Press releases

MINSK, 17 May (BelTA) – Belarus will develop the double degree programs as it accedes to the Bologna Process, Belarusian Education Minister Mikhail Zhuravkov said in an interview with the ONT TV Channel on 17 May, BelTA has learned.

The minister talked about the impact of the Bologna Process on the national education system. “We will align our majors with those that are studied in other European countries. We will develop the double degree programs jointly with the universities of other European states,” he noted. Besides, from now Belarusian education certificates will have a supplement recognized in all the countries of Europe.

Belarus expects that more students from other European countries will be coming to study. In turn, Belarusian students will be credited the courses they attend abroad.

As for the mandatory work placement for Belarusian students who have found a job abroad, the issue needs to be thoroughly discussed including at the legislative level, Mikhail Zhuravkov explained.

BelTA informed earlier that Belarus' accession to the Bologna Process was approved by the resolution of European education ministers last week.

The ideas for the European University Community and the Single European Space of Higher Education come from Italy's oldest University of Bologna. In 1986 getting ready to mark its 900th anniversary the university addressed all the universities of Europe with a request to adopt the Magna Charta Universitarum. The idea was supported and in 1988 the document that celebrates university traditions and encourages bonds amongst European universities was signed by rectors of 80 universities. In 1999 Bologna hosted the first conference of 30 European education ministers. They adopted a declaration on the European Higher Education Area that defined the main goals for the achievement of consistency and the harmonization of national education systems of higher education in the European countries. The declaration gave start to the Bologna Process.