Good education means a good start in life.

THE BELARUSIAN STATE UNIVERSITY OF CULTURE AND ARTS

Good education means a good start in life.

The educational establishment “The Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts” is the leading institution of higher education in the sphere of culture in Belarus. The University keeps its doors open to all those who are interested in Belarusian national culture and art, to those who are ready to devote their lives to rebirth, preservation and development of Belarusian national culture.

The Minsk Institute of Culture was set up in September, 1975, and originally it had two faculties. The structure of the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts has changed significantly during four decades. Today it consists of 6 faculties:

· The Faculty of Culture Studies and Social and Cultural Activity;

· The Faculty of Information and Document Communications;

· The Faculty of Musical Art;

· The Faculty of Traditional Belarusian Culture and Modern Arts;

· The Faculty of Part-time Education;

· The Faculty of Extended Education.

Nowadays the University has a multi-level system of education: College – University – Master’s course – Postgraduate course – Doctorate. About 5000 students and 200 Master students get education in 13 specialties, 26 directions and 13 specializations at the departments of the University. The curricula of all faculties cover such subjects as “National History”, “History of National Culture”, “Belarusian Language and Literature”, “Ethnography”, “History of Belarusian Art”, “Foreign Languages”, “Philosophy” and others. Students from Russia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, China, Azerbaijan and other countries of the world are trained here. More than 25,000 young specialists have already graduated from the University.

The teaching staff includes more than 350 lecturers, half of which have academic degrees and honorary titles. During the years of its existence the university lecturers have made a great contribution to the development of Belarusian science. Since the foundation of the University a lot of articles, monographs, course books and textbooks have been published here. In 1989, a postgraduate course was established.

The international recognition of the University is expressed in maintaining contacts with institutions of higher education in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the Baltic states, Germany, Denmark, Poland, China and the USA.

The University has a good library and a comfortable reading room where students can borrow necessary textbooks and other literature and get ready for lectures. The stock of university library numbers about 600,000 books, documents, printed music, periodicals, and electronic editions in Belarusian, Russian, English, German, French, Spanish and other languages. The library is free of charge for all the patrons. The automated workplaces have been organized, and free access to the Internet resources, including Wi-Fi, is provided for the library users. The university network allows the use of electronic resources from any automated workplace.

The Departments of the University carry out work aimed at popularizing Belarusian folklore and traditions. At the University there are a number of artistic groups well-known in our country and abroad. Our students take an active part in the social life of the University. They organize concerts, festivals, contests, meetings, excursions and sport competitions.

The University has its own art gallery. The main mission of the gallery is to create favorable conditions for the development of artistic potential of students as well as young talented artists.

Vocabulary

to be interested in something –

to devote –

rebirth –

preservation –

development –

to be set up –

to consist of –

the Faculty of Culture Studies and Social and Cultural Activity –

the Faculty of Traditional Belarusian Culture and Modern Art –

the Faculty of Music Art –

the Faculty of Information and Document Communications –

the Correspondence Department –

the daytime department –

to carry out –

to be aimed at –

sufficient amount of something –

to be valuable –

artistic achievements –

to take part in –

to be sociable –

to be reserved –

to be tolerant –

to establish contacts –

to be equipped –

to be fitted with –

efficiently –

stock –

to borrow a book from the library –

to be free of charge –