Proficiency in Foreign Languages Became Decisive in Getting Enrolled for a New Major at the Academy

On information of Vice-Rector on Academic Affairs Mr. Siarhei Shauruk, proficiency in a foreign language played a decisive role in enrollment for the new major State Building. The course is to be launched at the Academy’s Institute of Civil Service in September of the current year.

Mr. Shauruk observed that the main task of the Institute of Civil Service is to work with the executive elite, to provide in-service training of practicing administrators and secure their professional improvement. In compliance with the President’s Decree # 275 “On certain measures of improving training, retraining and in-service training of executive personnel”, a new major State Building will be launched at the Academy on September 1st, 2010. It has been tailored especially for top executives who will be trained in the major by taking part-time courses during the 3 years of postgraduate no-degree education.

“We are talking about people who nowadays manage big teams of employees, people who occupy high state positions. With the help of the Academy’s teachers they will have an opportunity to make considerable improvements in their executive competencies”, – noted Mr. Shauruk. He said: “Learning will be organised mainly in the form of part-time courses and that is why its effectiveness will be largely determined by students’ proactive attitude and, of course, by the faculty’s qualified assistance. The major State Building has never been taught in Belarus’ universities before. We believe that we’ve succeeded in elaboration of an efficient study plan which came as a result of tough negotiations between experts among whom were representatives of business community and specialists from the National Academy of Sciences. The plan is certainly challenging but we are not afraid of difficulties, we are ready to overcome them”.

Vice-Rector also observed that enrollment for the major was highly competitive. Despite the fact that a lot of applicants were nominated by state authorities they still had to pass a rigorous selection procedure. The majority of the vying applicants did well at the preliminary exams which were not that easy. The candidates had to take tests in a foreign language and for many of them it wasn’t so simple. Nevertheless, the level of officials’ foreign language proficiency should be rather high so that later on they could use it freely in their everyday work. The applicants had also to undergo an interview and answer questions on their professional occupation. Most of the candidates showed a high level of knowledge and displayed good skills of problem-solving and HR management.

“Today, Head of the state constantly draws attention to the fact that executives and high-rank officials, in particular, must be fluent in foreign languages and we’ve already begun to accomplish this task in our practice”, – marked Siarhei Shauruk.

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