Belarus and Turkmenistan: Promoting International...

Belarus and Turkmenistan: Promoting International Education in Difficult EnvironmentsBelarus and Turkmenistan: Promoting International Education in Difficult EnvironmentsBelarus and Turkmenistan: Promoting International Education in Difficult EnvironmentsBelarus and Turkmenistan: Promoting International Education in Difficult Environments Kevin Reiling, EducationUSA Belarus · Tatyana Geldimammedova, EducationUSA Turkmenistan

Chris Foley, IUPUI · Ann M. Koenig, AACRAO IES AACRAO 98th Annual Meeting 2012 Philadelphia Session ID 180

Presenters: Ann M. Koenig, Southwest Regional Director, Credential Evaluation Services AACRAO International Education Services

Email: [email protected]

Web: http://ies.aacrao.org

Kevin Reiling, Regional Coordinator, Belarus, American Councils for International Education American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS


Web: http://www.educationusa.info/VilniusBEL and http://en.ehu.lt/eac

Tatyana Geldimammedova, EducationUSA Adviser EAC/American Councils for International Education in Turkmenistan

E-mail: [email protected]

Web: http://www.educationusa.info/Turkmenistan#.T0EtpHkXKyY and http://americancouncilstm.org/news.php

Facilitator: Chris Foley, Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Indiana University - Purdue University – Indianapolis


Web: http://www.iupui.edu/

AACRAO Conference Handouts Online:

http://handouts.aacrao.org/am12/display.php

Selected General Resources for International Admissions and Evaluation

AACRAO International Education Services: http://ies.aacrao.org

AACRAO EDGE (Electronic Database for Global Education): http://aacraoedge.aacrao.org/

AACRAO’s electronic database of country education profiles. Currently 237 countries available.

EducationUSA Advising Center Network: http://www.educationusa.info/

EducationUSA advising offices promote study in the US, provide information on the country’s educational system,

and help you link to institutions and applicants. Web site provides contact info for offices in the network.

EducationUSA Country Fact Sheets - http://www.educationusa.info/countryfactsheets/ - provide a thumbnail sketch of

statistics, trends and country information that inform and support your institution’s recruiting efforts.

EAIE (European Association for International Education) ACE (Admissions Officers and Credential Evaluators)

Links - http://www.aic.lv/ace/links/default.htm

European Network of Information Centres (ENIC) / National Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARIC):

www.enic-naric.net – Links to the national information centers of member countries.

NAFSA: Online Guide to Education Around the World, 2008-10:

http://www.nafsa.org/publication.sec/epublications/online_guide_to/

NUFFIC Country Modules, 2009: http://www.nuffic.nl/international-organizations/services/diploma-recognition/country-modules

TEMPUS (Trans-European Mobility Scheme for University Studies), for European institutions/students:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/participating_countries/index_en.php

UNESCO International Bureau of Education (IBE), World Data of Education 2010/11:

http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/services/online-materials/world-data-on-education/seventh-edition-2010-11.html

Belarus and Turkmenistan:

Promoting International Education

in Difficult Environments



BELARUS

Legal Foundations of Education: Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and Law “On Education” (1991), "On Vocational Education" (2003), "On

Education of Persons with Special Needs (Special Education)" (2004), State Program outlining undergraduate education (2005), "General Secondary

Education "(2006)," On Higher Education "(2007) with Regulation 68 of Council of Ministers (2008), Code on Education (2011).

Centralized Authority for Education: Ministry of Education: http://edu.gov.by/ (in Belarusian, Russian and English)

Ministry of Education Resources for Information on Education in Belarus:

� The System of Education (online textual description in Russian): http://edu.gov.by/ru/main.aspx?guid=18201

� Higher Education in the Republic of Belarus, Ministry of Education, 2010: http://edu.gov.by/en/main.aspx?guid=17401

(Info booklet for prospective foreign students; includes info in English and Russian, educational system chart and info, grading, profiles of

higher education institutions and their contact information)

� List of state-owned education institutions: http://edu.gov.by/en/main.aspx?guid=1701

� List of private higher education institutions: http://edu.gov.by/en/main.aspx?guid=2391

Structure of Educational System: See attached Ministry of Education chart for current structure.

Higher Education Credentials:

специалист / specialist (диплом o висшем образовании / diploma of higher education with квалификация / qualification):

4, 5 or 6 years, depending on field of study: social-humanities subjects; esthetics subjects; general and specialized subjects in the specialty

field; electives in the specialty; practica; final paper or project; state examinations.

магистр / magister: 1 or 2 years, depending on field of study. A professional qualification, or first year of аспирантура (graduate study)

leading to the degree of кандидат наук (Candidate of Sciences), including qualifying examinations and research.

кандидат наук (Candidate of Sciences) and доктор наук (Doctor of Sciences): research degrees based on Soviet model.

диплом бакалавра (diploma bakalavra): The bachelor has never been an official degree in Belarus. In 2002, a two-cycle bachelor + master

structure was approved by Parliament, but revoked by presidential order in 2004. The resulting 2007 law on higher education reaffirmed

Soviet-era norms and educational structure.

Belarus and the Bologna Process: Belarus expressed interest in 2000. Bachelor + master structure introduced and Lisbon Convention signed in

2002. Internationalization efforts thwarted by presidential decree of 2004. International and private institutions closed, extreme politicization

of education sector, human rights violations. Controversy surrounding Belarus’ Dec. 2011 application due to political situation there.

Application to be reviewed in April 2012.

Grading Systems: Until 2002: Grades 5, 4, and 3

Num. Belarusian Russian English US grade

5 выдатна / vydatna отлично / otlichno excellent A

4 добра / dobra хорошо / khorosho good B

3 здавалъняюча /

zdavalnyayaucha

удовлетворительно /

udovletvoritel’no

satisfactory C

- залік / zalik зачет / zachet credit/pass P

Since 2002: Grades 10 (highest) through 3 (lowest passing grade)

Num. Belarusian Russian English US grade

9, 10 выдатна / vydatna отлично / otlichno excellent A

6, 7, 8 добра / dobra хорошо / khorosho good B

3, 4, 5 здавалъняюча /

zdavalnyayaucha

удовлетворительно /

udovletvoritel’no

satisfactory C

- залік / zalik зачет / zachet credit/pass P

Grading scale source: Higher Education in the Republic of Belarus, Ministry of Education, 2010, p. 7:

http://edu.gov.by/en/main.aspx?guid=17401



Source: Higher Education in the Republic of Belarus, Ministry of Education, 2010, English version p. 6; Russian version p. 4:




Belarus Evaluation Resources:

EducationUSA Advising for Belarus: http://www.educationusa.info/VilniusBEL and http://en.ehu.lt/eac

Ministry of Education resources noted above, especially Higher Education in the Republic of Belarus, 2010:


Belarusian State University: System of Education: http://www.bsu.by/en/main.aspx?guid=131301, and

Study Guide for Overseas Students, 2008-09, includes educational system and grading info:

http://www.bsu.by/ums/higher_eng.pdf

National Institute of Higher Education, Belarusian ENIC: http://www.nihe.bsu.by (In Russian only)

Ms. Ina Mitskevich, Head of Department, E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

Higher Education in Belarus, October 2010, in the series Overview of the Higher Education Systems in the TEMPUS Partner Countries, European Commission TEMPUS:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/participating_countries/reviews/belarus_review_of_higher_education.pdf

Belarus in World Data on Education, UNESCO International Bureau on Education, 2010-11:

http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/WDE/2010/pdf-versions/Belarus.pdf

Belarus Sample Documents:

Atestat ab agul’nai syarednyai adukatsyi [Belarusian language version]

(Certificate of General Secondary Education), 2002



Диплом o висшем образовании (Diploma of Higher Education)

colloquially called “специалист (specialist)”

Квалификация архитектора (qualification of Architect), 2008

enrollment 1999-2008 at Belarusian State Polytechnic Academy / Belarusian Technical University

with приложение к диплому (addendum to the diploma), first and last pages



Диплом бакалавра (Bachelor Diploma), Belarusian State University, 2004

Diploma of Higher Education in bilingual Russian-English format

Issued to non-Belarusian citizen for use outside of Belarus, 2004



TURKMENISTAN

Legal Foundations of Education: Laws on Education and on the Status of Scientists, August 2009

Centralized Authority for Education: Ministry of Education (Ministries: http://www.tacistm.org/Ministries/Tm_Ministries.htm)

Structure of educational system since independence from the Soviet Union:

Soviet Period 1996 to 2007 Starting 2007-08

Elem./Secondary Ed. 10 years (8 + 2) Total of 9 years 10 years (5 + 5)

Higher Education 5 years (most disciplines);

6 years (medicine, some arts

fields)

2 yrs classroom + 2 yrs work

diploma awarded only after 2-year work

requirement fulfilled

5 years (most disciplines);

6 years (medicine, some arts

fields)

Research degrees Kandidat Nauk and Doktor Nauk

Not available Restored as of 2008-09

Elementary/Secondary Education: Children start school at age 7

• Secondary completion document: Şahadatnama Orta Bilim Hakynda (Certificate of Secondary Education)

• No graduating class of 2007; instead, 9th

-year graduates entered 10th

year in fall 2007.

• May 2008: First class graduated from restored 10-year system

Higher education: Restored to a 5-year program as of the 2007-08 academic year (6 years in medicine and some arts fields)

• May 2012: First class will graduate from 5-year higher education programs

• Completion document: Ýokary bilim hakynda şahadatnama (Diploma of Higher Education), “specialist diploma”, issued in Soviet-style booklet

format, with diploma addendum on paper that fits into the diploma booklet

• Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): universities (3), institutes (11), academies (3), conservatory (1); Police Academy,

Military Academy, and Military Institute; branch of a Russian university; International Turkmen-Turkish University.

• 2009: Agreements with Russia; Certificate of Secondary Education acceptable for admission to higher education in Russia.

• TEMPUS (European Commission program) active in Turkmenistan

Grading system in Turkmenistan

Russian Turkmen 1 Turkmen 2 English

5, отлично / otlichno örän govy, örän yagşy bäs excellent

4, хорошо / khorosho yagşy dört good

3, удовлетворительно / udovletvoritel’no kanagatlanarly üç satisfactory

зачет / zachet (used only in higher ed.) zaçұot hasap ungraded pass

Scale 1 used on school certificates and in higher education.

Scale 2 mostly used in secondary schools.

International Turkmen-Turkish University grade scale based on Turkish system: 85 - 100% (very good), 65 - 84% (good), 50 - 64% (satisfactory), below 50% (fail).

Turkmenistan Resources

� EducationUSA Advising Centers: http://www.educationusa.info/Turkmenistan#.T0Fqp3kXKyY

� National TEMPUS Office in Turkmenistan: http://www.tacistm.org/tempus/index.html

Higher education institution list: http://www.tacistm.org/tempus/turkmen_universities.html

Higher Education in Turkmenistan, October 2010:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/participating_countries/reviews/turkmenistan_review_of_higher_education.pdf

� Online news Turkmenistan.ru: http://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/ (Russian) and http://www.turkmenistan.ru/en/ (in English)

� Portal of the Supreme Council on Science and Technology, Turkmen and International Postgraduate Education and Standards:

http://science.gov.tm/projects/pes/en/turkmenistan.htm

� Several articles on education in Turkmenistan since President Niyazov’s death in Dec. 2006:

Education System Proves Stubbornly Resistant to Reform, EurasiaNet.org, 10/23/07:

http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav102307a.shtml

Turkmenistan: Doors Opening, Doors Slamming, Chalkboard, 05/20/08: http://chalkboard.tol.org/turkmenistan

Turkmenistan: Fixing Decades of Damage, Boston College Center for International Higher Education, Summer 2009:

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/soe/cihe/newsletter/Number56/p23_Merrill.htm

� Turkish education in Turkmenistan: Turkish Schools Closed, August 2011: http://www.eurasianet.org/node/64079



Turkmenistan Sample Documents:

Certificate of Secondary Education, 2003: Bilingual Turkmen-English booklet format



Higher Education Diploma and Addendum from pre-Niazy era, 1990-95

Diploma Addendum for above Higher Education Diploma

Belarus and Turkmenistan: Promoting International...

Documents

Transcript of Belarus and Turkmenistan: Promoting International...