Тема 6. Our institute

When I’m talking about my institute I mean a whole complex of things, which made up

my life there, influenced my views and outlook, formed my character to some degree and

gave me pleasant feelings and emotions. I’m absolutely sure that learning is very

important for everyone.

The higher school today does not only give knowledge to the students but develops our

abilities to think creatively and to work productively. Today’s scientific and technological

progress demands of the higher school graduates to be prepared to deepen their

knowledge individually and adapt themselves quickly to the changes in the branches of

science or industry they have chosen as their speciality. This means that future specialists

must be given a good grounding in basic subjects. In order to obtain practical experience

all the students of higher schools have practical training at different enterprises, schools

and offices. Only highly qualified specialists can solve the most complex problems facing

our society.

The basic principle of the organization of national education in Belarus is an equal

opportunity for all its citizens. Every citizen can get free education in state Institutions if

he passes the entrance examinations successfully. People can get a higher education

through the full-time, evening and correspondent courses.

Along with state higher schools existing in the Republic many non-state institutes of

higher learning have been opened in different towns of late. Tuition in non-state institutes

is not free of charge, it is rather expensive. But everybody knows that money spent on the

brain is never spent in vain.

So, if you walk about the downtown of my native town, you cannot miss the Institute

that I study. A beautiful alley leads to a four-storied building. It is the International

Institute of Labour and Social Relations. The institute itself is of a typical design with the

same layout and the distribution of classrooms, administrative offices, a gym and a library

as you can see in most other institutes. The classrooms are mainly of two types: ordinary

and specialized. Ordinary classrooms have three rows of desks, a teacher’s table with a

chair and a wide blackboard on the wall.

Specialized classrooms are used to teach sciences. They are well equipped with various

computers, educating programmes, etc.

Our library and reading hall are equipped with stands and shelves for books and

periodicals and a computer. There we can get not only textbooks on the subjects taught at

the Institute, but a wide choice of books, magazines and newspapers in different

languages for serious and light reading.

Our Institute has a student body of some … boys and girls. We have two shifts at our

Institute, so the Institute is in session from 8.30 a.m. to 19.50 p.m. Each lesson lasts one

hour and a half. After that we have a break. We hurry to our students’ cafe “Crash,”

where we may have our regular hot meals or just a cup of tea and a biscuit there. Our out-

of-town students live at the hostel. The academic year is divided into two terms, each

ending in examinations. We attend lectures and practical classes regularly and try not to

miss them, because we do our best to develop our talents and gifts. Our students have a

mind of wide scope. We take notes of all the lectures delivered by our professors. Our

institute’s curriculum includes many different subjects. I’m greatly interested in my

study, that’s why I pay great attention to these subjects.

Some of my fellow students belong to our scientific circles. They spend much time on

research work and cope with it well. Most of the members of these circles are senior

students who have a good knowledge of marketing and management. At our Institute

students can learn skills which fit them for a better career. The reputation of our institute

stays with its graduates – and their achievements in turn add to that reputation.

It’s common knowledge that success of higher education depends mainly on the

teachers, their professional skills, and their attitude to the subjects they teach and the kind

of relationship they can establish with the students.

Here I’d like to say that teachers are highly educated people, devoted to their work,

competent, with moral principles, erudition and cultural background, recognized

qualifications. They help us to learn all subjects well. They also guide us and advise us on

all aspects of our study and life.

All year round we have a varied programme of evening activities including parties,

discos, theme evenings, theatre visits and outing to traditional country sightseeing places.

Tennis, badminton, football, table tennis are some of the possibilities of our institute –

and all easily available. These activities are suitable for all levels of experience. We all

take an active part in the Institute social life. Knowledge, science and culture open the

prospects for the future. We have every right to say that the future of our country in many

respects depends upon the quality of education received by its citizen.