Suchergebnisse

Citation: Titarenko L. (2019) Higher Education Systems in Russia and Belarus: A Comparative Approach. Mir Rossii, vol. 28, no 4, pp. 112–127. DOI: 10.17323/1811-038X-2019-28-4-112-127
The modernization of higher education in Russia and Belarus is still topical, despite the numerous changes already made to the higher education systems (HES) of both countries in the post-Soviet period. This article shows the similarities and differences in the practice of developing HES in Russia and Belarus. The analysis is based on statistical materials, an analysis of the literature in both countries, survey data, and in-depth interviews conducted by the author with higher education experts in Belarus in 2018.
The starting point for both countries was the Soviet model of higher education. Over time, each country developed this heritage in its own way. Despite the existence of common features in the organization and management of higher education, today this sphere in Belarus is characterized by more centralized management than in Russia. Centralization finds expression in the greater uniformity of educational programs, university practices, and decision-making.
The article shows that in Russia the regionalization of higher education is proceeding at a faster pace, manifested in the active attraction of foreign students. In Belarus this process has a similar vector, but is progressing more slowly. Internationalization has several directions (European, Eurasian, Asian). Neither country wants to give up national priorities in the integration into the European space of higher education, while the implementation of the Bologna principles is higher in Russia. Regardless of changes in the architecture of higher education, the problems of its quality and student motivation remain on the agenda.
The Belarusian centralization of the HES slightly differs from the Russian one. Both countries are searching for answers to similar global challenges—answers which are suitable for their national socio-economic and political conditions. Russia and Belarus are objectively interested in changes in their HES which will contribute to the effective development of their countries.

Рассматриваются политические ориентации населения на материале двух репрезентативных национальных опросов, проведенных в России и Беларуси. Основное внимание уделяется выявлению сходства и различия в политическом сознании и поведении населения двух стран в гендерном аспекте. ; The paper deals with the political attitudes of the Russian and Belarusian population. The author stresses the differences and similarities in political consciousness and political behavior in two countries in general and shows the major gender differences in political attitudes. The paper is based on the data of two national representative samples.

Статья посвящена проблеме выявления общего и особенного в системе политических ценностей в разных политических культурах. Авторы на примере трех стран-соседей показывают, что хотя ценности свободы, равенства, социальной справедливости, демократии являются общими для населения России, Беларуси, Польши, имеются значимые различия в интерпретации их содержания в контексте национальной культуры. Значение сравнительного анализа состоит в том, чтобы выявить и объяснить различия в понимании политических ценностей у представителей разных культур, что поможет им вести продуктивный диалог. ; The article deals with the identification of general and special system of political values in different political cultures. Authors on the example of the three neighboring countries show that although the values of freedom, equality, social justice, democracy are common to the population of Russia, Belarus, Poland, there are significant differences in the interpretation of their content in the context of national culture. The value of the comparative analysis is to identify and explain the differences in understanding of political values in different cultures to help them engaging in a productive dialogue.

A reassessment and discussion of distance education (DE) in the higher education is crucial in a situation when many students over the world have become e-learners and several international exchange programs were suspended. Our study is related to international online collaboration in a sociology course where university students from four countries participated. We created an innovative design for an international online course and successfully ran it for about 15 years. The research addresses what the key factors are in order to make an international distance course a useful practice case, and how these factors contribute to the effectiveness of such a course and the level of students' satisfaction. On the basis of our long-term collaboration, we identified the key factors that stimulated the high level of student involvement in online dialogue and the high level of satisfaction. The article argues that online asynchronous technology and online dialogue in the form of student-led discussions (SLD) organized for regular interaction among students and between students and lecturers are key factors in the course's success. An additional factor is the regular motivation of the students by the teachers in the form of technical and pedagogical support. The model discussed in this article takes into account all these factors. Its effectiveness is confirmed by the students' level of satisfaction with our class and the high level of student engagement. It enables students from different countries to equally communicate online and freely exchange ideas among themselves and with the teachers. Student-oriented teaching methods and the careful design of the course were also significant for success. The article concludes that an asynchronous e-learning university course emphasizing students' regular participation in discussion forums can be a useful model for international collaboration where students from different countries are involved.

В монографии впервые в Беларуси системно-комплексно рассмотрено новое для постсоветского пространства явление – Government Relations (GR), т. е. связь и взаимодействие коммерческих организаций с органами государственной власти и управления. Исследуются сущность, закономерности, мировые тренды в развитии данного феномена. Особое внимание уделено специфике развития GR в Петербурге и Минске, сделаны выводы о позитивной динамике в процессе институционализации GR-деятельности в Беларуси и России.