Results of cooperation between Russia and Belarus in the field of science and education should be new research projects and the strengthening of inter-university cooperation

A joint meeting of the collegium of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus and the State Committee for Science and Technologies of the Republic of Belarus was held in Moscow.

The meeting took place during the VI Moscow International Education Fair (MMCO) under the chairmanship of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Mikhail Kotyukov, the Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Olga Vasilyeva, the Minister of Education of the Republic of Belarus Igor Karpenko, Chairman of the State Committee for Science and Technology of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Shumilin.

The meeting was also attended by the State Secretary of the Union State of Russia and Belarus Grigory Rapota, the Head of the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science Sergey Kravtsov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Belarus, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on Trade and Economic Cooperation with the Republic of Belarus Mikhail Babich, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Russian Federation Vladimir Semashko.

The meeting participants discussed current state and prospects for the development of a common educational and unified scientific and technological space of the Union State, the course of implementation of the union youth policy. It was decided to prepare a list of higher education institutions of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus to form the Association of Universities of Russia and Belarus.

“Today we had an opportunity to raise issue of the cooperation development in the field of education, youth policy, issues of scientific and technical cooperation. We took the initiative to launch joint research projects that could be initiated by young scientists of the two countries. I think that this year we will be able to form an Association of universities of Russia and Belarus and hold the first forum. Within the framework of the Forum of Regions, it will be possible to organize a Youth Day and Rectors' Forum,” said Mikhail Kotyukov, the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. The Minister also noted the fundamental importance of increasing the availability of education in Russian universities for Belarusian students.

Agreements were reached on the further development of the Belarusian-Russian University in Mogilev, the development of the project of the Union State to increase the mobility of young scientists (masters and graduate students) during the meeting. In addition, the composition of the National Boards of the Expert Council was approved for awarding the Union State Prize in science and technology established in 2018.

“We are moving steadily towards the integration of our educational systems. Like our colleagues, we are occupied with issues of improving the quality of education, looking for possible mechanisms to make it more competitive in the modern world, providing scientific and methodological support for the educational process, socialization of young people. We paid special attention to the issue of the Belarusian-Russian University. This is a unique project of the union state, where students study under two programs - Russian and Belarusian - and can receive either a Russian or Belarusian diploma,” noted Igor Karpenko, the Minister of Education of the Republic of Belarus.

As the Chairman of the State Committee for Science and Technology of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Shumilin noted, the spheres of education and science are inseparable. One of the confirmations of this unity, he called the productive joint meeting of four specialized departments of the two countries. “We conduct joint research. Using the competence of the two countries, we get the best world achievements. These, in particular, are projects in the field of space research, medicine, cellular technologies. There is a great desire of scientists to cooperate,” added the head of the committee.

Additionally, agreements were reached on the development of measures for the further integration of final and entrance examinations - a Unified State Examination in the Russian Federation and Centralized Testing in the Republic of Belarus.

“In the field of school and secondary vocational education, there are very close ties between our countries. And we will strengthen them. We have something to learn from our colleagues. Joint working groups on issues of general education have been established,” said Olga Vasilyeva, Minister of Education of the Russian Federation.