Last week, the Public Bologna Committee issued a statement, saying that Belarus had stepped up attack on academic freedoms and the rights of the academic community. In response to the recent initiative of the Belarusian State University students against the introduction of fees for retaking exams, the university administration has tightened its internal rules and put pressure on most active participants of the campaign – instead of engaging in a dialogue with the student community. Education is one of the most conservative areas in which the Belarusian authorities are the least prepared to carry out reforms or increase participation of academic and student communities in decision-making. The main reason behind Belarus’ participation in the Bologna process is to enhance attractiveness of Belarusian diplomas for students from the third world countries and to gain additional proceeds from exporting educational services. The authorities are unlikely to implement some of the most ‘sensitive’ requirements from the Roadmap for a full-fledged membership in the Bologna process, i.e. carrying out structural reforms in higher education and changing the situation with the student self-government and academic freedoms.
