On organization of educational process for master's degree programs in English
The Belarusian-Russian University is an interstate educational institution of higher education of joint jurisdiction of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation and has the status of a state university in both countries. The university was founded in 1961.
During the university existence, more than 50 thousand specialists in Belarusian and Russian educational programs have been trained.
At present, the Belarusian-Russian University is a large regional scientific and educational center, comprising the University, the Lyceum, Architecture and Construction College, Continuing Education and Professional Development Institute. The university has 8 educational and laboratory buildings and 4 dormitories.
More than 4 thousand students are trained at the I and II stages of higher education (bachelor's, specialist's and master's degree) in full-time and part-time forms of higher education, and more than 300 foreign students are studied here. The total number of students (university, college, lyceum and Continuing Education and Professional Development Institute) is about 5 thousand people. Specialists of the highest qualification are trained through post-graduate course, external post-graduate and doctoral candidacy. There are two specialized Boards for the defending of dissertations: doctoral and master’s dissertations.
The total number of university staff workers is about 1000 people. The studies are held by highly qualified specialists (more than 350 people), including 21 doctors of sciences and professors, more than 150 candidates of sciences and associate professors.
The auditorium-based of the university includes more than 70 classrooms with multimedia equipment, 35 IT classes. Classrooms have broadband Internet access.
A network of profiled departments’ branches (10 branches) has been created at Mogilev enterprises. Annually, scientists of the university carry on contract-based researches.
The university has a powerful modern material and technical facilities. The latest technological equipment, unique devices, educational and laboratory testing devices are used in the educational and scientific process and IT classes are equipped with modern engineering software.
To prepare foreign applicants for admission to the university for educational programs of undergraduate, specialist and master's programs, pre-university training programs are being implemented at the preparatory department (study of the Russian language and basic disciplines).
The university has 3 educational programs of the IInd stage of higher education (Master’s degree course) taught in English: 1-25 80 01 "Economics", 1-43 80 01 "Electric Power and Electrical Engineering" and 1-40 80 02 System Analysis, Management and Information Processing (by industry) (profile "Information Management Systems").
How was the educational process for master's degree programs in English organized in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Due to the difficult epidemiological situation caused by spreading of the coronavirus infection COVID-19, the Belarusian-Russian University introduced amendments into the educational process in 2020-2021 academic year. Taking into account the fact that many foreign students had no possibility to come to study because of a poor flights and the existence of lockdown restrictions in many countries, the educational process was organized using information and communication technologies.
Information and communication technologies in the educational process of above-mentioned educational programs were introduced on the basis of the moodle.bru.by platform and other means of communication (zoom, e-mail). All necessary educational and methodological materials were displayed on the moodle.bru.by platform. Within the framework of each training course, various academic progress control forms have been provided: tests, individual tasks, essays, review works, projects. All classes were held in accordance with the established timetable of studies.
After the arrival of Chinese students in Belarus to continue their studies, additional classes and supervisions were organized by the university. During this period, the current certification procedure (tests and exams) and the final certification procedure (master's thesis defense) were carried out.
According to the order of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus dated July 29, 2021 No. 577 “On measures to improve the quality of training at the second stage of higher education”, all students who did not arrive in Belarus at the time of the order issued, were sent corresponding letters that they had to arrive at the university in September 2021 to continue their studies. All citizens of the People's Republic of China who completed their studies successfully and were awarded master's degree diplomas at the Belarusian-Russian University passed the final certification procedure (master's theses defense) directly at the university.
How many students from China have studied at master's degree course of Belarusian-Russian University in recent years? In 2019 two citizens of the People's Republic of China were enrolled in master's degree course of the university in 2019, in 2020 – 92 citizens, in 2021 – 88 citizens. The studies were completed and master's degree diplomas were issued for 2 students in 2020, for 33 students in 2021, for 8 students in 2022.
In 2020-2021 academic year citizens of the PRC studied in two specialties of the IInd stage of higher education (master's degree course) with full-time education in English: 1-25 80 01 "Economics" and 1-43 80 01 "Electric Power and Electrical Engineering". The educational process of these programs is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the educational standards of higher education of the second stage (master's degree) OSVO 1-25 80 01-2019 and OSVO 1-43 80 01-2019, approved by the Decision of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus No. 81 dated 06.26.2019.
How was the educational process organized in 2021 – 2022 academic year?
Admission and training of the Chinese citizens are arranged in strict adherence to the order by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus N577 dated 29.07.2021
Since September 2021, all students of full-time Master's degree course are being trained with personal presence in the university's classrooms. Admission of foreign citizens for studying at master’s degree course is carried out in accordance with the Rules for the persons admission for getting higher education of the IInd stage, approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus No. 110 dated February 2, 2012 and the persons admission procedure for getting higher education of the IInd stage, providing a master's degree to the interstate educational institution of higher education "Belarusian-Russian University" on educational programs of the Republic of Belarus. The term of study is on the official website of the university in the section "Master’s degree course" (http://en.bru.by/content/admission/master). Students can find the schedule of classes on the official website of the university.
Educational materials on educational programs for foreign citizens (methodological literature, lectures and practical classes’ materials) are placed on the educational portal http://moodle.bru.by/. Students have the opportunity for additional self-study of materials during extracurricular time. The university library provides students with access to foreign databases of Elsevier publisher (Freedom Collection Journals, Books Freedom Collection) and Springer publisher (Springer Link, Nature, Springer Materials, Springer Protocols, zbMath, Nano).
