Wishful thinking: Belarus joining the Bologna process

The article seeks to explore the current state of inward and outward academic mobility of students in Belarus including its numbers and composition. The author reviews the data on mobility with regards to the aims of the European Higher Education Area members to achieve the indicator of 20% graduates having participated in student mobility programmes by 2020. The aim of the research is therefore, to evaluate the levels of student mobility in Belarus in connection with its obligations established by the Roadmap whose implementation has become the main condition for the accession of Belarus into the Bologna process. The research methods employed by the author include statistics and secondary data analysis necessary for the complex study of the development of higher education system in Belarus within the last thirty years. The urgency of the research is determined by the similarity of Russian and Belorussian educational systems' development. Thus, both systems experience similar problems and need to be transformed in order to meet the demands of modern labour market and the needs of national economies. There is certain shortage of serious scientific research on higher education in Belarus. Some research interest for this topic was displayed in connection with the formal joining Bologna process by the Republic of Belarus. The author traces the background of Bologna process and highlight objective and subjective reasons for Belarus to join the Process. Despite much incompliance with the letter and intent of Bologna declaration, Belarus became the member of Bologna process in 2015. There is no precedent for this occasion because Belarus became full member of the Process by promising to adopt the number of reforms listed in the Roadmap within three years. However, if Belarus does not comply with the promise Members of the European Higher Education Area won't have any effective means of enforcement. As for the academic mobility it is now hindered by certain legal tools as well as the poor quality and reputation of Belorussian universities. Meanwhile, promotion of academic mobility is one of the main principles of the European Higher Education Area and one of the indicators used by various agencies ranking the universities in the world. The author comes to the conclusion that the fundamental problems with the quantity and quality of students coming to Belarus within academic mobility programmes can be solved only by conducting true reforms in its higher education system.

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