Press releases

MINSK, 5 October (BelTA) – Belarusian universities will take part in four new projects subsequent to the results of a contest of the Erasmus+ program, BelTA learned from Nikolai Listopad, Director of the Central Information and Analysis Center of the Belarusian Education Ministry.

According to the official, in 2014 the European Commission’s higher education programs Tempus and Erasmus Mundus were replaced by the Erasmus+ program. Designed to run till 2020, the program targets education, vocational training, and sport.

Nikolai Listopad said: “The Belarusian State University will take part in the four projects. One of the projects will be implemented on national terms. The program requires participation of at least three universities from the European Union member states as well as at least two universities from at least two partnering states. If a project is implemented in national terms, then only one partnering state is allowed to participate, with at least three universities required to participate.” Each of the four projects will last 36 months.

As many as ten partners will take part in the first project that will refresh post-graduate education curricula with regard to physical sciences in compliance with requirements of Bologna reforms. The project will be coordinated by the Riga Technical University.

The second project envisages the development of networking infrastructure for supporting youth innovative businesses on fablab platforms. As many as 20 organizations will take part in the project. They will be coordinated by Buckinghamshire New University.

The third project provides for supporting library networks, modernizing libraries in Armenia, Moldova, and Belarus by enhancing library personnel and reforming the libraries. As many as 12 partners and four associated partners are going to participate in the project. They will be coordinated by the Public Administration Academy of Armenia.

The fourth project envisages the development of approaches and harmonization of complex strategies for internationalizing higher education, scientific research and innovations in the European Union and partnering states. The project will be coordinated by the University of Seville.

Since 1994 Belarus has taken part in 64 projects envisaged by the education programs Tempus and Erasmus Mundus (54 joint projects and ten projects on structural measures). In the period as many as 29 Belarusian universities, including 28 state-run ones, have taken part in the programs. At present 21 projects of the Erasmus Mundus program are in progress. According to the source, significant results in the area of ecology, renewable sources of energy, and university administration automation have been secured.