Addressing Digitalization Challenges in Belarusian Higher Education

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

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1. Definitions
2. Overview of Belarusian Higher Education Institutions
3. Governmental Policies: Ambitions
4. Governmental Policies: Ground realities
5. Digitalization or Digital Transformation: Three cases
6. Concluding Reflections

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Definitions

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Definitions

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https://www.channelinsider.com/

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Digitalization in HE optimizes existing processes through technology, while digital transformation innovates and creates new value, fundamentally changing educational and organizational models.

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Overview of Higher Education

Institutions

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�Overview of Higher Education Institutions: in Belarus and Abroad��

In Belarus�State Institutions: 42�Private Institutions: 8�Subordinate to 12 ministries and departments���Abroad/Diaspora. Notable examples:

�European Humanities University (EHU)�Free University

Belarusian Academy in Poland

Non-formal/requirements of Ministries of Education of host countries�

National University (to be established)

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Digital Landscape and Technology Adoption in Belarusian Higher Education

Internet Usage and Connectivity in Belarus (Early 2024)

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Internet Penetration: 89.5% (age 6-72)

Cellular Mobile Connections: 11.42 million | Penetration: 120.5%

Internet users number (change over time):

2021: +2.4%

2022: -0.3%

2023: -0.5%

Technology Adoption in Higher Education (2022)

Big Data Technologies: 12 institutions

Internet of Things (IoT): 12 institutions

Artificial Intelligence (AI): 10 institutions

RFID Technology: 25 institutions

Sources: https://datareportal.com/; https://www.belstat.gov.by/upload/iblock/d44/ddoksj66lofh3z4av92poxxilg3scvwg.pdf

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• High mobile connectivity contrasts with a significant portion of the population remaining offline
• Stagnation in Internet adoption rates
• Gradual adoption of advanced digital technologies (Big Data, IoT, AI, RFID) in higher education

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Governmental Policies:

Ambitions

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Legal Foundations and Distance Online Learning Evolution in Belarus

AMBITIONS

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Code on Education. Distance Online Learning Recognition:

The 2022 Education Code revision defines DL as education through students' independent study and interaction with faculty via remote educational technologies, which applies to all forms of education.

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Education System Development up to 2030:

• Aligns the education system with global trends and the knowledge economy, aiming for a globally competitive, technologically proficient workforce.
• Modernizing infrastructure, updating curricula, fostering employer ties, and introducing "University 4.0" and "University 5.0" models.
• Enhanced digital literacy, global standing improvement, and a shift towards a technology-enabled educational system.

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Digital Integration and Transformation Strategies

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AMBITIONS

Digital Development of Belarus: 2021-2025 aims to revolutionize education through digital technology and achieve comprehensive integration of digital technologies by 2025.

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Digital Transformation of Education System: 2019-2025:

• Utilizing digital technologies to enhance educational processes and foster an information society.
• Preparing students for a digital society, streamlining educational processes, and ensuring accessible, quality education.
• Initiatives include regulations for digital educational environments, technical infrastructure upgrades, and digital content creation.
• The establishment of RIOS aims to unify digital educational services, enabling personalized learning and efficient management.

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Ambitions Detailed

Strategic and Implementation Challenges:

• Progress Tracking -absence of intermediate milestones.
• Inconsistent Planning - linear progress assumption without baseline analysis.
• Distance Learning Clarity -lack of context in online learning metrics.
• Institution Diversity Ignored - treats all institutions uniformly.
• Support and Risk Management - missing detailed support strategies and adaptability plans.

University 4.0 Implementation Gaps:

• Ecosystem and Technology – innovation ecosystems and advanced tech integration fall short.
• Campus and Collaboration: limited smart campus development and global partnership efforts.
• Sustainability and Skills – overlooks sustainability practices and broad digital literacy training.
• Continuous Learning – neglects the development of lifelong learning platforms.

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Ambitions Detailed: Digital Transformation of Education. Problems Defined

• The ineffectiveness of centralized ICT initiatives for educational resources
• Lack of digital content standards
• Intellectual property and digital readiness
• Expertise gaps in digital transformation
• Pedagogical training for digital tools
• Software model adoption

Roadmap for the implementation of the Concept of digital transformation of processes in the education system of the Republic of Belarus for 2023-2025?

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Ambitions checked

• Embracing digital transformation strategically
• Interoperability as a basic principle
• Foster Institutional autonomy and teachers’ professional development
• Address student and faculty well-being
• Enhance internationalization and industry alignment

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Governmental policies:

ground realities

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Educational policy: general context

• Political indoctrination
• Militarization
• Russification
• Informational isolation
• Censorship
• Absence of institutional autonomy
• Absence of academic freedom
• International isolation
• Lack of transparency

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Educational policy: Repression in 2020-2023

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1639 students and teachers became victims of repression

287 students were expelled

201 teachers were dismissed

53 students and 3 teachers recognized as political prisoners (sentence from1,5 to 4,5 years)

https://www.dw.com/ru/vyssee-obrazovanie-v-belarusi-dorogo-i-opasno/a-66927090

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HE Digitalization constraints: absence of academic freedom and autonomy

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HE Digitalization constraints

Transparency Issues:

• Monopolized Data. Government organizations control data, restricting public access to critical educational statistics.
• Missing Publications: Vital statistical reports on education are not publicly available, further obscuring transparency.

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Funding Shortfalls:

• Suspended International Support. Financial aid for education reforms, including significant programs like the World Bank’s “Project for the Modernization of Higher Education in Belarus 2020-2025” ($109 million), has been halted.

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HE Digitalization constraints: Isolation from International Platforms

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Expulsion of European Institutions. By 2022, Belarus expelled nearly all European educational institutions and their representative offices, including notable entities like the Goethe Institute and DAAD.

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Exclusion from International Programs.

• PISA: The International Program for the Assessment of Educational Achievement of Schoolchildren.
• WorldSkills: The international youth professional movement and its national counterpart, WorldSkills Belarus.

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Bologna Process: Belarus's representation to ensure comparability in the standards and quality of higher education qualifications was suspended.

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Termination of Agreements. Following the conflict in Ukraine, Belarus unilaterally terminated the 2005 agreement with Poland recognizing the equivalence of higher education and academic degrees in science and art. (Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus Resolution No. 728, dated October 25, 2022).

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HE Digitalization: Key Implementation Challenges

Digital Divide and Access:

• Inequitable broadband internet access across regions.

Over-centralization

• Barriers to local innovation, adaptability, and collaboration,

Legislative Framework:

• Absence of structured legislative measures for digitalization support.

Infrastructure Gaps:

• Insufficient material and technical base in educational institutions.

Understanding and Perception:

• Lack of clarity on digitalization’s purpose, goals, and effectiveness within the education system.
• Fear regarding management decisions related to digital adoption.

Digital Literacy and Technology Utilization:

• Resistance to new technologies due to limited digital literacy.
• Low technology adoption among educators

Monitoring & Evaluation:

• Fragmented data on digital education efforts, failing to offer a comprehensive overview.

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Digitalization or digital transformation: three cases

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Grodno University: The "Digital University+"

Strategy

• Digital content creation, infrastructure modernization, and stakeholder engagement
• Focus on personalization and flexibility in learning paths
• A wide array of technologies, from ICT to digital innovations like augmented reality and artificial intelligence, enriches the learning experience and prepares students for future challenges

Implementation by 2013

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• «Абитуриент» (students enrollment systems)
• Administration, data, workflow, and monitoring
• students’ learning trajectory
• Teaching and learning materials
• Digital library
• Navigation for faculty
• Internal students’ messenger.

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Revamping Belarusian State Pedagogical University's Educational Environment Through ICT

"Updating the Educational Environment at the Pedagogical University"

Duration: July 2020 - 2021

Objective: Develop a conceptual vision for modernizing the educational environment using ICT.

Key Tasks:

• Study the experience of Narva College, University of Tartu, in organizing educational processes and e-learning via ICT.
• Define key performance indicators for an e-university.

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Participants: Belarusian State Pedagogical University (BSPU), Narva College, University of Tartu University, Regional Pedagogical Universities, IT Companies

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Expected Outcomes:

• Development of quality criteria and indicators for e-learning models in the educational process.
• Integrating partner universities' online learning platforms with local information systems to automate information transfer and create a unified educational environment.
• Evaluation of technological infrastructure of partner universities to support a unified information and educational environment for students enrolled in multiple institutions.

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The Free Belarusian University Model

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• Broad support & leadership.
• It aims to create a modern educational platform for integrating academic and non-formal education, paving the way for a Belarusian-European digital university.
• International collaboration: forges partnerships with European and US universities, enhances academic resources, and aligns with global educational standards.
• Focus on national transformation.
• Extensive expert network: leverages an international network of faculty and experts, providing rich and varied educational content.
• Community building & dialogue: Encourages active community engagement and dialogue through the VBU forum and collaborations, such as with the Estonian School of Digital Technologies, for continuous educational improvement.

Encountered Challenges:

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• Institutional Support: limited backing from traditional educational systems and authorities, challenging its establishment and recognition.
• Accreditation Issues: struggles with obtaining official accreditation, impacting the legitimacy and acceptance of its educational qualifications.
• Transnational Repressions: difficulties from transnational political pressures affect its operations, student and faculty safety, and overall mission.

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Concluding reflections

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Belarusian Higher Education: Discrepancies and Influencing Factors

Discrepancies:

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• Political repression
• International isolation
• Suspended support
• Transparency issues

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Influencing Factors:

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• Political climate
• Economic constraints
• Technological gaps
• Strained international relations
• Implementation challenges: resistance within the educational system and lack of stakeholder engagement slow reform progress

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Strategies to address discrepancies

Moving Forward: sone qua non

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• University Autonomy and Academic Freedom: establish an environment that encourages open inquiry and protects the rights of educators and students.
• Pursue International Partnerships: actively seek and foster collaborations with global educational institutions to enhance learning and research opportunities.
• Enhance Transparency: improve access to educational data for all stakeholders to enable informed decision-making and policy evaluation.

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Harmonization of Core Systems for Holistic Digital Transformation

• Integrated LMS: a dynamic and central platform for managing and delivering engaging educational content.
• Synchronized SIS: streamlined student lifecycle management, from admission to graduation, enabling strategic support.
• Coordinated CRM Solutions: centralized data for tailored student recruitment and retention strategies.
• AI and Analytics Synergy: combined tools for actionable insights, enhancing decision-making and institutional efficiency.
• Unified DMS: digital document management to streamline and secure administrative workflow

A successful digital transformation in education requires not just the implementation of systems but their balanced integration and harmonization. Each system must work in concert to create a cohesive and supportive digital ecosystem that amplifies educational delivery and administrative functions.

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Digital Education Policy: validated strategy and implementation focus areas

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Charting a New Course

In the face of constraints, policy challenges, and the shadow of repression, our resilience turns barriers into gateways for progress. United, we innovate beyond the limitations to redefine education for a brighter, liberated future.

�Thank you