Yanka Kupala State University hosts “PROF holidays” for high school students for the first time

62 students of secondary schools and gymnasiums in Grodno, Slonim, Shchuchin and Skidel joined vocational guidance intensive courses from 3 to 5 November.
The project "PROF-holidays" started with a video conference, during which experts – representatives of various companies who have successfully implemented themselves in the profession-got in touch with the children. They shared their experience and opinions about what professions will be in demand in the future and what professional skills need to be developed today.
– We want to help our potential applicants take another confident step in the direction of choosing a profession, - said the Dean of the Faculty of Pre-University training of Yanka Kupala State University, Iosif Dornyak, opening the career guidance intensive course. – The goal of the project "PROF-holidays" is not to offer applicants a particular specialty, but to create conditions for them to develop soft skills and hard skills as future professionals. The University has accumulated a wealth of experience in terms of resources and intellectual base, we have a very strong practice-oriented component of the educational process, so I think our new project will be implemented successfully.
The program of the second day of the intensive course included visiting the Faculties of Kupala University. By the way, each of the project participants had the opportunity to decide in advance on the choice of the faculty and the direction they were interested in. So, an eleventh-grader from Skidel Polina Poleshuk has already decided that she wants to become a designer and therefore is looking forward to visiting the faculty of arts and design.
– Our school teachers offered me to take part in the project "PROF-holidays", and I found it very interesting. After all, choosing a profession is a very important stage in every person's life. Moreover, I have already decided: I am going to enter Kupala University at the Faculty of Arts and Design, I want to study in graphic Design, - Polina Poleshuk said.
But Maksim Kozich, who is studying in the final year of gymnasium No. 2 in Grodno, has not made a final choice yet and expects that the "PROF-holidays" will help him decide on the faculty and specialty. In any case, Maxim is going to apply for admission to Yanka Kupala State University next year:
– I choose between two areas – electronic marketing and programming. During the "PROF-holidays" I plan to visit both the faculty of mathematics and computer science, and the faculty of Economics and management. I want to learn more about each of the specialties that interest me and make a final choice.
Students of 20 educational institutions from different cities of the region joined the project. As part of the career guidance intensive, potential applicants will visit 8 Faculties of Yanka Kupala State University. The project participants will be offered various formats of events, including business quizzes, training sessions, team games and creative workshops. The results of the first career guidance intensive organized by Kupala University for high school students will be summed up on November 5 at a round table.

Yanka Kupala State University continues to implement the project "Give yourself without a trace»

During the academic year Kupala University will host a marathon of charity events as part of the project.
This month, thematic events dedicated to the world day of kindness and the International day of tolerance will be held at the Faculties of Law and Pedagogy. In December 2020, the Faculty of Biology and Ecology is planning to hold an action "Stop HIV/AIDS". Traditionally, in December and January, Kupala University volunteers, staff and students of all Faculties will join the Republican New Year's charity event "Our children".
Throughout the academic year, the "Give yourself without a trace" project will provide assistance to veterans of the great Patriotic war, veterans of University labour, and lonely elderly people. Volunteers will take care of places of memory, as well as initiate actions to restore order in the city and region. It is also planned to conduct training sessions for members of the University's Volunteer centre, aimed at the formation and development of competencies necessary for successful volunteer activities.
The project "Give yourself without a trace" has been implemented at Yanka Kupala State University since 2016 with the aim of coordinating and activating youth initiatives, educating students of high moral qualities by involving young people in solving socially significant problems. Among the main directions of the project are assistance to veterans, lonely elderly people, people with disabilities, orphans and children left without parental care, as well as assistance to homeless animals, environmental protection and promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The project "Give yourself without a trace" is implemented by the Council of Volunteers of Kupala University.

The first stage of rehearsal testing takes place at the Yanka Kupala State University

Students of the Grodno region will be able to test their knowledge in the first stage until December 10.
At Yanka Kupala State University, where rehearsal testing is taking place, those who wish have already written about two thousand tests and are actively continuing to register. The most popular subjects are Russian, Mathematics, English, and History of Belarus. By the way, some applicants use the fact that RT provides two options for each subject, and write the test twice.
Testing on the basis of Yanka Kupala State University takes place every day except Thursday. Registration ends two days before the day of testing for the subject. The number of seats for each day is limited, but you can always choose a different convenient date.
– The most important thing is that RT allows you to check your knowledge, fill in and systematize it, and eliminate the gaps found. When applicants participate in the second or third stage of testing, they see how the result changes. This is a good tool for self-monitoring and preparation for CT, - says Irina Shinkevich, Deputy Head of the Regional Centre for Testing and Career Guidance for Young People.
You can take part in the first stage of testing both in Grodno and in regional centers. In addition, the online format is available on the website of the Republican Institute of Knowledge Control.
You can see your results in your personal account in ten days from the date of writing the test. In addition to the overall score, applicants will be able to see which tasks were completed incorrectly. Also, after December 20, comments on all test tasks will be posted in your personal account with correct answers and necessary explanations or ways to solve them.

A training seminar for heads of student groups was held at Kupala University

The traditional annual meeting was attended by first-year heads of student groups of the University's Faculties.
At the beginning of the event, Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs Vasiliy Sianko addressed the participants. He noted that the mission of the headman today is to be a link between the Dean's office of Faculties, Departments, other structural divisions of the University and students of groups, and successful interaction with each Kupala student depends on their systematic and responsible work.
During the meeting the heads of the first-year study groups discussed the work plan for the current academic year and talked about the structure of the University's Council of heads of student groups. Also, the head of the Centre for Personnel and Legal Work of Galina Sakomskaya told the students about the legal aspects of activity of heads of educational groups, and head of the Department of Cultural and Leisure Activities Elena Stelmakh and facilitator for physical improving and sports-mass work of Sports Club Marina Yasene talked about the role of heads of heads of student groups in the organization of extracurricular activities of students.
At the end of the training workshop, participants were divided into two groups to attend a master class on public speaking and training on leadership development and successful communication skills.

The next graduation of foreign master’s degree students took place at the Faculty of Biology and Ecology of Yanka Kupala state University of Grodno

Master's degrees were awarded to 18 foreign citizens from Iraq who completed their studies at the second stage of higher education at Yanka Kupala state University of Grodno.
All graduates are citizens of Iraq, who were awarded diplomas in the fields of "Biochemistry "and" Biology" as a result of successful defense of master's theses. The defense of theses was held at the Department of Biochemistry as part of the work of the State Examination Commission chaired by the lead researcher of the “Institute of Biochemistry of Biologically Active Compounds of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus”, PhD professor in biological sciences, Elena Sutko.
The graduation of foreign master’s degree students, which took place at the Faculty of Biology and Ecology of Yanka Kupala state University of Grodno, on November 19, was the largest in number. In total, over the past few years, more than 40 Iraqi citizens who studied at the second stage of higher education at Kupala University have received master's degrees. Currently, 25 foreign citizens study at the Faculty of Biology and Ecology in the master's degree program.

The next graduation of foreign master’s degree students took place at the Faculty of Biology and Ecology of Yanka Kupala state University of Grodno

Master's degrees were awarded to 18 foreign citizens from Iraq who completed their studies at the second stage of higher education at Yanka Kupala state University of Grodno.
All graduates are citizens of Iraq, who were awarded diplomas in the fields of "Biochemistry "and" Biology" as a result of successful defense of master's theses. The defense of theses was held at the Department of Biochemistry as part of the work of the State Examination Commission chaired by the lead researcher of the “Institute of Biochemistry of Biologically Active Compounds of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus”, PhD professor in biological sciences, Elena Sutko.
The graduation of foreign master’s degree students, which took place at the Faculty of Biology and Ecology of Yanka Kupala state University of Grodno, on November 19, was the largest in number. In total, over the past few years, more than 40 Iraqi citizens who studied at the second stage of higher education at Kupala University have received master's degrees. Currently, 25 foreign citizens study at the Faculty of Biology and Ecology in the master's degree program.

Maximilian Dener, lecturer of the German Academic Exchange Service, doctor of philosophical sciences, visited Yanka Kupala state University of Grodno

As part of the educational visit under the program "Visiting Professor", the guest of honor met with students and teachers of the Department of Roman and German Philology.
As part of the program, on November 23, Maximilian Dener delivered a lecture on the theme "Modern ways of translating specific syntactic constructions of the German language into Russian" and gave a practical lesson on the theme "Linguistic and cultural translation units in intercultural communication" for students of the Faculty of Philology. The guest of honor told about the opportunities for training and academic exchanges of students, undergraduates and postgraduates in educational institutions in Germany, about academic exchanges of employees and teachers, as well as conducting scientific research on the basis of educational institutions in Germany.
Also, students of the specialty “Roman and German Philology” participated in language testing to determine the level of foreign language proficiency.
At the end of the meeting, Maximilian Dener noted that he would like to visit Yanka Kupala state University of Grodno next year again for a joint republican event.

Representatives of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno took part in the final conference on the project of transboundary cooperation in the field of ecology

During the event, the results of the project were summed up and a strategy for further cooperation was proposed on the issues of combating the spread of dangerous plant species in the Belarusian-Lithuanian сross-border region.
The partners of the ENI-LLB-1-207 project "Reduction of Negative Impact of Alien Invasive Plant Species on Ecosystems and Human Wellbeing in Cross-Border Region of Lithuania-Belarus" are the Administration of the Municipality of Varena region, the Administration of the Dzukiy National Park and the Chepkeliai Nature Reserve, as well as Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, the Department of Agriculture and Food of Grodno Regional Executive Committee, State Environmental Institution “Republican Landscape Reserve“ Ozery ”. The final conference with the participation of representatives of the two countries was held online.
Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of Biological and Landscape Diversity of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus Nikolai Svidinsky, Deputy Chairman of Grodno Regional Executive Committee Valery Balashov took part in the event from the Belarusian side. On behalf of the Lithuanian partners, Gedeminas Rasčius, the Director of the Natural Heritage Fund, made a welcoming speech.
In his speech, the Dean of the Faculty of Biology and Ecology of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, Alexander Karevsky, expressed confidence that the results achieved during the project implementation will be good motivation for further cooperation.
“We managed to start forming an ecological mentality among the local population of the сross-border areas in order that they promptly notify us and environmental organizations about finding new kinds of alien plants foci. To prevent further penetration of these plant species into wider territories, timely localization of these foci is very important”, - noted Alexander Karevsky.
Within the framework of the ENI-LLB-1-207 project "Reduction of Negative Impact of Alien Invasive Plant Species on Ecosystems and Human Wellbeing in Cross-Border Region of Lithuania-Belarus", the issues of joint organization of work on the control and destruction of invasive plant species of the borderlands were resolved, options for joint work with authorities, land users and the local community were proposed. In addition, field excursions were conducted to the places of growth of such invasive plant species, as Acer negundo, Impatiens, Echinocystis, Canadian goldenrod, giant goldenrod and others. The project participants mastered the methods of species identification, acquired skills in working with the online questionnaire for the registration of invasive plants.
During the final conference, it was noted that the cross-border cooperation project has been successfully implemented and it is necessary to continue working in this direction.

Institute for Professional Skills Upgrading and Retraining at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno has launched the second stream of free online courses

The trainees began to study English, information security, legal, business and financial literacy, as well as energy and resource saving in everyday life.
The courses are the part of the international project "Enchancement of lifelong learning in Belarus". As part of the project, the Institute for Professional Skills Upgrading and Retraining at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno became one of six regional advanced training institutes, on the basis of which there were created the conditions to increase the level of knowledge of citizens in various aspects of social life and economy.
The head of the project "Enchancement of lifelong learning in Belarus" in Grodno, the Director of the Institute for Professional Skills Upgrading and Retraining at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, Elena Kontseal said that active interaction of Belarusian and European universities in creating a wide range of educational courses for the population of various regions in our country began in 2018 year. Thanks to this, it became possible to expand the availability of additional education for residents of different parts of Belarus.
- We can already talk about the first results of the project, - said Elena Kontseal. - More than 100 applications were submitted for participation in the first stream of free distance learning courses, which were launched on the basis of our institute in November 2019. For several months, there was online training in 5 different areas. All developed courses are aimed at gaining practical skills and competencies that are in demand in everyday life. For example, the course of English will teach you how to maintain a conversation on everyday topics, go on a trip on your own, and the course on energy and resource saving in everyday life will teach you how to reduce the cost of utility bills. The experience of European universities in Great Britain, Spain, Latvia, Sweden was used in the development of the courses.
The recruitment for the courses of the second stream took place in record time. There were a lot of people who wanted to be among the listeners, which underlines the interest of the residents of the Grodno region in additional education and their willingness to study using modern information and communication technologies.
270 people of different ages - from 17 to 57 years old - were enrolled in free online courses of the second stream. Most of the students have higher education and live both in Grodno and in Krasnoselsk, Gozha, Novogrudok, Korelichi and other districts of the Grodno region. Three foreign citizens who live in Italy and Ukraine are also enrolled. Among the course participants there are 11 temporarily unemployed, 3 pensioners, 21 students and 14 young mothers on maternity leave. The rest work in different spheres of the Grodno region.
On September 28, an organizational meeting of the project participants took place, during which the listeners were able to get answers to their questions and get to know the teachers. Further, for 4 months, students will form additional competencies in the direction they have chosen. Based on the results of the training, a certificate of an international project is issued.

An on-line meeting of the partners of the international technical assistance project devoted to the revival of the traditions of beekeeping was held at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno

The participants of the project, which started in August this year, have joined efforts to preserve the traditions of beekeeping in the Belarusian-Lithuanian region.
The international technical assistance project "Preservation of Ethnocultural Heritage and Tourism Development in the Historic Region Famous for Hollow Tree Beekeeping" is implemented within the framework of the Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus Cross-Border Cooperation Program for 2014-2020 and is funded by the European Union. The main goal is to preserve and revive the ancient tradition of hollow tree beekeeping and use it for the development of tourism in Dzukia cross-border region and Grodno region.
The kick-off meeting of the project partners was held at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno in on-line mode. The event was attended by the representatives of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, including the project manager, the Head of the Department of Zoology and Human and Animal Physiology Olga Yanchurevich, as well as other Belarusian partners – the representatives of the Belarusian Public Association “Ecological Initiative” and State environmental institution “Republican Landscape Reserve “Ozery”. There were discussed the activities planned for the near future with the Lithuanian partners of the project, represented by the Natural Heritage Fund, the Administration of the Dzukija National Park and the Chepkeliai Nature Reserve.
Thus, the project participants intend to create a cross-border tourist route-guide, which will present the beekeeping traditions typical for the Belarusian-Lithuanian region. In addition, within the framework of the project, old bees will be repaired and new ones will be created in the cross-border region, which will confirm the importance of beekeeping for the local economy. There are also activities planned to teach this ancient craft to those who are interested in preserving the traditions of hollow tree beekeeping. It is planned to organize thematic festivals, which, as the project participants expect, will become the hallmark of the cross-border region.
All planned activities of the international technical assistance project "Preservation of Ethnocultural Heritage and Tourism Development in the Historic Region Famous for Hollow Tree Beekeeping " will be implemented until July 31, 2022. It is expected that the project will contribute to an increase in the number of visitors to the Dzukia National Park, State environmental institution “Republican Landscape Reserve “Ozery” and the cross-border region as a whole, which will have a positive impact on its socio-economic development.