I Higher Education in Belarus. My University

Belarus is a country with a wide network of higher educational establishments. To be admitted to an institution of higher learning a student has to pass a series of written tests. Grades in the certificate of secondary education are also taken into account.

The number of higher educational institutions that train specialists for agriculture is not large.

The Belarusian State Agrarian Technical University is the leading higher educational establishment in agriculture and the main one for the specialization in Agro engineering. The BSATU (the original name - the Belarusian Institute of Mechanization of Agriculture) was established in 1954.

About 15000 young people get their education at full-time and extramural departments.

The University includes 9 departments (agro mechanical, agro power, farm machinery maintenance, business and management, the department of mechanization and electrification, humanities and ecology, andpreparatory department), 41 chairs and 43 affiliated branches in industry, scientific industrial centers of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and research and development institutions that train specialists for the agro-industrial complex.

The Department of Mechanization was founded in 2007. It is the legal successor of the extramural department that was functioning at the University in the period 1956-1993. It trains engineers in the following specialties: technical support of farm production processes, technical support of farm products storage and processing, repair service in agriculture, and the logistics of the agro-industrial complex.

The academic year is divided into two terms. The teaching process is based on lectures, practical classes, seminars, and lab works. The students study many subjects: math, physics, and informatics, technology of metals, tractors and vehicles, agronomy, engineering mechanics, technology and technical support of farm products processing, and foreign languages. Industrial practice activities such as agronomy, crop cultivation, and livestock breeding are organized at the training farm and some industrial enterprises. Graduates of the department can work at different enterprises of the Republic.

 

II Engineering

Engineering is one of the most ancient occupations in history. The first tool-makers who chipped narrows and spears from rocks were the forerunners of modern mechanical engineers.

Almost everything we use in modern life is made by engineers.

Engineers use theory to produce practical answers. The design solution must be of reasonable price, safe, and reliable.

Engineers solve problems in a methodical way. They define a problem; design a solution, test it, and then evaluate it. If a good solution is found they communicate it.

Engineering is often defined as making practical application of theoretical sciences. Technological and industrial progress depends on the scientist, the engineer and the technologist, who make up an essential triangle.

The principle work of the engineer is design. He has to design products, machines, and production systems. The most important function of the engineer is to integrate the work of this essential triangle. His interest must be in combining the abstract-theoretical world and the technical –practical world.

In the recent years engineering has changed a lot. We need a person who can lead teams, solve problems, and can be a creative designer with a keen sense of market realities, and a practical individual.

 

III Mechanical engineer

Mechanical engineering is one of the areas of engineering. It has been recognized as a separate branch of engineering since the formation of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers of Great Britain in 1847.

Mechanical engineering deals with the design, construction, and operation of the machines and devices of all kinds, and with research and sciences. They are at the forefront of technology: pressing the limits of material capability, developing new materials of construction, specifying complex machines and doing all of this with the most sophisticated design techniques. A farm engineer does not finish his education when he receives his diploma but he is studying new developments constantly.

The demand for qualified mechanical engineers is high. They have a wide range of job opportunities: they may be management, sales, development, research, design, or production engineers.

The Department of Mechanization of the BSATU trains mechanical engineers. Today’s farming is highly developed. Many agricultural processes are mechanized and the most modern farm machinery may be used today. Technical and managerial skills of agricultural engineers are used in the industry.

The specialists of the department are trained to work at the agricultural enterprises of different forms of property: industrial enterprises, processing plants, project-design, research centers, and educational establishments.

Text Based Assignments

Language Study

(А) Упражнение 1. Дополните следующую таблицу. Используйте словарь.

глагол	существительное
to establish to train to found to occupy to solve to design to construct to operate to learn	establishment

прилагательное	существительное
electric special mechanical industrial farm reasonable technological scientific theoretical material managerial research	electrification

(А) Упражнение 2. Образуйте названия профессий от следующих глаголов при помощи суффикса - er.

Модель: to work – worker

To teach, to drive, to breed, to make, to design, to operate, to research, to construct, to produce, to manage.

(А) Упражнение 3. Переведите следующие словосочетания, образованные по модели N+N (чего), N of N (чего), N+N (какой).

Education establishment, department of mechanization, academy of sciences, research institution, farm production, repair service, technology of metals, a design solution, work of an engineer, production system, branch of engineering, operation of machines, skills of engineers.

(А) Упражнение 4. Обратите внимание на перевод псевдоинтернационализмов («ложных друзей переводчика»), перевод которых зависит от контекста. Переведите их на русский язык.

Certificate (n), to train (v), support (n), academic (adj), application (n), individual (n), complex (adj), design (v).

(В) Упражнение 5. Прочтите текст и назовите.

1) Names of engineering professions;

2) Names of departments;

3) Names of subjects you study at the university;

4) Tasks the engineer undertakes while solving a problem;

5) Tasks of a mechanical engineer;

6) Job opportunities of an engineer.

 

(В) Упражнение 6. Найдите.

А) в части 1 текста А прилагательные, образованные от следующих существительных:

Education, Belarus, preparation, industry, science, nation;

B) в части 2 текста А существительные, образованные от следующих глаголов:

To engineer, to occupy, to solve, to apply, to design, to produce;

 

C) в части 3 текста А существительные с суффиксом - tion и переведите их на русский язык.

(С) Упражнение 7. Соотнесите слова группы А с синонимами из группы В.

A: to get education, higher learning, specialty, formation, farming;

B: to study, profession, foundation, agriculture, higher education.

Text Study

(А) Упражнение 1. Согласитесь или опровергните следующие высказывания.

1) часть 1 текста А:

а) There are many higher educational establishments in Belarus.

b) There are many agricultural universities in Belarus.

c) The leading higher educational establishment in agriculture is the Belarusian State University.

d) There are eight departments at BSATU.

e) The Department of Mechanization is rather young.

f) The students study many specialized subjects.

 

2) часть 2 текста А:

a) Engineering is a rather young occupation.

b) Engineers must know theory to produce practical answers.

c) The main task of an engineer is design.

d) Engineering is changing now.

 

3) часть 3 текста А:

a) Mechanical engineering is one of the areas of agricultural engineering.

b) Mechanical engineering deals with operation of machines.

c) A mechanical engineer must study new developments.

d) Demand for engineers in our country is very high.

e) Skills of engineers are used in agriculture.

f) It is difficult to get a job for a mechanical engineer today.

 

(В) Упражнение 2. Дополните предложения словами, данными в рамке.

skills, engineer (2), designer, design, developments, machines, project-design center, extramural department

1) Progress depends on the...

2) Everything we use is made by...

3) The Department of Mechanization is a legal successor of the...

4) An engineer has to design...

5) We need an engineer who can be a creative...

6) Mechanical engineering deals with the...

7) A farm engineer must study new...

8) We use technical and managerial... of an engineer.

9) Graduates of the Department of Mechanization can work at...

 

(А, В, С) Упражнение 3. Дополните предложения информацией из текста.

1) I study at...

2) The University was founded in...

3) To enter the University I had to...

4) There are 8...

5) The department of Mechanization trains...

6) My future specialty is...

7) We study...

8) Engineers solve the problems in a methodical way: they...

9) The principle work of an engineer is...

10) The most important function of an engineer is...

11) One of the areas of engineering is...

12) Mechanical engineers deal with...

13) Demand for engineers is...

14) Mechanical engineers have a wide range of job opportunities...

15) Specialists of the department of Mechanization can work at...

(А, В, С) Упражнение 4. Ответьте на следующие вопросы.

1) Where do you study?

2) What department do you study?

3) What specialists does the department train?

4) What specialized subjects do you study at?

5) What do you know about the history of engineering?

6) What are the tasks of engineers?

7) What is an essential triangle?

8) How is engineering changing now?

9) What branches of engineering do you know?

10) What does mechanical engineering deal with?

11) Where may technical and managerial skills of agricultural engineers be used?

12) What are the job opportunities of mechanical engineers?

DISCUSSION

(А) Упражнение 1. Измените последовательность пунктов плана текста А в соответствии с его содержанием. Перескажите текст по плану.

1. Engineering as one of the most ancient occupations;

2. The department of Mechanization;

3. The Belarusian State Agrarian and Technical University;

4. Higher educational establishments in Belarus;

5. Farm engineers;

6. Mechanical engineering;

(А, В, С) Упражнение 2. Объедините информацию, полученную из 1-3 частей текста А и расскажите о:

Ø Создании университета и факультета механизации;

Ø Факультетах университета;

Ø Учебных предметах и учебном процессе в университете;

Ø Возможностях трудоустройства выпускников университета;

Ø Зарождении инженерии;

Ø Роли инженера в техническом прогрессе;

Ø Машиностроении как одной из ветвей инженерии;

Ø Роли инженера-механика в сельском хозяйстве.

(А, В, С) Упражнение 3. Назовите.

1) Университет, в котором Вы учитесь;

2) Отделение, на котором Вы учитесь;

3) Факультет, на котором Вы учитесь;

4) Вашу будущую профессию;

5) Предполагаемое место вашей работы;

6) Специальные предметы, которые Вы изучаете, и которые являются для вас более важными;

7) Сферу деятельности инженера в целом и инженера механика в частности;

8) Требования предъявляемые к современному инженеру сегодня.