle) are recognized by
  the Highest Attestation Committee of Belarus.
• National Frameworks of Qualifications has been
  elaborated.
• Award and recognition of Joint Degrees is under
  consideration of Ministry of Education.
• Closer links between education and research are
  built within the Concept of Development of
  Science in Belarus till 2015 and the
  corresponding Program of Implementation.
• Flexible learning paths are introduced to the
  National Standards.

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MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH IN
BELARUS
 
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"Laser" Model of Effective Management
 
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TEMPUS in Past

• Catalisator of Changes in
• Curricula
• Structure
• Management
• People

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TEMPUS in Future

• ?
• Bologna Process
• Society

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National priorities (Joint Projects)

• Curricular Reform
• Governance Reform
• With the following components
• Modernisation of Curricular
• European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and
  recognition of degrees
• Introduction of Quality Assurance

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Academic disciplines

• Business Study with Technologies
• Electric Engineering and Telecommunications
• Energy

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Problems

• Cultural Difference (including academic culture)
• 235 in Belarusian Academic Community
• 2332 in French Academic Community
• or
• the simpler the better in the West
• simplicity is worse than stealing in the East
• Different Management Systems
• Universities are managed top-down in Belarus

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Last but not...

• We are still optimists and
• Propaganda developers for TEMPUS

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Conclusions

• John Gardner Dilemma
• In questions of mind, there is no medium term
  either we look for the best (TEMPUS) or we live
  with the worst (without TEMPUS)

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Thank you very much !
E-mail gancher_at_pacademy.edu.by ???. (375-172)
228362
Ihar Hancharonak, NTO in Belarus