Striving to reform Belarus high education system according to the Bologna process, the Ministry of Education of Belarus set the target for HEIs to reform curricula from the existing system “5 plus 1” to the system “4 plus 2”, which should comply with the Bologna system principles. However, decreasing a training period from 5 to 4 years for physics specialists causes a certain risk providing an impact on the labor market, because it is a challenge for research institution and enterprises due to supply of specialists with a qualification different from that of the previous graduates. The project will upgrade master-level education in the field of physics (functional nanomaterials and photonics, applied physics, etc.) in four universities of Belarus according to Bologna practices in physical science, to enhance the quality and relevance of education by modernizing study programs, focusing on the use of ICT, and through networking activities to the labour market needs. The main results:• Developed, tested and formally approved curricula for master-level in physical sciences in accordance to labour market needs basing on Bologna practices• Developed didactic materials (e-Books, guides for laboratory works, lecture synopsis, etc.) for upgrading master-level education in the field of physical sciences • Readiness for transition from existing “5 plus 1” to a new training system “4 plus 2” (4 years for bachelors and 2 years for master students study)Learning and teaching methodologies, including learning outcomes and ICT based practices (flexible learning, blended courses, virtual and real mobility, practical placement, etc.) will be developed and validated during the project. Labour market needs will be taken into account. Modernized master-students study programs with 2-years training cycle will be tested during two years: one year during the project, the second year after the project will be finished. The curricula will be in English, Russian and Belorusian.

Belarus is in the process of building nuclear power generation with two reactors envisaged: construction of the first will be completed this year, construction of the second will finish in 2020. Higher Education in nuclear safety and radiation protection will be of utmost importance, hence appropriate curricula need to be developed and set in place. Aim of this project is the development of curricula at the Master level, in line with Bologna principles, to be accredited by the Ministry of education and adopted throughout the Country. To this aim, a number of Belarusian University, covering practically all the regions of the Country, have been involved in the project, and will serve both as developers and as “testing facilities” for the new curricula. The EU Universities involved all have a long-lasting and deep experience in the field, and have developed in the past their own curricula in the field. The expected results will be innovative two-year study program, including a special attention to practical training effected with a two prong approach: new, up to date didactic laboratories to be set up in all the Belarusian partner HEIs; traineeships in institutions and companies active in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection. Special attention shall be focused on “training the trainers”, i.e., professional instruction and internship for the teachers-to-be. Ideally, a first generation of teachers will be formed during the three years of the project, and this first group of fully trained teachers will continue the work raising the new generations of instructors. The end result will be a Country-wide education framework in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection. The impact on the Country is quite clear: the capability of handling the new nuclear industry safely and effective; the wider impact for Europe will be that a newcomer in the nuclear industry can be trusted to be capable to manage its nuclear potential.

The ICT sector is one of the leading ones in the economy of Belarus. This has created a gap between the challenges of the global market & skills/competences ICT graduates have at entering the profession. The companies state the high level of professional knowledge of university graduates but low level of soft/transferable skills necessary to work in international teams. The aim of the project is to enhance employability of ICT master students & foster entrepreneurship & establishment of SMEs in ICT by modernising the existing master curriculum in ICT. The modernised MSc programme in ICT will be more labour-market & society oriented, practice-based, & student-centred training students in professional subjects leading to knowledge, hard skills & competencies in the profession with soft/transferable skills presupposing its interdisciplinarity. The project meets the agenda of the Yerevan Ministerial Communiqué of “ensuring educational opportunities to provide the competences and skills required for innovation & employment”. By enhancing quality & relevance of learning & teaching to the labour market & society demands the project will promote pedagogical innovation in student-centred learning environments & stronger link between teaching, learning & research central to the EHEA policies.The project will achieve 7 milestones: (1) upgraded professional & new soft skills courses, (2) study materials, (3) QA guidelines/procedures for the modernised MSc, (5) 3 intakes of students, (6) 8 international student projects, (7) measurements of pedagogical approaches & methods appliedThe project will produce impact at university level (beneficiaries are master students & teachers on modernised MSc programme), at society level (any person fitting master level study as a potential student of the modernised MSc, potential employers & wider society who will be users of services of successful SMEs established by the MSc graduates in future), at European & global level (ICT companies).

The project seeks to further develop & enhance lifelong learning in Belarus with effective use of distance education & Bologna instruments for the development of regional labour market through development of an inter-University LLL network (ILN); design, development, & piloting 5 new on-line or blended LLL study courses to the general public; evaluation of the piloting & making further developments of the ILN. The following outcomes will be achieved to hit the specific objectives: enhanced management of Institutes for Continuous Education at the 6 Belarusian partner Universities; trained managerial & academic staff; developed study materials for the 5 new on-line or blended LLL courses (Moodle-based); developed ILN networking; enhanced collaboration between the 6 Belarusian Universities & cooperation with the EU partners; 5 piloted on-line or blended LLL courses at the 6 Belarusian partner Universities; dissemination & advertising leaflets (printed and electronic), project brochures on the project & its results. The planned outcomes/outputs will be achieved through the following main activities.In Year 1: Preparation for the developments will take place at the kick-off meeting in Rezekne. Later, the ILN creation, staff appointment & teachers selection will take place. The staff appointed and the teachers selected will undergo the 2-week internship to learn & practice the structuring, management, applications, the course design & teaching/learning modes in using the web-based educational platform. In Year 2: Up to 100 students will be enrolled at each Belarusian partner on the 5 LLL courses. The ownership of the programme and developed courses will belong to the consortium according to the future Consortium Agreement, students will be enrolled territorially - in their geographical regions for the reason of attending 2 initial & 2 finalising face-to-face classes at the respective University. The courses will be piloted & students will get certificates.

The project is aimed to enhance quality of HE with employment focus in content by enhancing internal QA for teaching/learning & improving teaching staff performance at BY Universities for them to respond to the increased demands of society/economy. It has objectives to enhance QA policy-making & procedures for work with teaching staff to ensure quality in HE through the establishment of Centres for Academic Development & Teacher Training (CADTT) at each BY partner; optimise pedagogical performance of teaching staff via the development of an in-service university teacher training programme for university staff who need pedagogical training; increase quality of students’ performance at University & at work places through application of innovative education methods to ensure transition to student-centred practice-based & market-oriented education; apply QA system at BY Universities for identifying staff in need of pedagogical training; & introduce new regulations on teaching staff employment at BY Universities. Managerial, academic staff & students are the target groups in the project. Labour market, the other Universities in the country are the major stakeholders.The major outcomes & outputs achieved in the project – CADTTs, internal system of QA, innovative methods of education, In-service University Teacher Training Programme, & regulation for staff employment, will be the tools for producing impact on the target groups & stakeholders. An important aspect of the project is the development of pedagogical interaction & networks for staff in the EU, TK & BY. The main impact will be on the university management system in what concerns QA for teaching/learning & teaching staff performance-staff & students will be the target group. Innovative education methods will expand the impact. The society's stakeholders-other BY universities & labour market will be final beneficiaries of the wider impact – graduates’ enhanced skills for better employment & performance at work.