Experience in SSE Riga

Both Kseniya and Yauheniya studied in Belarus before coming to Riga, and thus have experienced some of the higher education culture in Belarus. Kseniya was a student in Belarusian State University while Yauheniya studied in the Belarus State Economic University. When they learned about the grants available to Belarusians to study in SSE Riga, the girls took the entrance exams and were among the few lucky applicants to be admitted.

While the financial considerations definitely played a role in their decision to study in SSE Riga, the international recognition of the university was crucial to the students. They admit to having checked with international university rankings and being impressed with SSE Riga’s high standing, especially in comparison to Belarusian higher education institutions (HEIs). Our interviewees say they prefer the “European style of education” carried out by SSE Riga, meaning that teaching is more practically oriented compared to the theory-based approach in Belarus. They also feel more taken care of by the university here in SSE Riga and appreciate the highly developed infrastructure that helps with learning, for instance, there is a variety of study rooms in the faculty, enabling the students to work on their projects and interact with each other. Such a setting contributes to the group learning process as well as creates a unified and integrated student body, something the girls say they never experienced in Belarus.

Higher education system in Belarus

In Belarus, tertiary education policy is based on three pillars: availability of education, its quality and financial efficiency. The regulation of higher education draws mainly on the Constitution (established in 1994) and the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Education of 13 January 2011. Starting from 2008, Belarus has introduced new higher education standards, based on a competence approach and compatible with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). This change is expected to promote the international recognition of the education and facilitate student mobility.

Higher education includes two stages in Belarus. The first stage enables the student to obtain a specialist’s diploma in a certain area of expertise and specialisation (Diplomirovannyj Specialist). These programmes typically take five years to complete and are comparable to a Bachelor’s degree. The second stage can take the form of a research or professionally oriented Master programme. It takes 1 to 2 years to obtain a Magistr degree. Postgraduate education can take the form of postgraduate courses – aspirantura, adjunktura (military), assistentura (probation period) and Doctor of Science (doktorantura), leading to a Candidate of Science degree, comparable to a PhD.

There are four types of HEIs in Belarus:

• Classical universities, providing two-level education in a variety of profiles and fields, as well as postgraduate education, and functioning as research centres.
• Profile universities, providing two-level and postgraduate education in a few key profiles (fields), and carrying out fundamental and applied research.
• Institutes provide two-level education in one or two areas of expertise and carry out research in these areas.
• Higher College provides first level education in combination with specialised secondary education in some areas of expertise.

Out of the 55 officially recognised HEIs, 45 are public and 10 – private, and the vast majority of students attend public universities. Our interviewees say the state universities are more trustworthy than the private institutions and overall have a better reputation in Belarus. Belarus, therefore, follows the general pattern in Europe, with the majority of HEIs being public.

Most of the funding for HEIs in Belarus comes from the state budget. Public universities supplement the state funding with income from tuition fees, research and business activities, and sponsors. Private universities, however, do not receive any state financing and are sustained by income from their founders, sponsors and payments by students.

Studying in Belarus

The enrolment rate in higher education has risen continuously since Belarus gained independence in 1991. There are currently about 470 students per 10,000 people in Belarus, comparing to only 396 students per 10,000 on average in the European Union (EU-27).

Admission policy in Belarus is very similar to that of Latvia. All citizens of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are eligible for tuition-free education in the public HEIs. These ‘budget places’ are allocated using a competitive merit-based system. The applicants are evaluated by their grade point average on the school leaving certificate and their score in an entrance exam. Those unsuccessful at obtaining the ‘budget place’ can still be admitted into the program and pay a tuition fee, which can range from approximately EUR 750 to EUR 3,000 per year, depending on the field and the institution.

The quota for students enrolled on a tuition-free basis in different study programs is defined by the government, in accordance with the national demand for trained specialists in key fields. There is also a certain number of ‘budget places’ for students from rural areas. Filling this quota can sometimes curb competition, as less talented applicants from rural areas are preferred in the admission process.

Students in full-time programs in the public HEIs are entitled to a monthly scholarship if their academic record is good. The amount of the scholarship varies with the type of HEI and the study field. Socially less protected students can qualify for a social allowance, but highly talented students are granted special scholarships.

Kseniya and Yauheniya say certain problems arise with the existing system of tuition-free studies. School leavers are very eager to obtain a tuition-free place at a public university and therefore base their study decisions on the availability of ‘budget places’ in a certain program, rather than their own interest in the field. Similar to Latvia, Belarus also struggles to attract enough students in the fields of natural sciences and there is excess supply of tuition-free places in certain programs, especially in Natural Sciences. Just this year, the application deadline for the University of Latvia was extended due to the high amount of unfilled ‘budget places’.

Russia is the destination for most of the young Belarusians who want to study abroad. Education in Russia is free for Belarusians, and it is much more accessible than education in Western Europe. According to Kseniya and Yauheniya, it is the most talented of Belarusians who go to Russia for studies. The access to higher education there is competitive, but the degrees are very prestigious and provide a high professional qualification.

The HEIs in Belarus have increasingly participated in international projects during the recent years. As a part of the EU Tempus programme, the current situation in higher education was studied and improvements were suggested. The higher education system in Belarus corresponds to the formal criteria of the Bologna process now, but it is still guided by national interests. The application of the Tempus project promotes innovative approaches to teaching as well as reorganisation and optimisation of the structure of HEIs. It has increased the role of students in the higher education governance and a new curriculum has been introduced. Belarus has also taken part in Erasmus Mundus partnerships to improve the cooperation with other countries in all stages of higher education.

Current issues and future prospects

Kseniya and Yauheniya are not planning to return to Belarus quickly after graduating from SSE Riga. They say studying here in Riga has made them realise how many education and career opportunities there are all over the world.

The higher education in Belarus has a lot of tradition and a rich heritage from the Soviet era. The educational standard in fields like technical sciences and engineering is very high. That being said, higher education in Belarus is still quite isolated and lacks international ties. Steps have been taken to make the system more compatible with the rest of Europe; however, Belarus is still not a part of the Bologna system.

Belarus applied for a membership in the Bologna Process, but received rejection due to doubts about its commitment to academic freedom. This leaves Belarus the only European country not a part of the system. Consequently, the international mobility of Belarusian students is limited. The higher education system in Belarus is hard to change, but strongly calls for modernisation, agree our interviewees. The Bachelor’s degree usually takes five years to complete, but up to 20% of time is spent on courses that are irrelevant to the degree; similarly, the examination methods are old-fashioned and inefficient. Belarus needs to implement changes in order to open up and modernise its higher education system and become a part of the European Higher Education Area.

Conclusion

Higher education in Belarus is characterised by wide accessibility and emphasis on long periods of study. It excels especially in the technical fields of study. Despite the high enrolment rates, tertiary education system in Belarus remains underdeveloped. Public universities dominate the field, but their political independence is questionable. The system lacks integration in the European Higher Education Area although the education institutions have taken steps towards internationalisation. By continuing to provide excellent education in the technical fields while liberating and modernising the higher education system Belarus can improve the quality of its institutions and increase the opportunities for its youth.