About the project
FOSTERC Project
Project “Fostering Competencies Development in Belarusian Higher Education” is being implemented by an international consortium, which includes Polotsk State University, since October 15, 2016, under the Erasmus+ educational programme.
The project is scheduled to be completed by October 15, 2019. The theme and content of the project are fully aligned with the priorities for the development of the higher education system in the Republic of Belarus, as defined in the state programme "Education and Youth Policy" for 2016 – 2020.
Project objective:
To enhance the use of innovative principles and approaches to teaching and learning in Belarusian higher education institutions in order to improve competence-based graduate learning outcomes. The project has a broad geographical scope, covering a vast area of Europe from west to east, including countries such as Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and Belarus.
To enhance the use of innovative principles and approaches to teaching and learning in Belarusian higher education institutions in order to improve competence-based graduate learning outcomes. The project has a broad geographical scope, covering a vast area of Europe from west to east, including countries such as Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and Belarus.
The project coordinator and manager is the INGENIO Research Institute at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain).
Project Implementation Period: 15.10.2016-14.10.2019
Olga Romanova
Project Working Group Leader at Polotsk State University,
Head of the Teaching and Methodological Department
Head of the Teaching and Methodological Department
Phone: +375 214 50 57 40
+375 29 892 10 15
Address: 29 Blokhin Street, 211440 Novopolotsk,
Vitebsk Region, Belarus
+375 29 892 10 15
Address: 29 Blokhin Street, 211440 Novopolotsk,
Vitebsk Region, Belarus
Project implementers
Consortium members
Organizations from the European Union
- Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain) – coordinating university
- Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences (Lithuania)
- University of Bialystok (Poland)
- University of Turku (Finland)
- University of Solutions (Spain)
Organizations representing Belarus
- Belarusian State University
- Belarusian State Pedagogical University named after Maksim Tank
- Belarus State Economic University
- Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno
- Francisk Skaryna Gomel State University
- Polotsk State University
- Brest State A. Pushkin University
- Ministry of Education of The Republic of Belarus
- National Institute For Higher Education
Project content
Project objectives
- To enhance the use of innovative principles and approaches to teaching and learning in Belarusian higher education institutions in order to improve competence-based graduate learning outcomes.
Project Tasks
- Develop indicators for defining learning outcomes in the Belarusian higher education system based on competencies. Increase and improve the level of innovative teaching methods and the development of pedagogical creativity.
- Strengthen student assessment and the management of educational information systems to improve the quality of Belarusian higher education institutions and align with socio-economic requirements.
- Provide participating Belarusian universities with information and methodological tools to support internal and external quality assurance.
- Modernise the systems and methods of data collection and analysis in the Belarusian higher education system by improving management in teaching and learning activities.
Brief project description
The project includes the following activities:
- Conducting case studies and discussions for each Belarusian partner university on the development of teaching and methodological approaches.
- Developing questionnaires to analyse the current situation, examining, on the one hand, dominant teaching and learning methods, and on the other hand, current learning outcomes and the competencies required in the Belarusian labour market.
- Conducting surveys to collect quantitative and qualitative data reflecting trends and challenges in teaching and learning approaches, learning outcomes, and labour market needs in Belarus.
- Organising training workshops for each participating Belarusian university.
- Study visits for Belarusian partners to EU universities.
- Holding a seminar to define a model for enhancing student-centred learning.
- Implementing experimental activities in each Belarusian university to introduce a student-centred learning model.
- Dissemination activities and project evaluation.
Expected results
- A comprehensive picture of the current situation regarding teaching and learning approaches in Belarusian universities and the implementation of the Bologna Process.
- A better understanding of curriculum development with a focus on learning outcomes.
- Alignment of Belarusian higher education with the social and economic demands of the labour market.
- Increased use of learning outcomes in describing and defining qualifications and study programmes.
- An assessment of the quality assurance of teaching and methodological tools for Belarusian universities, and enhancement of their relevance to the labour market and society.
