Scientists from eight countries gathered at Yanka Kupala State University to discuss the role of the university in the modern world

The opening of the international scientific and practical conference "University-the territory of advanced development" was held on February 19.

About 200 scientists and researchers from Belarus, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Macedonia, and Switzerland took part in the representative forum. Over the course of two days, they were discussing strategies for advanced development of the university, as well as sharing the experience of international cooperation between higher education institutions. – We support the idea that the university today should become a driver of the development of modern society, - the first Vice-rector of Yanka Kupala State University Oleg Romanov said in his welcome speech during the opening of the conference. – After all, it is at the university that the formation of human potential takes place, fundamental and applied knowledge is generated here, which is necessary for the development of society. I am sure that today's conference will contribute to solving the problem of creating a type of university that helps society move along the path of progress. Two plenary reports were presented during the opening of the conference. Viktor Tarantey, a Professor at Yanka Kupala State University, spoke about the 80-year history of Kupala University and its role in improving the educational process. In particular, he shared his experience in writing the Chronicle of Yanka Kupala Grodno State University, which will be presented in the near future. Dmitry Sultanov, Head of research solutions in Russia and Central Asia at Elsevier, addressed issues of science evaluation, ratings, and publication activity in his report. He stressed the importance of international cooperation for scientific organizations, and also noted that he considers the name chosen for the large scientific forum, which is held as part of the anniversary of Yanka Kupala State University, very successful. – The General theme of the conference "University – the territory of advanced development" fully reflects current global trends, - Dmitry Sultanov said. - After all, now universities are not only educational institutions, but also the centers of scientific activity. Moreover, we are increasingly talking about the commercialization of science. In turn, Yuri Romanovsky, a Vice-rector for research at Yanka Kupala State University, noted that our University is already on this path of development. Currently, kupalovtsy are actively building a model of "University 3.0", which involves combining three components on the basis of one institution: education, science and commercial activity. Discussion of topical issues continued during the breakout sessions. The sections were devoted to the following topics: "University as a driving force of the digital transformation of the economy", "Fundamental and applied research as the basis for advanced development", "Prospects for humanitarian education in the era of digital transformations","Digital transformation of education as a factor of advanced development". On the second day of the conference, a plenary session was held, during which the rector of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, Irina kiturko, the rector of St. Petersburg State University of Economics, Igor Maksimtsev, the rector of the National State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Health named after P. F. Lesgafta Sergey Bakulev, Vice-rector for development of the University in Bialystok Yaroslav Matveyuk, Vice-rector for international relations of the Chernivtsy National University named after Yuri Fedkovich Petr Fochuk and Vice-rector for strategic development of the Aktobe Regional State University named after K. Zhubanov Kuanyshbek Shunkeyev spoke. All the participants of the international scientific and practical conference "University-the territory of advanced development" also joined the festive events that were held at Yanka Kupala State University on the eve of the 80th anniversary.

Associate Professor of journalism Sergey Morozov dedicated a photo exhibition of his works to his favorite University

The opening of the exhibition was held as part of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Yanka Kupala State University.

The opening ceremony brought together students and staff of the University. The exhibition entitled "Aerial Grodno" includes 35 unique photographs of the city and the University, taken from a bird's eye view. - Through art creative people can and should awaken love and respect among our youth for their country, for its past, present and future, for the heritage that we have – the first Vice-rector of Yanka Kupala Grodno State University, Oleg Romanov,  said during the opening of the photo exhibition. – It is noteworthy that the author of these works expressed his love for his native city, his small homeland and the University, using modern technical tools that are now in the arsenal of photographers. These photos were taken using a quadrocopter that stayed in the air for more than 110 hours, flying 800 kilometers. With the help of a quadrocopter, Sergey Morozov took several thousand photos. The author captured recognizable locations of Grodno in different seasons, at different times of the day. The most interesting photos were selected for the photo exhibition dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Yanka Kupala state University. There are also those that depict the building of the native Kupala University. – I am a happy person, - the author shared, presenting the exhibition. - I am happy because the city where I live inspires me to create, and the University where I work gives me opportunities for self-expression. And the most important thing is that my work is in demand, because I can present my works to the audience, including at this exhibition. Associate Professor of journalism at Yanka Kupala State University, candidate of Historical Sciences Sergey Morozov has repeatedly presented his photo works at personal exhibitions in Belarus, Russia, and Lithuania. He is a nominee and the winner of national and international photo contests, as well as a member of the honored Amateur team of the Republic of Belarus of the people's photo club "Grodno".

"Happy birthday, University!": a student event in the framework of the "Living history" project was held on February,18 at Yanka Kupala state University

As part of the campaign, Kupala residents and everyone could congratulate Kupala University on its upcoming 80th anniversary.

In the hall of the main building of the University, volunteers of the civil-Patriotic project "Living history" offered students and employees to pass a kind of exam – to draw a ticket and answer a question about the history of their Alma Mater – and, if the answer is correct, to receive a gift from the organizers of the event. "When was the University flag square opened?", "In what year was Irina Kiturko appointed to the post of rector of Yanka Kupala state University?", "What plant adorns the facade of the academic building in Ozheshko street and is the hallmark of the University?"- the questions on the quiz "Pass the exam perfectly" sounded very different. And if they seemed quite easy to the undergraduates, the first-year students were forced to think a little. Meanwhile, the action continued in the street near the University building in Ozheshko street – here passers-by and everyone had the opportunity to congratulate the oldest University of Grodno and the region on its anniversary. Participants of the action also received pleasant souvenirs for their wishes to the University.

The opening of the exhibition "Masters and Students" was held at Yanka Kupala State University

Creative works of teachers-artists and students of the Faculty of Art and Design were presented in the gallery "Universum”.

The exhibition "Masters and students" on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Kupala University opened to acquaint everyone with the results of the creative work of Kupala residents. Today, works from their own collections, made in the genres of still life, landscape and story composition, were presented here by teachers-artists. You can also see the creative work of their students - students of the Faculty of Art and Design. At the exhibition, students sought to demonstrate the professional skills acquired and improved during their studies - through coursework and theses. Irina Kiturko, the rector of Yanka Kupala State University, delivered a welcoming and congratulatory speech to the audience. Irina Fyodorovna noted that the main wealth and honor of the University is its employees and students. That's why the name of the exhibition - "Masters and Students" - is very symbolic. It reflects the connection of generations through teachers and those who are just making their first steps in art. - Indeed, every master wants their students to surpass him. Then the master's talent becomes even more famous. On this occasion, I would like to wish today's students to become masters and learn from their teachers, because then you will be able to pass on with dignity. The ability to awaken the talent and craving for creativity, to reveal the creative potential of a student is not an easy task. But it is successfully implemented by teachers of Kupala University. Thus, among the works presented at the exhibition is the picturesque work of the Chairman of the Grodno regional organization "Belarusian Union of artists" Nikolay Bondarchuk. Nikolay Trofimovich has been teaching at the Department of Fine Arts for a long time. During the opening of the exhibition, he came to congratulate all the participants, as well as to present to the University a folio of creative works published in honor of the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Grodno region. Traditionally, to mark the opening of the exhibition in the Universum gallery, its participants, together with the rector of the University Irina Kiturko, lit the palladium of arts. After the end of the festive event, the organizers invited everyone to take a tour and review the exhibition.

Liturgies dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Yanka Kupala State University were held in the Church of St. Francis Xavier and Pokrovsky Cathedral

On the eve of the University's birthday, on February 17 and 18, the services were visited by the University's management, as well as all interested students and employees of Yanka Kupala State University.

Yanka Kupala State University opened an updated gallery of the University rectors

The exhibition was supplemented by a portrait of Andrey Dmitrievich Korol, the rector of Yanka Kupala State University from 2013 to 2017.

The opening of the updated exposition was timed to the 80th anniversary of the University. The event was attended by students, teachers and employees of the University. – During the time that Andrey Dmitrievich managed the University, significant results were achieved in the activities of Yanka Kupala State University and a number of significant projects were implemented, - the rector of Yanka Kupala State University Irina Kiturko said. - Andrey Dmitrievich actively supported the concept of "University-Museum", part of which is a gallery of portraits of the University rectors. And the historical staircase in the old building of the Mariinsky gymnasium, designed so that both students and guests can immediately get an idea of how the University was formed, is also the idea of Andrey Dmitrievich Korol. We appreciate his great contribution to the development of the University. The opening ceremony of the updated exhibition was held with the participation of Andrey Korol. Without hiding his emotions, he shared that this is an exciting event for him. – I am grateful for the kind words, and also for the fact that today I, as if by means of a time machine, briefly returned to the past. During the years when I was the rector of Yanka Kupala Grodno State University, I learned a lot. I am grateful to the people I have worked with here at the University, - Andrey Korol said. The author of the portrait of Andrey Korol, which joined the gallery of the rectors of the University, is Head of the Department of Design of the Faculty of Art and Design of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, associate Professor, member of the Belarusian Union of artists Anton Leshchinsky. He also painted most of the portraits in the permanent exhibition of the University's rectors' gallery. Anton Leshchinsky thanked the management and the people whose portraits he worked on for their trust. The result of the implementation of the author's artistic idea was evaluated by the guests and employees of the University immediately after the official part of the event was completed. During the holiday week, new portraits will complement the gallery of professors of Yanka Kupala State University.

The first Congress of graduates of Yanka Kupala State University gathered representatives of several generations of University graduates

The event was held on February 15 and became one of the main events dedicated to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Alma mater.

Delegates of the Congress-graduates of Yanka Kupala State University of different years, which have succeeded in their professions, became successful public and political figures of our country. In total, the event was attended by 125 delegates as well as the University employees who, after graduating from Kupala University, work in their Alma mater. The official part of the event was preceeded by meetings with graduates at the University's faculties. Graduates were able to communicate with their teachers and, walking through the corridors and classrooms of their academic buildings, remember their student years. – I graduated from Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno almost 30 years ago, the editor-in-chief of the publishing house Zvyazda said. – And it seems that only now I realize that my student years were the best. Here, at my native History Department, I met my future wife, with whom we have lived together for more than 25 years. I would like to note that I received good knowledge at the University, which provides a strong basis for moving forward and achieving success in the profession. Welcoming the participants of the first Congress of graduates, the rector of Yanka Kupala State University Irina Kiturko noted that all those gathered in the hall of the University are not visitors, but at home. – I want you to feel like you have come home today. You are in your Alma mater. Here you have received the necessary professional competencies, found friends, and some may have created families, – Irina Kiturko addressed the delegates. – We could not help but celebrate the anniversary of the University together with our graduates. This is a celebration of many generations of our employees, students and graduates. I would like to thank you for coming here today after leaving your business and covering the distance and helping us realize our ambitious idea of holding the country's first alumni Congress. During the Congress, the participants discussed the directions of further cooperation between graduates and current employees and teachers of the University. It is worth noting that the Association of graduates of Yanka Kupala State University has existed since 1997. During this time, a number of joint projects were implemented to train highly qualified specialists for various sectors of the University's economy and social sphere. – In the future, we plan to hold such large forums as the alumni Congress at least once in five years. In addition, the Council of the Association of University graduates has been created and is working, which solves all pressing issues as they arise, – the rector of Yanka Kupala State University, Irina Kiturko said. During the meeting, the participants discussed the activities prescribed in the Roadmap for the development of the Association of graduates of Yanka Kupala State University. Joint seminars, master classes, concerts, festivals and tourist gatherings are planned as part of its implementation. A program of postgraduate support for University graduates will also be developed, and the exposition of the University's history Museum will be supplemented with new materials based on the memories of graduates. During the event, Tamara Korenko, a graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics in 1956, shared her memories related to her Alma mater. Despite her respectful age, she also arrived as a delegate to the first Congress of graduates. – I am very grateful that I was invited to this meeting, - said Tamara Korenko. – I am very happy to visit this temple of science again. In those years, studying at the Institute was the limit of my dreams. I went to a rural school, and it was 18 kilometers away from my house to the high school. But I had such a desire to study that, after finishing school, I still decided to go to Institute. And at first I didn't believe I was a student. I kept wanting to pinch myself: I couldn't believe it was true. Therefore, today's meeting is a great gift for me, an opportunity to remember my younger years. Other participants of the Congress also told about their memories and their vision of further cooperation between graduates and the University. In the end, Sergey Maskevich, a graduate of 1974 and the Director of the International State Environmental Institute named after A. D. Sakharov, became the new Chairman of the alumni Association of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno. – I am grateful to everyone for their trust, - Sergey Maskevich said. – I have never lost touch with my Alma mater – Yanka Kupala Grodno State University. At all times, this University has developed intensively and has always been among the leaders. I have a feeling that for a long time Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno is a little ahead of its time. And I can say: if you want to know what trends in education and science will be relevant tomorrow, then look at what new ideas and projects are being implemented at Kupala University today. This can be confirmed by holding the country's first alumni Congress at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno. Perhaps in the future this experience will be adopted by other institutions of higher education of the Republic. Summing up the event, the participants agreed that the forum will certainly contribute to the further development of cooperation between the University and the alumni Association.

A marathon of festive events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the University has started at Yanka Kupala State University

An updated conference hall was inaugurated at Kupala University on February 14.
The symbolic red ribbon marking the opening of the updated auditorium was cut by the rector of Yanka Kupala State University Irina Kiturko, 
the Chairman of the Coordinating Student Council Alexey Oborin, and representatives of organizations that performed construction work.
Irina Kiturko, addressing Kupala representatives (Kupalovtsy), 
noted that the conference hall is of special importance for Yanka Kupala State University:
– Today we are not just opening a conference hall, we are opening an audience that will preserve a part of the history of the University. 
Here is a round table that in October 2018 brought together students from three universities in Grodno 
during a meeting with President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
It is worth noting that near the audience you can see an exhibition of photographs, which was a continuation of the concept of 
"University-Museum" and reflects the historical epochs of the University's development in decades and events:
– We try to make sure that all the walls of the University tell students about the history of their Alma mater. 
Therefore, we created a historical mini-exhibition, the content of which was collected bit by bit in various archives 
throughout the Republic by employees of Yanka Kupala Grodno State University " – Irina Kiturko said.
The first meeting in the updated conference hall was held by representatives of the Coordinating Student Council. 
Kupalovtsy discussed the results of the activities coordination of the Student Council, 
Student Council of Dormitories and the Board of volunteers 
for the first semester and set goals for the upcoming semester. Another topic of the meeting was the preparation and holding of the "We are 80!" 
dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the University. For more information about the events that will be held at Yanka Kupala State University 
as part of the anniversary celebration, 
please follow the link. https://www.grsu.by/component/k2/item/32654-grgu-imeni-yanki-kupaly-otprazdnuet-80-letie-so-dnya-osnovaniya.html

Round dances, paper snowballs, poems in Spanish and Polish: foreign students took part in an event dedicated to New Year's traditions in Belarus

Foreign citizens study at the Faculty of Philology and the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science as part of the Erasmus + program.

The event was organized for foreign guests who visited Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno within the Erasmus + exchange programme. The event allowed students from Poland and Spain to get acquainted with the culture and traditions of our country. So, the organizers told foreign guests about the features of the winter holidays in Belarus and how is customary to celebrate New Year and Christmas. An amazing fact for them was the celebration of the Old New Year in Belarus, and the history of this holiday. Foreign students were glad to see Ded Moroz and Snegurochka, noting that there were no such New Year characters in their countries. Throughout the evening, the guys showed their talents - they danced, read poems and sang songs in their native languages. They were impressed by paper snowballs and round dances to New Year's tunes. At the end of the event, guests received souvenirs and sweets.

Students from the University of Alcalá (Spain) and the University of Gdansk (Poland) will study at the Yanka Kupala University during one academic semester

Foreign citizens study at the Faculty of Philology and the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science as part of the Erasmus + program.

Students from the University of Alcalá (Spain) and the University of Gdansk (Poland) will study at the Yanka Kupala University during one academic semester. In the first days of September, the Center for Internationalization of Education, together with ESN YKSUG Club of Youth Student Initiatives and university departments, organized an adaptation week for foreign guests. Students were told about Kupalovo University, its structure, they met with teachers and students with whom they were to study together, learned the features of the educational process. A cultural and entertainment program was also organized for foreign guests. So, they played several football matches with Belarusian students, took part in a bike ride in the forest park “Pyshki”, and took an excursion along the streets of Grodno. As students from the University of Gdansk noted, studying at our university under the academic mobility program will allow them not only to improve their professional competencies, but also to plunge into the environment of the Russian language they study. In turn, students from the University of Alcala said that it would be useful for them to get new knowledge in computer engineering, as well as learn more about the culture of Belarus, which is significantly different from the Spanish.