EU to fund higher education for Belarus students

The European Commission is funding the second component of the Erasmus Mundus program for universities in Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova.

Apart from the Belarus State University and Brest State University, the consortium also includes 2 universities from Moldova, 6 -- from Ukraine and 8 -- from Europe. The project's curator is Deusto University from Sрain.

"The total budget of the consortium is nearly 5 million euros. The budget is for 48 months", says Vyachaslau Shelegeika, education and culture project coordinator at the Representative Office of the European Commission in Minsk.

In the framework of the project, 65 exchanges for students, post-graduates and professors from Belarus are planned. They can continue their education in universities of Turku (Finland), Bordeaux (France), Berlin as well as universities in Lithuania, Greece, Italy, Poland and Portugal.

Students who wish to participate in the project are encouraged to visit their dean's office in September 2010 where the lists of candidates will be drawn up. However, freshmen and last-year students cannot apply.

Belarus State University and Brest State University has participated in the Erasmus Mundus program for some years, Alyaksei Khomich, head of foreign relations department at the Brest State University, told Euroradio.

9-12 students, 2-3 Masters, 2 post-graduates and 2 professors from the Brest University travel to Europe to study annually. Erasmus Mundus is a cooperation and mobility program in the field of higher education that aims to enhance the quality of European higher education and to promote dialogue and understanding  between people and cultures.

Alyaksei Khomich: "We have taken part (in this program) since 2007. Our people go to study to Eu countries. Students stay for up to 10 months; Masters -- 22 months, post-graduates -- up mto 34 months; professors -- up to 10 months. Students get marks and pass exams and then bring the results back to Belarus".

Erasmus Mundus covers almost all the countries. There is also the first component in which all students from any university in Belarus can take part.

Vyachaslau Shelegeika: "Belarus students can participate in one of 124 Master's or 22 Doctor's programs. Those interested should find the list of those programs on the web site of Erasmus Mundus and approach the university which coordinates this progra. They will also learn the exact requirements how to enroll with a particular program".

Then, there are no further restrictions. Any number of people can participate in the first component. The rest depends on the quality of student's preparations. "If a student passes an exam successfully and gets enrolled with a university, he or she has to approach the European Commission and to request the scolarship within the Erasmus Mundus program", says Vyachaslau Shelegeika.

The scolarship covers education fees as well as all the expenses associated with staying in the city where a university is located.