“The idea of implementing a project in Belarus was defined several years ago. Belarus has always been a very attractive country for UdS that had not yet taken part in any project over there. A previous attempt was made a few years ago during the period in which the EU Tacis programme 1996-1999 was suspended. The support of SAA, the other consortium member that has a great deal of experience in the country, and that was already working over there when the suspension took place has been essential in the decision, together with the commitment shown by the local beneficiary institution.

The Republic Belarus is a country of contrast, which is always being shaped by its key position between the East and the West that has forged its past and is defining its present. After the destruction of Kiev by the Mongols in the 13th century, the territory was conquered by the dukes of Lithuania, and in 1795 became part of the Russian empire. An independent republic after World War I, it was reoccupied by the Red Army in 1918. After the Polish-Soviet War of 1918–1921, West Belarus was ceded to Poland, and the larger eastern part joined to the USSR in 1922. In 1939, the Soviet Union took back West Belarus from Poland under the secret protocol of the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact. When the Chernobyl incident took place in 1986, 70% of its radioactive fallout fell on the Belarusian SSR, especially in the Gomelskaya Oblast, at the south east of the country, where the beneficiary institution of our project is located. Belarus declared its sovereignty in July 1990 and its independence in August 1991. It became a cofounder of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in December 1991. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty in April 1997 aimed at significantly increasing cooperation between the two states, stopping just short of union. The Russian financial crisis that began in fall 1998 severely affected Belarus’ Soviet-style planned economy. The collapse of the former Soviet Union has highlighted several problems that the country needs urgently to come to grips with. The globalization process, particularly in the context of the EU enlargement, is also becoming increasingly challenging for Belarus.

After stagnation in the 80s and crisis of the 90s, the Belarusian economy has been growing at rates between 3-10% annually, and today the country shows reasonable macroeconomic data, and has nearly caught up with the situation previous to 1989. In the 2003 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Human Development Index (HDI) forBelarus is rated as number 53 in the ranking list (similar to Latvia, on 50th position) and higher than Russia (63rd rank). A GDP/PPP (2005 est.): of $79.13 billion; and a labour force of 4.3 million (December 2005) out of a population of 9.950.900, make the picture relative fair in comparison with neighbour countries. Belarus has virtually no foreign debt (less than 5.7% of the GDP), and the balance of payments is under control. 37.4% of the total national output is contributed by a diversified industry, 47,3 by the service sector and 15,3 % by the agricultural sector. Belarus started to export grain again in 2003, after obtaining surplus.

But the transition towards a market economy is less advanced in Belarus than in almost all NIS countries, and it is not a priority. The economy is based on “market socialism”, with a considerable extent of state planning and control in all sectors of economy. A large share of the population is still employed in the agricultural sector, and almost half of the territory of Belarus is agrarian. The agricultural sector is in need of reform and investments. State-run farms (kolkhozes and sovkhozes) are main producers of agrarian goods. Another indicator of a slow transition to a market economy system is the large share of administered prices in the area, 21% in 2002. In particular, food prices are controlled by the state, even if some staple products began to be liberalised in 2001. EBRD estimates that the share of GDP produced by the private sector was at only 25% in 2002, the lowest level in a sample of 27 countries. This low score is due to the fact that few of the country’s main enterprises have been privatised and the State retains extensive “golden share” provisions. The EBRD indicators also indicate a low level of reforms in the infrastructure (there are no independent regulators), in the financial sector (directed credits where eliminated only in 2001), in competition policy (there is no independent competition office). It is also noticeable that the country’s trade is still very strongly orientated towards traditional markets in the CIS (trade with non-transition countries amounted to only 21,9% of the total in 2002). There are also noticeable regional disproportions in life expectancy, public health, education levels, household incomes, and poverty. The uneven geographical distribution of industrial enterprises and the poor financial situation of many companies explain human development gaps between areas. Belarus also shares some of the common problems of other NIS. Among others, and according to the UNDP: HIV; human and drug trafficking and alcohol abuse; and brain drain through emigration.

The fact that transition towards a market economy has not been a priority has paradoxically contributed to minimise the disruptions associated with perestroika itself that have shown up in all neighbouring countries, but obviously has left Belarus enterprises ill-equipped to face modern foreign competitors in an increasingly globalised world, and sooner or later the necessary adjustments will have to be introduced. Anyway, international cooperation is allowed in again by the Government; A new National Human Development Report (NHDR) 2004-2005 titled “Belarus: Addressing Imbalances in the Economy and Society” was elaborated by a team of national experts under the assistance of UNDP. A Millennium Development Goals Report (MDG) was also issued by the Government, with the support of the UNDP. Furthermore, UNDP also implements a Support Project for the Cooperation for Rehabilitation (CORE) Programme in partnership with the Committee on the Problems of the Consequences of the Catastrophe at the Chernobyl NPP.

On the other hand, Belarus has assumed important international commitments in recent times, like acceding to the Kyoto Protocol in 2005. Belarus is not a member of WTO yet, but the recent developments at the Vietnam meeting a month ago --the agreement between US and Russia to include the latter in the organisation-- usher in new possibilities and maybe a change of tide.

As in every socialist economy, there is also a strong presence of the cooperative movement, and in this context we can incardinate our beneficiary institution. The Consumer Co-operative Movement in Belarus is very strong, and it has already existed for more than 100 years. During the years of formation it has developed into a large-scale dynamically upcoming economic sector. In this capacity it became an integral element of life-support system of the country’s population. Activity of the System of Consumer Co-operatives is based on co-operative values and principles approved by the world community and it has 1.3 million members (stakeholders) and 117 thousand employees. The base of the System of Consumer Co-operatives is formed of non-profit organizations - 119 consumer societies and 6 regional unions of consumer societies incorporated in Belarussian Republican Union of Consumer Societies - Belcoopsoyuz. The organisation is active in 14 branches: trade, public catering, procurement of agricultural produce and raw materials, industry, building, motor transport, cage breeding of animals for furs, insurance, training of personnel, research activity etc. Since 1992 Belcoopsoyuz has been a member of the International Co-operative Alliance, engaged in international co-operative movement.

Education has always been a national priority in the Republic of Belarus, where officially there is no illiteracy, and the high level of enrolments at all stages of education makes a particular contribution on the overall HDI, that as stated before, is over the NIS mean. But the education system also shows the contrasts of this country. While on the one hand, the bureaucratic structure governing most of the former Soviet Union has not changed substantially since the fall of communism, and after the 2001 presidential elections when many university students voted against the incumbent President, on the other hand, the modern concepts of life-long learning, vocational studies, Bologna Declaration (although Belarus is not a member of the European Higher Education Area, EHEA) are well known in the country. The economic improvements in the economy during recent years have allowed more investment in education that, thanks to the Government efforts, is undergoing sustainable growth at all stages.

Overall, the academic sector is one of the most advanced parts of the society, receptive to new ideas and methods, and ready to adapt to those that are currently in use. The current system of Higher Education includes 42 public institutions, with 272,900 full-time and part-time students. There are also 15 private institutions (including two theological ones) that involve 17,500 full-time students and 30,300 extramural students in addition, but they stopped shifted students enrolment around six years ago due to lack of applicants. In the Gomelskaya Oblast there are 7 higher education institutions with around 41,100 students. In total, 54,3% of all students are extramural, and this is due to the fact that students need additional income to support their family and personal needs. Universities are distributed unevenly around the country, Minsk concentrating many of them. Academic ties with Russia are strong, but so are also ties with the Baltic States, Poland and EU member states. Certain regional universities have attained high academic standards (notably Grodno State University), as stated at the Tempus Report “Country Strategy Paper National Indicative Programme Belarus 2005-2006”. But the same report confirms that especially those recently founded still need assistance in order to develop curricula, to improve management, and to build up international contacts.

Since independence, the offer of education has diversified and new curricula have been introduced; links with academic institutions abroad have been established (but still need further strengthening); a network of regional universities has been created; private universities have also been established, and some notably in Minsk have achieved in a comparatively short time higher quality of standards. Education is also undergoing a major reshaping in the last decade. The Law on Education in the Republic of Belarus adopted in 1991 was revised a few years ago. Late in 1999 the Council of Ministers approved a 5-years “Concept of the Development of Higher Education System” (“Main Directions of the National System of Education Development”, 12 April 1999) that covers 1999-2005, and there is a new document covering 2006-2010. Among the contents of this Concept are the draft of the Law on Higher Education (finally adopted in 2002, submitted for consideration to the Parliament in 2004, but not adopted so far), creation of national standards etc. In particular, there is a fresh approach to quality assurance in higher education. A draft of the Law was prepared and submitted to the Council of Europe, which made a number of proposals and recommendations that were included.

The draft on the Law on Higher Education submitted to Parliament in 2004 contains a number of provisions which outline the university autonomy and academic freedoms. At the same time, the legislation stresses public responsibility for quality of education and effective governance as well as personal responsibility for public funds used during study. There is a Department of Quality Assurance at the Ministry of Education in Minsk, which provides licensing, attestation and accreditation of higher education institutions, and whose certificates are valid for 5 years after issuance.

• Belarusian higher education establishments exercise some university autonomy that is protected by the new text of the Law on Education in the Republic of Belarus. As UNESCO reports, they are free in staff employment (exception made of the Rector, that is appointed by the Minister of Education in public universities and by owner’s decision in private ones). They create their own procedures and provide the elections for the appropriate position filling. They are also able to spend income money for any goal for development or extra payments and budget money within the budget lines. They can apply to change their structure or the list of study programs, and especially they establish the procedures of enrolment and staff benefits.
  
  Presentation of the Consortium:
  
  
• The Belarusian Trade and Economics University of Consumer Cooperatives (www.bteu.by/main_page.htm, and here after referred to as BTEU) is registered in the Ministry of Education as a Privately Owned Institutions in Belarus. Its headquarters is in Gomel, a city of around 500.000 inhabitants in the south east of the country, at the Homyelskaya Oblasts, the region bordering with Ukraine. BTEU is the higher educational establishment of Belcoopsoyuz (www.bks.by).
• The foundation of BTEU started in 1964 with the formation of the educational and consultative branch of the Moscow Cooperative Institute of Central Union of Consumer Cooperatives of the USSR (Centrosoyuz), and the Charter of the BTEU was adopted by the Board of Belcoopsoyuz in 2000, and agreed upon by the Ministry of Education. In 1968 the corresponding Department of Moscow Cooperative Institute began its work, on its base in 1975 the latter was reorganized in to the Branch of Gomel Cooperative Institute. In 1979, in accordance with the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR № 632, Gomel Branch became an independent higher educational establishment - Gomel Cooperative Institute of Centrosojuz. In 2000 the institute became a leading educational establishment in the system of cooperative education of the Republic of Belarus. In addition, according to Decree № 234 of October 30, 2000 of the Republican State Inspection Office of the education system of the Republic of Belarus the Qualification Improvement Institute in November, 2000 had usual planned accreditation.
• The structure of the University includes 3 departments of day-time education (Accounting and Finance Department, Economics and Management Department, Commercial Department), two correspondence departments (Economics and Accounting Department, Commerce and Management Department), Institute of Specialists Updating and Institute Retraining. There are 22 chairs at the University. There is a post-graduate course and research centre at the University. About 9,000 students study at the university (30% study at the day-time department and the others - at the correspondence department). 1,080 specialists work at the University, 420 of which are teachers.
• The educational process is provided with computer techniques. There are 10 specialized display classrooms, 2 display laboratories for students´ independent work, electronic reading-hall. Audio and video equipment are also widely used at the University. Active methods of teaching such as role-plays, situational tasks, "round tables", trainings at enterprises, are widely used at the University.
• The University has contacts with educational establishments of countries like the USA, France and Spain, with the aim of organizing business seminars, publishing educational and scientific literature. The University actively works with all cooperative higher educational establishments of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
• The University administrative structure that is going to be the focus of the proposal is the following:
• Under the Rector, and using the local terminology, there are: 1. The first vice-rector, who in turn is responsible of the Educational and Systematic Department, and the Educational and Systematic Centre of Cooperative Education. Under it, the Administrational. Under it, the Controllers’s Service and the Laboratory of TAE. 2. The Vice-rector responsible for educational work, under which we find the Faculty of Post-graduate and Preparatory Education; the Centre of Information Technology; the Dispatch Office; The Faculty of Economics and Stock-taking; the Faculty of Commerce and Management. 3. Vice-rector responsible for scientific and systematic work, under which we find the Editorial Publishing Office; the Subdivision of Operational Polygraphy; the Library and the International Relations Department. 4 Vice-rector responsible for educational and informational work, under which there are the Students’ club, the Museum and the Department of Educational Work with Young People. 5 Vice-rector responsible for scientific work, responsible in turn of the Centre of Scientific and Research Work, the Sector of Scientific and Research Work and of Postgraduate courses. 6. Vice-rector responsible for educational work and the director of the IIQ, that is responsible of the SSS «Institute of Improving Qualification and staff's training», which is very important for your project; also the sixth Vice-rector is in charge of the Board of Directors, and of the so-called Minsk Courses of Administratories of Higher Education"; the FIO for managers and specialist; the Special Faculty for Stuff Training (sic); The Chair of Special Disciplines and the Chair of Juridical Disciplines. 7 Vice-rector responsible for economic work, who in turn commands the Main Power Engineer’s Department, the Municipal Department, the Department of Capital Construction and Repair, the Department of Material and Technical supply; the Transport Service and the SSS “Enterprise of canteen feeding”. 7 Account’s Department, under which you find the Department of Financial Plans, the Department of Basic Personnel, The Department of Law, Service of Control and Special Work, the Office, the Service of Labour Security –also relevant for our project—and the Laboratory of Informational and Analytic Work.
• As can be seen, the structure is a highly pyramidal one; and the distribution of functions seems at least bizarre. In particular, we do not find modern university management concepts like l’agent comptable, specialised Vice-managers and a proper Human Resources Office are not seen. It is very significant that the Account’s Department, the Department of Financial Plans and those of Basic Personal, Law, Service of control and special work, Service of Labour Security and the Lab on Informational and Analytic Work are directly dependent on the Rector’s Office. In its structure, the University has the Institute of Improving Qualifications of specialists and special faculty for retraining of the staff.The Rector of the University is assigned by Belarusian Cooperative Union (The Ministry which is responsible for our University) and, in turn, the Rector appoints the vice-rectors, also in conformity with Belarusian Cooperative Union. All other employees are assigned by the Rector of the University.
• The University of Seville (http://www.us.es here after referred to as UdS) was founded in 1505, and it is today recognized as one of the best in Spain. Forrmer Presidents of Government, Presidents of Parliament, Ministers and judges of the European Court of Human Rights, domestic Supreme and Constitutional Courts, alongside with internationally recognized experts in many fields, can be found among the faculty of the University. UdS covers most of the official degrees recognised in Spain, has 25 Faculties and Schools, 60,000 students, making it the second biggest university in the country after Universidad Complutense in Madrid. UdS is very active from an international perspective, either managing or being partner to many cooperation agreements (see in extensor http://www.us.es/internacional). Prof. Dr. Miguel Angel Adame, the coordinator of the proposal has a solid international experience. Apart from having studied in several countries, and having lectured abroad, Professor Adame has been Vicedean of the UdS Law School in charge of International Relations during 6 years and has directly managed around 35 Socrates-Erasmus programs. Professor Adame also has previous TEMPUS experience, in the following projects:Vladivostok, TEMPUS TACIS - Russian Federation “Restructuring the VSUES International Curriculum” CD_JEP 10433-98, in charge of web and management upgrading.Mongolia, TEMPUS TACIS JEP 23099-2002 Agricultural Economics and Land Law in Mongolia (Ruraland), in which he was the coordinator; also in TEMPUS-CARDS Project in Bosnia-Herzegovina, CD_JEP-17012-2002, devoted to upgrading local MBA to the EU standards and to set up the ECTS quality criteria in which he was in charge of external evaluation, library upgrading and especially on the quality control outcome. Professor Adame has also served in Kyrgyzstan, with the Project TEMPUS SM_SMC-T014A05-2005), and is currently is carrying out the same activities in Ukraine on TEMPUS SMC-T015B05-2005, both related to quality control and ECTS implementation.
• The Scuola di Amministrazione Aziendale, (here after referred to as SAA), the School of Management of the University of Turin (Italy), was founded in Turin in 1957 and has been the first “management School” established in Italy to train men and women for managerial positions in business. In October 1974, SAA became a charter member of the Università degli Studi di Torino as a school designed for specialised studies. In 1978, a Master in Business Administration (MBA) was developed (full and part-time). Its educational program integrates university methodologies with practical subject matter and skills pertinent to the business world of today. Specialisations are offered in all areas of economic activity, from industry to services, both private and public. Recently, SAA has become a very dynamic and creative force at the regional, national, and international level. In fact, its presence reaches out over national and international boundaries, and it represents one of the most rewarding aspects of its services.
• SAA acts in the international dimension, both through the development of cooperation agreements, on students' mobility, with foreign business schools (Inter-university Relations Office), and taking part into international projects. The International Relations Department has been specially created in order to manage the SAA increasing activities in the international sector, developing and deepening the relations with management institutes in other countries and getting the financial opportunities offered by different institutions, in particular by the European Union. SAA designs, develops and manages training projects and university management projects, financed by several EU funded programmes, such as TACIS, TEMPUS, Alfa, EU-India Economic Cross Cultural Programme and by the European Social Fund. In all these projects, SAA played or is playing the role of the consortium leader: TACIS Civil Society Development Programme (CSDP) – Institutional Twinning Component – BELARUS: the Curriculum Development for MBA in Management. TEMPUS TACIS “YKSUG Multilevel Management Capacity Improvement” –Grodno (BELARUS), for restructuring the management and administration of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno (YKSUG) and on the modernisation of its administrative processes. TACIS EDUK9603 - “Support to the Lviv Institute of Management (LIM)”–LVIV (UKRAINE), to support sustainable economic development in Ukraine through the strengthening of business and management training and networks, research and consultancy capacity. TEMPUS TACIS - Russian Federation “Restructuring the VSUES International Curriculum” – VLADIVOSTOK, aimed at restructuring the international curriculum of the Vladivostok State University of Economics and Services – VSUES. TEMPUS TACIS - Russian Federation “Establishing the ISU (Independent Siberian University) Business Department” – NOVOSIBIRSK. TEMPUS Phare –Slovenia “Establishment of an International Division at GEA College of Entrepreneurship (GCE).. TEMPUS Phare –Bosnia-Herzegovina “Upgrading the University of Sarajevo MBA to International standards”. EU-India Economic Cross-Cultural Programme: “EU-India International Business Management Centre for Cultural Institutions and Entrepreneurship (EU-INDIA CENTRE)”.
• Ways in Which the Partner Institutions Complement Each Other:
• BTEU was recommended to us directly by the Tempus National Office (TNO) when we explained them the idea of our proposal, and BTEU has informed Mr. Hancharonak directly of the contents and progress of it. BTEU play a leading role in the context of higher education in the partner country, because of the key role that in the national economy played by the cooperative movement. Our experience when drafting the proposal has been very positive and we honour the recommendation made by the TNO. The Rector himself and his staff have been very helpful and dynamic in the process, and they have shown a strong commitment and enthusiasm which is very reassuring for the future success of the proposal.
• The respective know-how of the EU institutions is clearly reflected in the roles and responsibilities set for the implementation of the project.
• UdS, the coordinating institution, has received many awards in university management, quality assurance, and it is strong in the activities described in the specific outcomes that have been selected for implementation. UdS has been one of the first universities fully accredited and granted quality control awards.
• SAA has direct experience in university management in Belarus. In fact, the above mentioned official Tempus Report “Country Strategy Paper National Indicative Programme Belarus 2005-2006” singled out and praised Grodno State University, and precisely SAA was one leading institution that led a massive university management Tacis project there, being Prof. Dutto the current SAA contact person at this proposal one of the persons working in place, together with Prof.Liverani. The European partners also have a tradition of co-operating among themselves, which ensures their compatibility and ability to succeed easily, recognising and comparing the list of Tempus-Tacis projects in which both institutions have worked. The fruitful co-operation of the EU partners in several TEMPUS projects in the past is the evident proof that the three institutions can effectively work together. This is even more evident considering the features of the project submitted in the application.
• In BTEU the dividends of the proposal will cascade down through the whole structure of management, with reshaping and upgrading of some administrative units and inception of brand new ones. We will not only reshape the management structure of BTEU, but we will also set up new substantive and financial procedures to be specified once that the first outcome will be fully implemented and according to BTEU demands.”