Polesye – the Land of Bankers

Pinsk University is Belarus’ second higher educational establishment created from scratch since Belarus became a sovereign country. In the 90s there was a big campaign to rename institutes into universities and academies, but those were institutions of higher education established back in Soviet times. Two years ago, on September 1, 2004, President Alexander Lukashenko took part in the opening ceremony of the first university in the history of the independent Belarus — Baranovichi State University. Baranovichi is a large transport and industrial center that requires new specialists, and besides, a university is a powerful impetus to the whole district.

The same is true for Polesye and Polesye university. The difference is that the Pinsk-based university will certainly attract students not only from the Brest region and the city of Pinsk, but also from other regions because the new university is the only specialized establishment that trains bankers. There are two departments so far, but many more will be added (banking will remain the core specialization, though), Alexander Lukashenko said during the opening ceremony.

The university had almost 4,000 applicants that wished to become first-year students, but only 1,000 were selected. This bitter competition means the decision to found the banking university was absolutely right. The country needed a new higher educational establishment to train new generation specialists.

Young people are attracted by Polesye University not only because of the chance to get a prestigious profession and a highly paid job, but also because of the physical infrastructure and equipment that the National Bank of Belarus provided to future colleagues. The facilities that young bankers will enjoy are of the same or higher quality that those offered in Minsk universities. The hostel has its own washeteria and several workout rooms.

The food offered in the local cafeterias is of excellent quality and quite cheap, because the organizations that were awarded the contract to feed the students have been exempted from the rent, so they do not have to include it into the price of breakfasts and dinners. The university surely provides enough comfort for the students to forget minor troubles and focus on studying (what else would you expect?).

According to the president, Belarus does not need any new universities at the moment, so Baranovichi and Polesye Universities are unique projects, and there will be no educational novelties in Belarus in the near future, at least as long as the Belarusian education model meets the requirement of the fast developing Belarus.

At the same time, the reform of the educational system and especially the system of higher educational establishments will continue, the president underlined. Alexander Lukashenko spoke about his instruction to transform one of the existing universities in a large experimental compound that will include several educational and scientific phases: training of specialists, field experience, scientific research and technology utilization. This will be the first model educational facility that all universities will have to become in the long-term outlook.

…As for the Pinsk-based university, it started working right after the festivities. “Let this university become the pride of the national education system. I wish all its graduates to became excellent specialists and win good fame,” Alexander Lukashenko said and wished hard and efficient labor to the young people that wish to achieve
so much.

Dmitry Mikhailov