On September 24-28, 2018, Gerhart Rabenschteiner and Pia-Maria Rabenschteiner (Head of the International Office), professors at the University College of Teacher Education – Carinthia (Klagenfurt, Austria), visited PSU for the first time. Within the framework of the European Programme for International Mobility Erasmus+ (Key Action 107) the representatives of the partner university could learn more information about PSU, discuss the perspectives of further cooperation and communicate with the staff, bachelor and master’s students.
The partnership between the universities began in the spring of 2017 when PSU delegation took part in the International Mobility Week at the University College of Teacher Education – Carinthia. The main result of the event was the signing of the cooperation agreement.
The visit started with the excursions to Nesvizh and Mir. Then, the acquaintance with Belarusian heritage and culture continued in Polotsk: the guests went for an excursion to Polotsk College and ancient part of Polotsk.
The professors had a very diverse programme at Polotsk State University. First, they had a meeting with the students studying at the Centre for Foreign Languages Study. The students learnt some interesting facts about the history, culture, system of education and modern life in Austria.
During the panel discussion with the lecturers of the Department of World Literature and Foreign Languages and the Department of Technology and Methods of Teaching, the representatives of the partner university learnt about the main work directions of these two departments, discussed the possibility of bilateral cooperation development and set the plan to solve a number of problems.
Future teachers studying at PSU and their lecturers could learn about international tendencies of education development in Europe from the lectures “Educational System and Civic Education in Austria” and “Project Erasmus+ and Internalization in Education”.
During the meeting of PSU administration (First Pro-rector, S. Vegera, Head of the International Office, S. Peshkun, Head of the Department of World Literature and Foreign Languages, T. Gordeyonok) with Pia-Maria and Gerhart Rabenschteiner, the parties discussed the implementation of the cooperation agreement and further perspectives of bilateral contacts development between the universities.
S.Peshkun, Head of the International Office at PSU, gave a comment on the cooperation with the partner university in Austria: “Today we are receiving special guests! They are our colleagues from the University College of Teacher Education – Carinthia. It is our only partner university in Austria. We are proud of the cooperation that started more than a year ago.
We are working successfully within the framework of the European Programme for International Mobility Erasmus+ (Key Action 107). Last year PSU representatives visited Austria. Nowadays, a student of PSU is undertaking an internship in Klagenfurt in the International Office at the University College of Teacher Education – Carinthia. Now we are hosting two professors of the partner university. We hope that our dialogues will remain productive, our cooperation will continue and turn into something bigger.”
Vladimir Filipenko