A competition for grants for the implementation of research and innovation projects has been announced at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno

Grants will be allocated from the Innovation Development Fund, which was formed at the university last December.

The competition is open and takes place at the university for the first time. In the future, it is planned to be held annually. Participants can be both individual researchers and research teams from among the university’s full-time employees, including separate structural units, students, undergraduates, graduate students and doctoral students, as well as research associations of university students from among student research laboratories and student design bureaus. The materials and information provided for the competition of projects must be original, should not contain information that explicitly or indirectly violates any obligations of confidentiality of authors, intellectual property rights.

According to Yury Romanousky, Vice-Rector for Research, financial support from the funds of the Innovation Development Fund of the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno can be provided on a competitive basis to employees and students of the university who are working on the implementation of innovative projects planned for inclusion in the State Program for Innovative Development of the Republic of Belarus, implementation of export-oriented innovative projects, as well as projects aimed at creating and organizing the activities of small innovational enterprises engaged in the commercialization of the results of the university research activities. Applicants, students, undergraduates, graduate students and doctoral students of the university can apply for grants if their scientific and innovative activities are aimed at carrying out research, development and experimental-technological work, ensuring the creation and production of new products, advanced technologies and new to our Republic and the global economy of services, as well as acceleration and implementation of innovative projects and developments that ensure the implementation of research results work in the production process of enterprises and organizations of the country.

The competition for grants will be held in 3 stages. The first stage starts from March 23 and will last till April 24. During this period participants must submit an application for the competition, a business project and its feasibility study, as well as the estimated financial costs of the project. Only one application is accepted from each participant. Participants in the competition may submit additional documents to the project, including reference materials related to the implementation of research, development and experimental and technological work, as well as work on the development and production of new types of goods and services. The subjects of the projects submitted to the competition must comply with the List of priority areas of scientific and technical activity.

From April 30 to May 18, an examination of the provided materials will be carried out. During the examination, the work will be evaluated according to criteria such as innovation, technological structure of the technologies being introduced and their origin, the planned volume of production of high-tech products, commercial and export development potential, the payback period of the project, the reality of the timing of the stages and work as a whole, and the reasonableness of the estimated costs. When selecting projects for financing from the funds of the University Innovation Development Fund, priority will be given to projects based on technologies of V and VI technological structures, as well as those that end with the release and sale of innovative products. The selection of projects and the summing up of the competition will be held from May 19 till May 29, 2020.

The competition for grants for research and innovation projects is aimed at creating conditions to support the commercialization of scientific results, stimulating research and innovation activities of the university employees and students, selecting promising research and innovation projects to further assist in their implementation and promotion, the formation of project activity skills among the participants of the competition, the creation of conditions for unlocking potential and whether the growth of participants in the competition and ensuring the implementation of the development priorities of the university.

Grants will be allocated from the funds of the Innovation Development Fund of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, which was formed at the end of the last year with the aim of financially supporting the innovative development of the university.

Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno is the second among universities of the Republic of Belarus according to the ARES international rating

In the updated ARES-2020 rating, Grodno State University of Yanka Kupala strengthened its position, rising from the fifth to the second place.

The ARES (Academic Ranking of World Universities-European Standard) rating is calculated by the European Chamber of Science and Industry. Data is processed automatically, completely eliminating the involvement of the human factor.

The goal of the ARES Higher Education Institutions Rating is to assess the ability of universities to provide students with the necessary knowledge, to participate in research and development, as well as the opportunity to actively communicate with future employers. The European Higher Education Standards are accepted as evaluation criteria, which were approved by the BFUG Bologna Coordination Group and approved by the EC Conference of Ministers of Higher Education. Important parameters of the rating are the international activities of the university and the role of the university in the social, economic and cultural development of the region.

The ARES rating assigns 4 categories of assessments for the level of teaching quality, scientific activity and the demand for graduates by employers: category A (High quality performance), category B (Good quality performance), category C (Sufficient quality performance), category D (Conditional failure).

According to the ARES-2020 International Rating of Higher Education Institutions, 29 higher education institutions of the Republic of Belarus were included in the rating. The Mogilev State University of Food and the Belarusian State Academy of Music participated in the ranking for the first time.

Grodno State University of Yanka Kupala has been participating in this rating since 2014 and is among the best universities in the Republic of Belarus. According to the results of ARES-2020, published in April 2020, Grodno State University of Yanka Kupala ranks second among Belarusian higher education institutions and is the first included in category A (High quality performance), which classifies it as a university with high quality teaching, research and the demand for graduates by employers.

The leaders among Belarusian institutions of higher education (holders of category A) are Belarusian State University, Grodno State University of Yanka Kupala, Belarusian State Medical University. Gomel State University of Francis Skorina is on the fourth place, Belarusian State University of Economics – on the fifth.

Read more about the positions of higher education institutions of the Republic of Belarus in the ARES-2020 rating (http://eurochambres.org/ares/ares-2020-belorus.php?clear_cache=Y).

More detailed information on the position of Grodno State University of Yanka Kupala in world rankings is available here (https://www.grsu.by/glavnaya/univer/universitet-v-mirovykh-rejtingakh.html).

Students and employees of the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno are invited to read poems about the Great Patriotic War

The action "Dedicated to the Great Victory!" dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War was announced at the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno.

To participate, you must choose a poem about the Great Patriotic War of any author or poems of your own composition and record a video reading of this poem. The clip can be shot on the camera of a mobile phone. Collective participation in the action is allowed.

You can send a video before April 24 by e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Videos will be posted on the university’s website from April 27.

YKSUG students are invited to participate in the competition for the best art postcard dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory

The creative works of students of the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno are accepted till April 20.

The competition for the best art postcard dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory will be held in two stages. During the first stage - till April 20 - the best cards will be chosen in the primary trade union organizations of educational institutions. So, YKSUG students can send their creative works to the email address of the trade union committee of students of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The results of the competition will be announced within the framework of the regional stage - the second stage will be held from April 21 till April 24.

The competition is held in order to preserve the memory of the events of the Great Patriotic War. To participate in it, everyone is preparing an art postcard, as well as developing an envelope for it. The creative work and the envelope are performed in the digital drawing technique and are given to the competition in electronic and printed versions.

When evaluating the creative work of the jury of the competition, its artistry and aesthetics, harmony of the composition and color scheme, uniqueness and originality of the design, quality and aesthetic appearance will be taken into account. Also, the submitted work will be evaluated for compliance with the goals and objectives of the competition and the presence of all components (postcards and an envelope for it) will be take into account.

The competition is held by the Youth Council of the Grodno Regional Organization of the Belarusian Professional Union of Education and Science and is dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. According to the results of the competition, the winners of stage II will receive diplomas and cash rewards from the organizers.

Volunteers of YKSUG will help veterans and university staff

At the initiative of the Volunteer Center, a call center was created in YKSUG.

Volunteer students of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno are ready to assist in the purchase and delivery of food and medicine to university veterans. Representatives of the older generation of university employees can also apply to the Volunteer Center.

Currently, active work is underway to collect information about veterans, senior employees and senior citizens of the university who may need help. The organizers note that today the support of the older generation has become one of the main tasks of the Volunteer Center.

Call center work hours for accepting applications - from 8:30 till 12:30 and from 13:00 till 17:00 on weekdays by calling 74 43 87.

The II Republican youth festival-contest "MEDIASPHERE-2020" will be held in digital format

The winners of the competition, organized by Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, will be announced online May 12.

The jury of the Festival completed its work - more than 340 entries were reviewed and evaluated in 5 categories: “Print Media”, “Electronic Media (TV, Radio) “,”Photoproject “; “Internet project”; “Communication project”.

Among the participants who submitted applications in the "Juniors" category are representatives of schools, children's development centers, gymnasiums, colleges from Grodno and the Grodno region, as well as from Minsk, Vitebsk, Brest, Mogilev, Dzerzhinsk, Salihorsk, Molodechno, Bobruisk, Zhodino, Polotsk , Vileyka, Borisov, Osipovichi, Pinsk. Students from 12 Belarusian universities from Minsk, Grodno, Gomel, Brest, Baranovichi, Vitebsk, Mogilev, Pinsk presented their works in the category "Profi".

The best works, awarded with diplomas of I, II, III degree, as well as awarded with diplomas in special nominations, will be posted on May 7 on the page of the II Republican youth festival-contest “Media Sphere-2020” - the Organizing Committee will inform each participant via e-mail.

From May 7 to 11, contestants will be able to take part in the online voting for the audience’s prize in the account of the Student Media Center “GRSU MEDIA | STUDENT MEDIA CENTER "on the social network.

The names of the winners will be announced on May 12, 2020. Information on the decision of the jury will appear on the official page of the Festival.

Student learning  at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno will be fully organized using information and communication technologies from April 20 to May 8

Our university introduces additional measures to organize safe conditions for the educational process in the current epidemiological situation.

Moreover, all measures have been taken to ensure the quality of the educational process. Training will take place in accordance with approved curricula. Teachers and students will interact remotely through the University’s educational portal, as well as various educational platforms, while actively using managed independent work.

It is worth noting that Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno has a unique experience in implementing information technologies in the educational process: activities in this area have been successfully carried out for many years, and have now been transformed into the implementation of the Digital University + project aimed at training specialists for the IT country.

Digital services developed by university employees allow not only to organize training and counseling for students outside the classroom, but also to monitor their presence in the classroom, the active participation in the work on the Educational Portal, and also regularly evaluate student learning outcomes.

For teachers wishing to improve competencies in the field of conducting training sessions using ICT, online training seminars will continue.

All this will save the health of students and teachers, reduce direct contacts between them, minimize movement in public transport and being in public places.

Addressing the students, teachers and employees of the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, the rector of the university, Irina Kiturko, calls for showing social responsibility, observing all the necessary recommendations of doctors, not leaving the city, taking care of the health and health of those who are nearby.

About caring, humanity and helping those who save lives today: kupalovtsy became part of the Republican campaign "marathon of support"

In the action, aimed at helping medical personnel of healthcare institutions, took part members of the primary organization of the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno “Belorussian Union of Women”.

As part of their participation in the “Support Marathon”, kupalovtsy supported the doctors of the Grodno healthcare institutions, who are now actively involved in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

So, the members of the primary organization transferred to the charity account membership fees for two months. Also, together with the head office of PO “BUW” of the Leninsky district and the primary organization of the “BUW” of the Grodno State Medical University, hygiene and personal protective equipment were transferred to the medical staff of the Municipal Psychological Center “Psychiatry-Narcology”.

By the way, for a significant contribution to the women's movement in 2019, the primary organization “Belorussian Union of Women” of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno was awarded the gratitude of the head office of the Grodno city organization “Grodnenchanka”.

Ecological Initiative “Inclusive environmental management by inclusion of Grodno resident in the development and implementation of measures aimed at improving the quality of the environment and monitoring environmental risks in an educational multi-center of integrated support for the environmentally friendly lifestyle of local communities "URA Grodno!"

The ecological initiative won the Contest of ecological initiatives for funding and is funded in the framework of UNDP project “Civic engagement in environmental monitoring and improving environmental management at the local level”

Project Duration: 07.06.2019 – 07.12.2020

Project Members & Partners

Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno (Belarus)

State Educational Institution “Secondary school №12 of Grodno” (Belarus)

State Educational Institution “Kindergarten №45 of Grodno” (Belarus)

THE AIM OF THE INITIATIVE

Stimulate efficient and inclusive environmental management through civic engagement in the development and implementation of measures aimed at improving the environment and monitoring of environmental risks, which includes sharing environmental information, in particular in the field of ambient air quality.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

1. 1.Preparation and agreement of a regional plan for the integrated support of the eco-friendly lifestyle of local communities. Monitoring of the changes in attitudes of residents of Grodno city to the problems of ecology of the region. The plan consists of ecological educational activities integrated into the work plans of educational institutions, which are involved in the implementation of ecological initiatives, as well as ecological educational activities from the work plans of educational institutions and public organizations, which are additionally engaged into the implementation of ecological initiative.
2. 2.Equipping of the educational multi-center for the integrated support of the eco-friendly lifestyle of local communities “URA Grodno"

2.1   establishment of the educational mini-centre "Environmental Monitoring Laboratory" at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno

2.2   organizing 5 educational mini-centers “Green workshops", "Green class" with the installation of a garden house," Green foyer", "Energy" , "Water " at Secondary school №12 of Grodno

2.3   organizing 2 educational mini-centers "Little meteorologist" with a seclusion pavillion and "Ecology and health" with equipping of the territory with stands, phyto-garden beds, organization of tracks at “Kindergarten №45 of Grodno”

1. 3.Education activities of the educational multi-center for the integrated support of the eco-friendly lifestyle of local communities “URA Grodno"

3.1 7 practical workshops with using of the equipment of educational mini-center ”Environmental Monitoring Laboratory" at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno

3.2 6 theoretical trainings with demonstration of the work of the created educational mini-centers “Green workshops","Green class", "Green foyer", "Energy", "Water" at "Secondary School No. 12 of Grodno"

3.3 5 workshops in the created educational mini-centers "Little meteorologist" and "Ecology and health" at Kindergarten №45 of Grodno

3.4 5 workshops in the created educational mini-centers "Little meteorologist" and "Ecology and health" at Kindergarten №45 of Grodno

3.5 The organization of the ecological session of the school recreation camp at "Secondary School No. 12 of Grodno"

3.6 Seminar-training for teachers - organizers of educational practices "Modern approaches to the organization practices of education for sustainable development in the context of informal education"

3.7 Educational visit to Humboldt University in Berlin and institutions of secondary and preschool education in the structure of the University

3.8 Support of carrying out of the Summer Methodical School of Association "Education for Sustainable Development" (partner of ecological initiative)

3.9 Round table "Together along the path of sustainable development. Prospects for cooperation"

4. Conducting a series of information events on the territory of the ecological initiative in the framework of an educational multi-center for the integrated support of the eco-friendly lifestyle of local communities “URA Grodno"

4.1 Forum of ecological Initiatives

4.2 Regional Forum of Education for Sustainable Development with the participation of representatives of local government and authorities

4.3 Ecological educational campaign "Clean business"

4.4 Information campaign "Mini-project "Energy-efficient planet: define your position"

4.5 Inclusive Eco-bikequest, that is dedicated to Earth Day

PROJECT RESULTS

• Creation of an educational multi-center ensuring continuity of ecological education at the stages “kindergarten-school-university” and involving a large number of Grodno residents into the implementation of environmentally significant activities and actions.
• Activities to involve residents of the city of Grodno into the ecologically friendly lifestyle of local communities of Grodno are included in the annual work plans by Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, School №12, and Kindergarten №45. The annual work plans are approved by the Department of Education of Grodno City Executive Committee.
• The regional plan for the complex support of the ecologically friendly lifestyle of local communities of Grodno is drafted and approved by Grodno City Executive Committee.
• Orders for the approval of creation of additional jobs are signed: at least 3 jobs (full or part-time) are modified, not less than 8 specialists are additionally engaged (part-time work for an additional fee) /
• At least 1,470 people are interviewed during 2 questionings in Grodno. The survey covers two thematic areas: environmental education and environmentally ethical behavior and is aimed at identifying thematic areas where there is the potential to improve the environmental literacy of the population. The results are discussed at the meeting of the Public Environmental Coordination Council of Grodno region.
• Created and equipped the educational multi-center for the integrated support of the eco-friendly lifestyle of local communities “URA Grodno". The center will include the educational mini-centre "Environmental Monitoring Laboratory" at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, 5 educational mini-centers “Green workshops", "Green class" with the installation of a garden house," Green foyer", "Energy" , "Water " at Secondary school №12 of Grodno, 2 educational mini-centers "Little meteorologist" with a seclusion pavillion and "Ecology and health" with equipping of the territory with stands, phyto-garden beds, organization of tracks at “Kindergarten №45 of Grodno”
• 5 practical workshops conducted with the use of equipment of educational mini-center ”Environmental Monitoring Laboratory" at Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, and not less than 2 field practical workshops in other institutions. At least 300 people are trained in monitoring techniques
• 6 theoretical trainings conducted with the use of equipment of the created educational mini-centers “Green workshops", "Green class", "Green foyer ", "Energy", "Water" at "Secondary School No. 12 of Grodno". Not less than 150 people in total are trained in ecological monitoring
• 10 practical workshops conducted at "Secondary School No. 12 of Grodno" with the use of educational mini-centers “Green workshops", "Green class", "Green foyer", "Energy", "Water", during which not less than 250 people are trained in monitoring techniques.
• 5 practical workshops are conducted in the "Kindergarten №45 of Grodno", using educational mini-centers "Little meteorologist" and "Ecology and health", during which not less than 140 people are trained in monitoring techniques.
• ecological session conducted during the school recreation camp at "Secondary School No. 12 of Grodno", including 5 environmental campaigns, two trainings, a game-trip along the ecological path, an exhibition of environmental posters, an information campaign and a flash mob in the micro district. As a result of the events, more than 500 residents of Grodno are engaged into eco-friendly lifestyle
• training seminar conducted for not less than 50 teachers of educational institutions and specialists of non-profit organizations. Not less than 50 participants got an insight into modern approaches to the organization of practices of education for sustainable development and materials from the work experience of partner institutions.
• 1 joint ecological action held by the representatives of the multi-center "URA- Grodno" and Humboldt University.
• Summer methodological school of the Association "Education for Sustainable Development" supported by the educational multi-center for the integrated support of the eco-friendly lifestyle of local communities “URA Grodno". As a result of carrying out of summer methodological school: the forms and areas of cooperation of teachers from various institutions in the field of sustainable development and environmental protection are defined for further including into the work plan for the multi-center “URA-Grodno” for the period 2021-2025.
• Developed work plan for the educational multi-center for the integrated support of the eco-friendly lifestyle of local communities “URA Grodno" for the period 2021-2025.
• Information materials (posters and booklets) published and distributed. The topics are: “Basics of energy saving”, “Responsible consumption”, “Ecological monitoring for everyone”, “Sustainable development in action”, “Education for sustainable development”, “Earth Day” , "Secondary Resource Consumption", etc.
• Forum of Ecological Initiatives held.
• ecological educational campaign "Clean business" conducted, consisting of several events connected together. The possibility of motivated participation of at least 3,000 Grodno residents in ecological practices is provided in total for all events of the ecological educational campaign.
• the information campaign "Mini-project "Energy-efficient planet: define your position" conducted, consisting of several events connected together. As a result of these activities a motivated participation in the ecological friendly lifestyle for at least 1000 residents of Grodno and students is provided and at least 2000 people (see breakdown below) are acquainted with the benefits and ways of energy-efficient lifestyle and the possibility of leisure activities with the benefit and without harm to the environment.
• an Inclusive Eco-bike quest held, timed to coincide with Earth Day (April 22), consisting of several interrelated events.

Fostering Competencies Development in Belarusian Higher Education / FOSTERC

Project Duration: 36 месяцев

Project Number: 574087-EPP-1-2016-1-ES-EPPKA2-CBHE-SP

Project status: finished.

Project Members & Partners

• Politechnical University of Valencia (Spain) – Lead beneficiary and Project coordinator
• Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences (Lithuania)
• University of Bialystok (Poland)
• University of Turku (Finland)
• Belarusian State University (Belarus)
• Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno (Belarus)
• Belarussian State Pedagogical University (Belarus)
• Francisk Skorina Gomel State University (Belarus)
• Grodno State Agrarian University (Belarus)
• Polotsk State University (Belarus)
• Brest State University (Belarus)
• Belarus State Economic University (Belarus)
• Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus (Belarus)
• National Institute for Higher Education (NIHE – Belarus)
• University Solutions, USSL (Spain)

PROJECT AIM

The main aim of FOSTERC is to strengthen the use of innovative principles and

approaches to teaching and learning in the Belarusian Higher Education Institutions for

the improvement of graduates’ learning outcomes.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

• To provide indicators for conceptualize Belarusian HE learning outcomes in terms of competencies development 
• To upgrade and improve innovative teaching methods and the development of pedagogical creativity 
• To strengthen student assessment and education management information systems for the improvement of the quality of Belarusian HEIs and matching the social and economic demands 
• To equip Belarusian participating HEIs with the necessary information tool to facilitate the implementation of internal and external quality assurance assessments 
• To modernize the systems and practices of data collection and analysis in the Belarusian HE system through the development of an integrated ‘Management Information System’ improving HEIs’ management in teaching and learning activities. All these objectives will positively change the situation set out previously and will improve the overall quality of Belarusian universities.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

• Mapping teaching modes and learning outcomes in Belarusian HEIs
• Conducting surveys to: graduates, teachers and employers
• Organisation of training workshops: involving teaching and support staff, technicians, university administrators, managers.
• Organisation of training visits of Belarusian partners to EU universities
• Definition of a full model of education on the description of learning outcomes
• Establishing a student-centred teaching model based on competencies development and its implementation as a pilot activity
• Building a constructive process of recognition & validation of competencies & innovative teaching

PROJECT IMPACT

It will foster competencies development for matching the social and economic demands and improve the overall quality of HE. Implementing these reforms, it will support the modernisation of governance, management and functioning of Belarusian HEIs, and the upgrade and improvement of teaching and learning methodologies. It will provide trainings, methodological tools and indicators for conceptualization of learning outcomes, and integrate good practices and new methods into daily activities. It will also provide the necessary information and tools to facilitate the implementation of internal and external quality assurance assessments, supporting, at the end, the modernisation of Belarusian participating universities and hopefully the modernisation of the rest of Belarusian HEIs. Specifically, FOSTERC project will support the modernisation of governance, management and functioning of Belarusian HEIs

FOSTERC website - http://www.fosterc.bsu.by/

PROJECT NEWS

The final conference of the international project Erasmus + "Promoting the development of competencies in Belarusian higher education" FOSTERC