Expert: Belarus has not conducted reforms to join the Bologna process

Our country's application to join will be considered in May 2015.

The Ministry of Education has submitted another application to join the Bologna process. It will be consider in May next year. Previous time, Belarus was not allowed in due to lack of academic freedom and the lack of student participation in university management.

The Bologna process is a single European Higher Education Area. As a member of the public Bologna Committee, Uladzimir Dunayeu, told Euroradio that neither situation with freedom, nor with self-government in Belarus became better.

Uladzimir Dunayeu: "Belarus did not comply with recommendations on the most critical points, such as academic freedom, university autonomy, student participation in university management. We rather observe regress here. As for structural reforms, there is progress. But it's rather a promise of progress."

The expert notes that this time Belarus can eventually join the Bologna process. Much depends on the willingness of Belarus to demonstrate European transformations, adds Uladzimir Dunayeu.

It was in 2012 that Education Ministers of the European Higher Education Area considered application of Belarus to join the Bologna process last time. Then the question was removed from the agenda, because Belarus did not comply with the principles of the Bologna process.