Brest: pressurization of students signing for Belarus' accession to Bologna process

The collection of signatures was organized by Regional Development Agency "Dedich" in the educational program "Bologna process and Belarus." According to the latest information, about 1,000 signatures were gathered under the appropriate address to the Ministry of Education with the help of students, volunteers and caring young people.

The requirements contained in the address include the collegial election of rectors and direct participation of students in the governance of their institutions. These changes in the higher education system are prerequisites for the accession of Belarus to the Bologna process in 2015.

However, in recent days the deans of some faculties of Brest universities have been reported to call the students who had signed up for it, for talks. According to the organizers of the campaign, "Oh, Bologna!", it started almost immediately after the address was sent to the Ministry of Education.

The signers are asked whether they put the signatures on their own and whether the signatures were collected in the campus or in other places. At the same time, the student are “warned” that they did “not a very good thing” for the university by putting their signatures under the address.

The organizers of the campaign, "Oh, Bologna!" consider such telephone calls as pressurization on students and are collecting information on how many students have had such talks with the government of their faculties.