Polotsk Collegium: Glorious History Worthy of Effort

Currently, the Polotsk Collegium stands as one of the foremost tourist destinations in the region. A considerable part of this recognition can be attributed to the longstanding efforts of the Tourism Center at Euphrosyne Polotskaya State University of Polotsk. Since its founding in 2013, the center has been dedicated to providing guided tours and improving tourism services, thereby contributing to the enhancement of the historical and cultural narrative within the framework of higher education in the region. The overall number of visits exceeded 20,000 in 2024, reaching an astounding 26,886 people including 9,637 foreign visitors.

The head of the Tourism Center at Euphrosyne Polotskaya State University of Polotsk, Alexander Borisevich, said, "In 2014, when the tourist center's activities were just getting started, excursions were actually provided for anyone who was interested at the collegium gate. Therefore, today’s results are truly valuable. The Polotsk Collegium is a special place that we must respect. In addition to expressing our pride and love for it, we want to share its story with as many people as we can about its past and present. It is most likely impossible to succeed if you do not live it.

Many people are impatient to see the famous landmarks of Belarus's oldest university, which are well-known both nationally and internationally. For instance, a reservation for 2026 is already planned. This carries a lot of responsibility and is quite important.

The Tourism Center is sincerely grateful to everyone who has contributed to the development of excursion activities on the territory of the Polotsk Collegium complex and who supports its successful implementation."

The Tourism Center's primary objective is to enhance the prestige of Polotsk University by familiarizing visitors with its customs and history. This concept is made a reality by the joint efforts of the university's departments and administration, which have allowed for the display of unique projects like the sculptures of a medieval professor and student, the Rector's entrance, musical clock with academic procession, and, of course, the well-known restoration of Gabriel Gruber's 18th-century invention "The Mechanical Head." All of these attractions enhance the university's standing and foster a sincere sense of pride in our alma mater.

The personnel of the Tourist Center participate in events within the tourism sector, including meetings, seminars, and national and international specialized exhibitions, on an annual basis to promote the collegium as a significant tourist attraction. This involvement enables them to establish valuable connections within the tourism industry and to integrate the architectural monument into the permanent excursion programmes provided by tourism organization.

As part of promotional and informational tours in April, September, and October 2024, presentations were conducted to showcase the tourism potential of the Polotsk Collegium to tour operators and media representatives from Belarus and Russia. These presentations were attended by participants of the Forum of the Committee on Children's and Family Tourism of the Russian Union of Travel Industry. Additionally, representatives of the Tourism Center are members of the Interdepartmental Expert and Coordination Council on Tourism Development under the Polotsk District Executive Committee.

As a result of systematic efforts to enhance service quality and the implementation of various initiatives, the performance indicators have shown significant improvement. To date, the university's tourism center collaborates with over 100 travel companies in Belarus and Russia. Long-term partners in the Republic of Belarus include tour operators such as "Ilva," "Automated Tourism Technologies," "Belorientir," and travel companies like "Ekskurs," "Viapol," "Spadchyna," "Vegatur," "TourServiceVoyage," "Elladatour," among others. Among the regular clients are also several tour operators from the Russian Federation, including "TourTransVoyage," travel companies such as "Na 7 Kholmakh," "Edem," "Lyuboy Kapriz," "Skazochnoye Puteshestviye," and many more.

During its active work, the Tourism Center of Polotsk University has achieved significant results not only in practical aspects but also in theoretical dimensions. The center possesses extensive experience in supporting and consulting on socially significant projects, implementing its own initiatives, and developing methodological guides. In the Year of Historical Memory, the collaborative efforts of the Tourism Center, various departments, and faculties of the university led to the realization of the project "Small Great Victory," which received widespread recognition and several prestigious awards. In 2023, an exhibition "Glorious Chronicle" was created inside the collegium walls to showcase the achievements of Polotsk Cadet Corps graduates who have made a significant impact on both their alma mater and themselves. Additionally, the Tourism Center contributed to the creation of the virtual reality project "Heroic DOT," whose importance has been frequently recognized at the highest levels.

It should be noted that the historical buildings of the university are attractive not only to tourists but also to the mass media. Numerous publications and television channels at the international, national, and regional levels are often drawn to the university's and the tourist center's activities, which have a rich cultural legacy. Today, the Polotsk Collegium is the "hero" of many travel shows, features, and programmes. The STV broadcaster, for example, said that this well-known tourist destination now goes by the name "Belarusian Hogwarts". The attractions of the complex were filmed in 2024 by the Russian federal television channel "REN TV" and the educational federal channel "Russia Culture."

Thanks to the high-quality work of the Tourism Center and the attention given to the past as one of the principles of our university, the Polotsk Collegium has become one of the "hallmarks" of the oldest city in Belarus. For every student and staff member of Polotsk University, it represents pride in a worthy history!