Text 5 International Relations

 

International activity is an indispensable part of the University life. Its major directions are as follows:

• bilateral academic cooperation with overseas Universities and international foundations;

• participation in international academic proj­ects and programs together with overseas partners;

• providing training courses to international stu­dents;

• promoting the university abroad and analyzing relevant international information available on the Internet;

• searching for new partners for carrying out joint academic projects.

The University is constantly strengthening and expanding bilateral cooperation with the universities of Great Britain, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Germany, Spain, Italy, China, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, the Russian Federation, the U.S.A., Turkey, Ukraine, France, and Sweden. In accordance with bilateral agreements the University accomplishes academic exchanges of instructors and students, carries out research, publishes textbooks and manuals, participates in international scientific conferences, seminars and networking.

The University does a lot as a member of the Association of European Universities and the European Fund on quality management.

Supported by the Institute of enterprises management at the University Paris-1 Pantheon-Sorbonne 'France, the BSEU School of International Economic Relations established and successfully runs the Francophone, where students, alongside with the national diploma, are awarded Certificates issued by the Sorbonne.

In partnership with overseas universities, the BSEU was implementing big international projects on the basis of the European Union grants: TEMPUS TACIS, TRANSFORM, Regional Academic Partnership supported by the fund «Know-How» and the British Council.

On a permanent basis, in accordance with annually renewed agreements visiting lecturers from the USA (Civic Education and Fulbright programs), Canada (the «Leader» program), France and Germany come to teach at the University.

The BSEU has been training international students for more than 25 years. Over 100 foreign citizens from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Baltic States and the CIS countries are trained annually at a specialized preparatory department, major schools and postgraduate courses.

The University sends its undergraduate and graduate students for internships abroad and carries out the «Work and Travel» program providing the students with summer jobs abroad.

Expanding geography of international relations and cooperation testifies to the recognition and growing rep­utation of the University in the international education­al community.

Text 6 Research Work

The Belarus State Economic University is one of the leading centers of economic research in the country. Its departments carry out research in social and economic issues of forming market economy in the Republic of Belarus and the mechanism of its functioning. The areas of research include the problems of enterprise economics, management and marketing, accounting, analysis and auditing, statistics and price formation, finance and banking, commerce, and international economic relations.

University researchers take an active part in developing legislation, programs and conceptions of the socio­economic development of Belarus. They prepare reports, papers and analytical notes for the President's Administration and the Council of Ministers. They work in commissions, advisory panels and consulting councils whose activity is aimed at eliminating crisis phenomena in the national economy.

The University possesses research schools of econom­ics, accountancy, analysis and auditing, finance and banking, management, statistics, marketing, econometrics, and business law. Their existence facilitates efficient research and training scientific and teaching staff for the University and the Republic.

The Boards on defending Ph.D. and post-doctorate dissertations specialize in six research areas. There is a postgraduate school (aspirantura) and postdoctoral research school (doctorantura). Postgraduate students are trained in seven majors by 25 departments of the University.

The research findings of the University scholars are published annually in about 30 monographs and 50 textbooks and manuals holding an official recommendation of the Ministry of Education. The University organizes annually several international research conferences, in which both the University researchers and their colleagues from other Universities as well as from Poland, Spain, Germany, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine take part.

The University publishes «The BSEU Bulletin» and the newspaper «The Economist». It is a co-founder of such journals as «Accountancy, Finance and Auditing», «Belarusian Economic Journal», and «Hermes».

 

Text 7 Publishing Center

 

The changes that take place in the social and economic spheres inevitably put forward new requirements to the system of higher education as well as the quality of the information resources provided for the educational process. The establishment of the publishing center in February 1999 was one of the ways to raise a level of publications of teaching materials and the formation of the library stock.

The publishing center consists of editorial, printing, copying and marketing departments. There are good facilities at its disposal.

In spite of its «young age» (four years since its foundation), the publishing center has published 1,135 works with the total amount of more than 5,200 authors’ sheets edited so far, including text-books and teaching manuals with the Ministry of Education official recommendation (82); monographs (48); collections of scientific works and abstracts for conferences, congresses and symposia (78); educational methodological teaching manuals (including curricula) (762).

The acknowledged leaders among the national textbooks on economics published by the BSEU are as follows: «Economics» (edited by N.I. Bazylev, S.P. Gurko); «Bookkeeping in agricultural sector» (edited by A.P. Mikhalkevich); «Economic activities of enterprises and agricultural sector» (edited by P.V. Leshchilovsky, A.F. Dogil, V.S. Tonkovich); «Economic activities of commercial banks» (edited by G.I. Kravtsova); «Fundamentals of ecology and nature use» (O.S. Shimova, N.K. Sokolovsky); «Price Formation» (I.I. Poleshchuk, V.V. Tereshina).

The teaching manuals approved by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus were highly appreci­ated not only by the faculty and students of our university but of other universities, too. They are: «Economic-mathematical methods and models» (edited by A.V. Kusnetsov); «Ваnк monitoring and audit» (edited by G.I. Kravtsova); «Socio-economic statistics» (edited by S.R. Nesterovich); «Business planning in commerce» (N.N. Skriba, I.M. Mikulich, R.P. Valevich); «Advertising in tourism» (A.P. Durovich); «Philosophy» (edited by V.K. Lukashevich); «Insurance» (edited by M.A. Zaitseva, L.M. Litvinova); «Fundamentals of the diplomatic and consular service» (K.M. Zakharova, A.A. Konovalova); «Aesthetics of goods» (N.M. Ilyin); «Food-stuff commodity expertise» (edited by. O.A. Brilevsky); «Fundamentals of law» (edited by V.A. Vitushko, V.G. Tikhinya, G.B. Shishko); «Fundamentals of energy saving» (M.V. Samoilov, V.V. Panevchik, A.N. Kovalev); «Regional economics» (edited by V.I. Borisevich); «Organization of commerce» (V.N. Platonov).

The BSEU publishing center was the first in the country to start editing distance learning course books on particular subjects containing tests, tasks, lists of the recommended materials for part-time students.

University cooperation within the framework of the economic programs together with foreign universities and organizations is embodied in the joint editions of the course books on economic and law issues, and con­ference materials.

The publishing center publishes the findings of the research done at the university. They are published in collections of materials of the student national scientific conferences annually held at the university. The research work of the university faculty is published in monographs, and collections of scientific works.

The staff of the publishing center are professionals who have years of experience in publishing books.

Text 8 Library

 

The BSEU library was founded together with the establishment of the Institute of National Economy back in 1933, and it has its own rich history to its credit. At present it has 1.5 million textbooks, monographs, fiction, dissertations, journals and magazines, newspapers and other editions both on paper and in computer-versions.

It is the largest specialized collection of literature in economics in Belarus. Almost all journals of economics-related and law subjects are available there. The branches of the library are found in 5 cities of the country.

The section of rare books and manuscripts has 8,667 units, among which there are economic editions of early 19th century, encyclopedias, monographs and the university scholars' dissertations.

More than 3,000 readers come to the library depart­ments and its branches daily.

In addition to students, faculty and scholars, numer­ous specialists of enterprises and state authorities, as well as school and college students attend the library.

Within the framework of the interlibrary exchange system, the library cooperates with the National, Presidential as well as regional and foreign libraries. Technology of delivering electronic documents is being worked out.

The reading hall of foreign literature is provided with modern editions in many languages. These include original sources on economics and geography, as well as reference and encyclopedic literature, foreign magazines and newspapers, audio-visual aids for language training. All of them are actively used by students for advanced study of overseas economies. Many books were donated under the programs of International cooperation from Germany, Spain, France, the USA, and Poland.

The computer stock and technical equipment of the library are the best among the universities of the country; the electronic system of checking out books made it possible to have free access to the latest editions in the reading hall for researchers.

The University students and scholars can use a unique collection comprised of a few thousand electronic documents, including electronic versions of methodological manuals, electronic magazines, scientific, reference and analytical information from the Internet.

Using the electronic catalogue of the library is possible on more than 1,000 university computers. The project «Virtual Library» which is being worked out jointly with the Higher School of Applied Sciences of Osnabruk, Germany will allow to broaden the use of Internet resources.

Text 9 Student Activities

 

The attitude of a student to his Alma Mater depends in many respects on the organization of educational process, daily activities, and leisure. Our university has well equipped material resources to provide all the necessary conditions for all the above.

As many as 3,500 non-resident students live on the campus numbering seven dormitories. All of them as well as educational buildings have canteens and cafeterias which are incorporated in the university retail center.

The creative abilities of students are expressed through their participation in the student union which has 50 creative groups, among which are a show-ballet «Deja-vue», a variety dance ensemble «J’ete», a folklore ensemble «Gorlitsa», children's ensemble of a variety dance «Charodzey», a variety song theatre «Atlantida-Voice», author's song club «A House at the Road», studio of modern music and arrangement, and so on. Many of them are participants and prize-winners of national and international contests and festivals. They also went on concert tours abroad. Two ensembles have a title of «people's collectives».

Creative groups in the student union give concerts at enterprises and educational institutions of the capital, and perform for the War veterans and retired employees. Traditional events in the Student Union are «Day of Knowledge», «Vivat, Freshman!», «Night of Beauty», «Hello, We are Looking for Talents», «Day of the University», and festival «Student Spring of BSEU».

On the basis of the student club, university and interuniversity events are organized, including KVN games, student festivals of the intellectual BSEU teams club. The festivals «Gold Signature Stamp» and «Student Humour» have become an important part not only in the life of our University, but also of other Universities.

BSEU club members are actively engaged in charitable activities: they help children in orphanages, participate in the action «You Can Help!».

Physical training and sports are an integral part of our University student life. Annually young men and women participate in more than 50 competitions, tournaments, sports holidays with 18 kinds of sports being part of them. Competitions in aerobics are bright and beautiful. Faculty football, basketball, and volleyball teams are emotional and very competitive.

Preparation of high-class athletes is a reality thanks to a good sports base, qualified coaches, and the care of the administration. The women's volleyball team «Belbusinessbank-BSEU», ex-champion of Belarus and many-times national prize-winner, soccer team «Economist», teams of ping-pong, wrestling, handball, and arm wrestling create prestige of the University. We are proud of the BSEU graduates - the Olympic champi­on in rowing, Vladimir Romanovsky, the World and European champions Vitaly Pesnyak (sambo-wrestling and judo) and Elena Altshul (checkers), the prize-winner of the European championships in ping-pong Tatyana Kostromina.

At the same time it is students' health strengthening and developing healthy lifestyle that is the main goal of physical education and sports activities. Therefore, this work is conducted not only in the university gym-hall, but also in dorms, and in sports camp «Economist» at Vileyskoye water reservoir.

Students, faculty and their families always have unforgettable impressions after staying at the summer holiday camp «Economist». Annually more than 600 people go on vacation and improve their health in that picturesque place, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Swimming, picking mushrooms and berries coupled with discos, sports competitions, and other events make sure that students have high spirits for the whole academic year. There is a canteen, a medical centre, a small cinema hall, a library, a table-tennis hall and the quarters for the catering personnel on the territory of the centre. Many further improvements are planned: the construction of a dancing hall with a stage for performers and musicians; football, basketball, volleyball and mini-football grounds. A new medical centre, a cafe and a boat station will be built; the coastal area will be enhanced. So, the staff, their families, students, many in number, could have a quality time there.