Internationalisation of Higher Education in Belarus: External REPORT Survey Research conducted n frames of HARMONY project, KA2 Erasmus + Programme – Capacity Building Introduction This report is prepared in the framework of HARMONY project (Development of approaches to harmonization of comprehensive internationalization strategies in higher education, research and innovation at EU and Partner Countries) funded by the Erasmus + Programme (KA2 Erasmus + Programme – Capacity Building) of the European Union. HARMONY Project No: 561561-EPP-1-2015-1-ES-EPPKA2-CBHE-SP The questionnaire was prepared with the purpose of analysing the level of internationalisation of higher education, research and innovation in countries participating in the project. The questionnaire development was achieved through methodological workshop on questionnaire drafting. The questionnaire drafting was produced by partners for each Partner country: Armenia, Belarus and Russia as well for EU countries in order to address the peculiarities of each side. This report analysis the current state of higher education internationalization in Belarus based on the study outcomes. Implementation: The questionnaire developed within the HARMONY project was sent to the universities by the Ministry of Education of Belarus to all higher education institutions, the responses were collected by the Belarus State University staff. General information The data is provided for 2015-2016 academic year. 38 universities answered the external questionnaire in Belarus out of 51 universities. Specialized institutions have not been covered (such as the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs etc.) 1 Questionnaire to evaluate the internationalization of HEIs: breakdown and qustions • 1.1. Number of enrolled full-time (all levels) General Information and • 1.2. Number of academic staff internationalization of • 1.3. Number of staff in international office • 1.4 Do you have strategic internationalization plan? management • 1.5. Do you have legal frameworks to manage international activity? • 2.1. Number of students (all levels) sent abroad • 2.2. Top 5 host countries for students • 2.3. Number of international students (all levels, both degree- International Mobility seeking and exchange) • 2.4. Top 5 countries of origin of international students • 2.5. Do you assist your staff and students in participation in mobility programs? • 3.1. Number of international teaching staff ( both temporary and permanent) • 3.2. Number of staff (all categories) sent abroad • 3.3. Number of international joint/double/multiple degrees programs (All levels) Internationalization of • 3.4. Do you offer programs in English or other foreign teaching and academic languages? • 3.5. Do you offer financial incentives for staff to learn programs foreign languages and to carry out teaching activities in foreign languages? • 3.6. Do you have strategy and special funding to support international staff recruitment? • 3.7. Do you have study programs where mobility windows are incorporated into the curriculum? • 4.1. Do you have web-site in English • 4.2. Number of international fairs (education, research, R&D, etc.) where institution has been presented International Impact and • 4.3. Number of international partnerships Visibility • 4.4. Number of memberships in international associations and networks • 4.5. Do you have internal unit / working group to deal with international rankings? • 5.1. Number of international research projects Research and Education • 5.2. Number of international educational projects projects • 5.3. Do you assist your staff in participation in international programs and projects 2 Name of your Institution Acronym 1 Belarusian State University BSU 2 Belarusian National Technical University BNTU 3 Brest State Technical University BSTU-Brest 4 Brest State University named after A.S. Pushkin BRSU 5 Belarussian-Russian university BRU 6 Belarusian State Academy of Arts BSAA (Arts) 7 Belarusian state academy of aviation BSAA (Aviation) 8 Belarusian State Academy of Communication BSAC 9 Belarus State Economic University BSEU 10 Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts BSUCA 11 Grodno State Agrarian University GSAU 12 Gomel State Medical University GSMU 13 Sukhoi State Technical University of Gomel GSTU 14 Gomel State University named after Francisk Skorina GSU 15 Private Institute of Management and Business MBI 16 Institute of Parliamentarism and Business PBI 17 International Humanitarian and Economic Institute IHEI 18 International University «MITSO» MITSO 19 Mozyr State Pedagogical University named after I.P.Shamyakin MSPU 20 Mogilev State University named after A. Kuleshov MSU 21 Mogilev State University of Food Technologies MGUP 22 Vitebsk State Medical University VSMU 23 Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov VSU 24 Vitebsk State Academy of Veterinary Medicine VSAVM 25 Grodno State University named after Yanka Kupala GRSU 26 Vitebsk State Technological University VSTU 27 Grodno State Medical University GSMU 28 Belarusian State University of Physical Education BSUPC 29 Belarusian State Medical University BSMU 30 Minsk Innovation University MIU 31 Belarusian State Pedagogical University Named after Maxim Tank BSPU 32 Belarusian State Academy of Agriculture BSAA- Agriculture 33 Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics BSUIR 34 Institute of Modern Knowledge named after AM Shirokov IMK 35 Minsk State Linguistic University MSLU 36 Belarusian Trade and Economics University of Consumer Cooperatives BTEU 37 Belarusian State Technological University BSTU 38 Private Establishment of Education "BIP-Institute of Justice BIP 3 Analysis of section 1. General Information and internationalization of management Based on the data the largest respondent university in Belarus with the highest number of student population is Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU) with 16,890 full time students, 1,902 academic staff (Table 1). Belarus State University (BSU) follows with almost the same student cohort (16,494), but interestingly, both the number of academic staff and the number of staff in the international office is twice larger in comparison to BNTU (See Table 1 and Chart 1). Table 1. General Information Name of your Institution Number of enrolled Number of Number of Student full-time students academic staff in the and (of all academic staff International academic cyrcles) Office staff ratio BSU 16,494 2,439 23 7 BNTU 16,890 1,902 13 9 BSTU-Brest 4,153 466 6 9 BRSU 4,115 490 5 8 BRU 5,974 374 4 16 BSAA (Arts) 966 204 3 5 BSAA (Aviation) 1,125 138 0 8 BSAC 460 74 0 6 BSEU 8,431 1,065 4 8 BSUCA 2,703 361 5 7 GSAU 1,616 337 3 5 GSMU 3,900 464 0 8 GSTU 2,382 319 3 7 GSU 5,752 643 6 9 MBI 99 77 4 1 PBI 68 33 0 2 IHEI 50 41 1 1 MITSO 2,259 135 6 17 MSPU 1,857 209 4 9 MSU 2,767 343 5 8 MGUP 5,133 279 4 18 VSMU 5,225 679 5 8 VSU 3,937 486 5 8 VSAVM 2,454 323 2 8 GRSU 7,590 727 18 10 VSTU 1,822 300 3 6 GSMU 4,169 493 3 8 BSUPC 2,332 362 4 6 BSMU 6,968 1,009 4 7 MIU 680 130 1 5 BSPU 5,489 737 7 7 BSAA- Agriculture 4,120 553 4 7 BSUIR 10,000 700 10 14 IMK 572 92 0 6 MSLU 6,992 714 5 10 BTEU 4,584 231 5 20 4 BSTU 5,917 630 5 9 BIP 1,294 195 1 7 Chart 1. Number of staff in the International Office BIP 1 BSTU 5 BTEU 5 MSLU 5 IMK 0 BSUIR 10 BSAA- Agriculture 4 BSPU 7 MIU 1 BSMU 4 BSUPC 4 GSMU 3 VSTU 3 GRSU 18 VSAVM 2 VSU 5 VSMU 5 MGUP 4 MSU 5 MSPU 4 MITSO 6 IHEI 1 PBI 0 MBI 4 GSU 6 GSTU 3 GSMU 0 GSAU 3 BSUCA 5 BSEU 4 BSAC 0 BSAA (Aviation) 0 BSAA (Arts) 3 BRU 4 BRSU 5 BSTU-Brest 6 BNTU 13 BSU 23 0 5 10 15 20 25 5 Availability of Internationalization Strategic Plan Out of 38 respondents, 14 universities have reported that have internationalization strategy available (see Chart 2). Only 7 universities have attached an internationalization strategy though, which is in most cases incorporated in the University Strategic Master Plan, as a separate section. Among the universities that have submitted a document on internationalization strategy are BSU, BTEU, GRSU and BSEU. The other three universities have incorporated internationalization strategy in the overall strategic plan of the university. Provided strategies are lacking concrete key performance indicators though (process, outcome and/or impact indicators) and targets, which makes the monitoring and quality assurance, as well as enhancement unrealistic. The Strategic plans are also lacking strengths and weakness analysis (only two universities have SWOT on internationalization), risks and assumptions, timeframe, resource planning, policies etc. Chart 2. Availability of Internationalization Strategic Plan Strategic Planning of internationalization Does your HEI have a strategic plan of internationalization? Please, attach yes 37% no 63% 6 Availability of Internal Procedures and Regulations on Management of International Activity 23 universities have responded positively on the availability of regulatory framework on managing international activity and procedures (Chart 3.). Most universities did not provide concrete examples though. Among the common regulatory mechanisms and regulatory frameworks are mentioned the availability of learning agreements, three party mobility plan, Regulation on the structural division, Regulation on the order of sending employees and students on business trips etc. Several universities have referenced the Belarusian legislation and see no need for developing regulatory internal framework. Three universities, including Mogilev State University of Food Technologies, Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov, Belarusian State Medical University have undergone ISO 9001 certification. International activity is included in the scope of certification of the quality management system for compliance with the requirements of ISO 9001. Chart 3. Availability regulatory framework Does your HEI have a regulatory framework for management of international activity? Plaese, give a brief description of the ongoing work in this direction.