EDUCATION > BELARUS

European universities open up for Belarus students Belarus remains the only European state which has not joined www.enpi-info.eu the Bologna Process, aimed at the creation of a single European space for university education. For about 400,000 students from Belarus – unlike their peers from Europe, Russia, Ukraine and even Kazakhstan – academic mobility therefore remains a complex dream. And low incomes in most families make it all but impossible for parents to offer their children an education abroad. But there are international programmes that help young Belarusians to access university education in Europe: one of them is the European Scholarship Scheme for Young Belarusian (ESSYB), supported by the European Union, with a budget of €4 million. The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre correspondent spoke to several scholarship students, who shared their experience of education in Europe. Text by Vitaly Chuyasov Pictures by AFP © EU/Neighbourhood INFO CENTRE

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MINSK - A small cellar-café in the centre of Minsk is decorated in the style of an Agatha N Participants at the European Scholarship Christie TV series and called “My English Granny”. By coincidence, four out of the six Scheme for Young participants at our meeting have chosen to study at British universities under the Eu- Belarusian (ESSYB). ropean Scholarship Scheme for Young Belarusians, or ESSYB (previously called Open Europe Scholarship Scheme), although this programme has seen young people from Belarus admitted at universities in 12 different EU countries. Several thousand applications were submitted for the scholarships. The jury – made up of EU representatives, the Nordic Council of Ministers and independent educational experts – selected 76 candidates. The selection was made EU Neighbourhood Info Centre according to academic achievements, an active life stand and knowl- Feature no. 136 edge of English. It was also important that candidates were willing to apply in their own country the knowledge received abroad upon their return home. All the candidates who joined the programme were surprised at how straightforward they had found the scholarship process, which also

This is a series of features on projects funded by the EU Regional Programme, prepared by journalists and photographers on the ground or the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre. © 2014 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre

EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – Feature no. 136

European universities open up for Belarus students

involved an interview in Vilnius – the capital of the EU member state closest to Minsk, Lithuania. It was there that the European Scholarship programme members came again in March 2014 to meet each other and discuss how their experience could be put to better use for the good of Belarus.

Seeing things in a broader context

“People who go to Europe get a conception of these values, get experience and connections. Thanks to the modern means of communication, they do not lose contact with their former environment, and they become Belarusian ‘agents of influence’ abroad”

Obviously, all the scholars have their own vision of their career and future. However, according to Artyom Semenchikov who studied at Edinburgh University, people who were educated abroad “see things in a broader context”. Artyom’s field of interest is information technologies. When the competition was announced, he already owned a start-up, so it was more difficult for him to leave his business and go to study in a different part of Europe than it was for other candidates who submitted their applications for bachelor courses. Vitaly Sizov, another member of the scholarship programme, has already started to put into practice the skills and competences that he acquired during his course at Manchester University – one of the best ones, he thinks, in the field of IT-management. There is no institution in Belarus training students in this profession, so according to Vitaly, “people are learning from their own mistakes”. The cost of living and tuition in European and American universities does not allow students from Belarus to study there without the support of programmes such as ESSYB. Natalia Romanyuk, who has received a Master of Law degree from the Catholic University in Lyons, is of the same opinion: “In France, the cost of tuition as such is not so high, even by our standards, but without the scholarship we, foreign students, could never cover our everyday expenses.” Natalia also thinks that European universities offer better conditions to those who are really gifted and eager to study.

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“In Europe, everything is based on critique. It is only natural that you should defend your opinion, even during the examination.”

The importance of independent thinking All noted the same key differences between the two educational systems. “In Belarus, the educational process is based on memorizing the ‘absolute truths’ provided by the lecturer,” says Vitaly Sizov. “In Europe, everything is based on critique. It is only natural that you should defend your opinion, even during the examination.” Ksenia Shvedova, who graduated at the School of Slavonic and East-European Studies at London University, is of the same opinion: “In Belarus, we get a lot of information during the course, while in Europe we are taught independent thinking.” Ksenia had an opportunity of hands-on experience: after her course she was offered a job at one of the leading auditing firms of the London Big Four. She hopes this experience may one day come useful for her homeland. Apart from the differences in academic approach, the whole atmosphere at European universities is different from that in Belarus. Students and professors can enter into discussions on equal terms, and there are annual elections to the student governing bodies, accompanied by leaflets and heated debates. Maxim Dodonov is studying engineering at Warwick University; he began to take an active part in student life while still at preliminary courses, and became vice-president of the Russian-speaking community, one of the 300 student clubs at the University. “The clubs can be very different, ranging from academic and professional ones to Harry Potter fans. They arrange various events, projects, outings – in short, they are an excellent source of information.” Varvara Borisevich, whose subject at a Finnish university is conflictology – a field totally unique for the post-Soviet countries – comments on one more psychological difference: “Initiative is not punished, but rather encouraged here. You can come forward with your idea, and if it is considered promising you will get financial support.”

N Natalia Romanyuk.

EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – Feature no. 136

European universities open up for Belarus students

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‘Europe is defined by a system of values’

“Initiative is not punished, but rather encouraged here. You can come forward with your idea, and if it is considered promising you will get financial support.”

The authorities in Belarus are treating such scholarship programmes with caution, fearing they might stimulate a “brain drain”. However, ESSYB from the very start set out the criteria that students should be of use to their own country on their return. “Before I started my course in Switzerland, I had a very one-sided view of Belarus,” says Yevgeny Semenkevich, who is studying at a business school in Geneva. “Now my outlook has changed. With the exception of the economic variable, Belarus is just the country for me.” Vitaly Sizov, on the other hand, does not think any worse of those who do not return home after their course, or decide to return only later: “It is important to understand that Europe is not defined by any territorial borders: Europe is defined by a system of values. And people who go there get a conception of these values, get experience and connections. Thanks to modern means of communication, they do not lose contact with their former environment, and they become Belarusian ‘agents of influence’ abroad.” ESSYB – which has just closed its application process in the new call for candidates to read for master’s programmes in 2015/2016 - is far from the only program available to Belarusians: the country has also joined both Tempus and Erasmus Mundus, the EUfunded programmes for the exchange of students and academic expertise between Europe and its neighbouring countries. Erasmus Mundus supports students in their efforts to study at a European university for one or two years, while on a different level Tempus provides opportunities for higher education institutions. All these programmes are powerful instruments to strengthen education, and to promote European values and ideals throughout the world. For students from Belarus, Europe is not far.

N The scholarship holders gathered in Minsk to talk to the Info Centre journalist

European Scholarship Scheme for Young Belarusians (ESSYB) www.essyb.eu The purpose of ESSYB is to contribute to a democratic and prosperous development in Belarus by giving young Belarusians access to higher education without ideological bias and according to internationally accepted academic standards. Through ESSYB, Belarusians may apply for scholarships for studies at Universities across Europe. The scholarship programme is open to all young Belarusians, who meet the necessary academic, linguistic and personal requirements. The Programme is financed by the European Union and managed by the Nordic Council of Ministers. To find out more ESSYB: second call for applications www.essyb.eu/en/main/students/introduction Eu Neighbourhood country fiche: Belarus www.enpi-info.eu/countryeast.php?country=58 EU Neighbourhood thematic page: Education and Training www.enpi-info.eu/themeeast.php?subject=11 Delegation of the European Union to Belarus http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/belarus/index_en.htm

EU Neighbourhood Info Centre An ENPI project The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre is an EU-funded Regional Communication project highlighting the partnership between the EU and Neighbouring countries. The project is implemented by Action Global Communications.

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