Private national university registered in Belarus

Authorities in Belarus have officially registered a privately owned education institution named Nil Hilevich National University, Belarusian Language Society told reporters at a press conference in Minsk on 27 March. Nil Hilevich (1931 — 2016) is Belarusian People's Poet and the first chairman of the Belarusian Language Society (BLS).

The National University founders are now in consultations with the Ministry of Education, seeking to obtain a license and begin lectures in the Belarusian language. It is planned that Aleh Trusau, the former BLS chairman, will be the university's rector.

Euroradio asked Mr Trusau about the sources of funding for the university. He said 7-8 million US dollars are required. It will be partially raised via students' fees and partially through 'internal and foreign grants." According to Mr Trusau, the salary of faculty heads will be at least $500 per month.

According to one of the National University founders Pavel Tserashkovich, the university plans to work according to the Bologna Process standards and to produce knowledge about Belarus and knowledge that Belarus needs. One of the focuses will be on research. Students will be offered curricula in to six major areas. He said:

“The National University cannot be without national traditions and history, but we are not going to set up yet another History Faculty. We will create a discipline that will use our cultural and historical heritage. We have enough good historians. What we lack are good managers capable of making an economic resource out of our cultural heritage as this is the case in the majority of European countries."

Among other areas, the university will also offer courses on regional studies (the neighboring countries and the major players in the world), urban studies, media, management and the Belarusian language studies. The founders plan to open 56 disciplines at three faculties — humanities, foreign languages and translation, and culturology and fine arts.

The immediate plans includes approval of the rector and obtaining a license. Upon receiving the license, the university would open preparatory course. Students would be invited to enroll one year later.

BLS chair Alena Anisim hopes the National University will become an example of state-private partnership.