Contents

1. Belarus State Economic University

2. Education in Belarus

3. The Economy of Belarus

4. Economics and Business

5. Companies

6. Managers and Management

7. Careers

8. Production

9. Marketing

10. Sales

11. Financing and Accounting in a Company

Reference Literature

1. Belarus State Economic University

1. Go through the following vocabulary notes to avoid difficulties in understanding and find these words in the text.

price formation– ценообразование issues – проблемы student campus – студенческий городок currently – в настоящее время advanced degree – ученая степень

calculus – исчисление, подсчет CIS – СНГ bilateral – двусторонний scholarly titles – академические звания under the auspices of – под эгидой чего-либо

2. Read the statements and decide whether they are true (T) or false (F).

1. The main fields of learning at BSEU are law, politics & economics.

2. BSEU has a badly developed infrastructure.

3. There are research labs, a sports complex, a library at BSEU.

4. 1300 students study at University.

5. The aim of university’s activity is to train specialists without initiative.

6. BSEU is cooperating with foreign universities.

3. Read the text and check up your answers in ex. II.

The Belarus State Economic University (BSEU) is a complex educational establishment, which trains specialists in the field of economics and management, finance and banking, accounting and statistics, commerce, international economic relations, economic policies, business communications techniques, marketing, logistics, economic law, economics and management of tourism, economics of labor and nature use, advertising activities, and price formations. BSEU has a well developed infrastructure of a training and scholarly complex: 11 schools, 59 departments (of which 39 are graduating ones), the Institute of Social-Liberal Education, the Institute of Raising Qualification and Retraining Economic Cadres, the Bobruisk branch, six Centers (those of scholarly research, macroeconomic research, management issues and consulting services, merchandising research and expert examination, IT development and a publishing one), a library, research labs, divisions and services, a student campus, a sports complex and a trade complex. Being the leading school of higher learning in the field of economics, BSEU is in the process of constant development, searching for new forms and methods of teaching. Currently, the following educational activities are in place at the BSEU: Pre-university training first and second phases of higher education (undergraduate and master’s programs) Doctoral and post-doctoral (Dr. hab.) programs. Raising the level of qualification and retraining specialists on the issues of market economy and the new economic mechanism. The total number of students (both full-time and part-time) amounts to 27,000. Among them are international students from 23 countries. The students are trained in 20 majors and 48 specializations. There are over 1,300 faculty members. Almost half of them hold advanced degrees and scholarly titles, including 100 doctors habile (Dr. hab.) and full professors and 610 with a Ph.D. degree. Training specialists with higher scholarly qualification is done at the graduate school (12 majors of doctoral programs) and post-doctoral courses (6 majors), both full-time and part-time. Under the auspices of the BSEU there function 5 councils on defending dissertations, with 154 successful defenses in place over the recent five years. Modern realities affect our activities and make it a necessity to train well educated specialists with initiative and business skills. The faculty’s efforts are aimed at providing students with solid professional training, knowledge of economic theory, computer technologies, calculus, foreign languages, as well as forming highly qualified and well organized personalities. The University’s international activities are aimed at developing relations with the leading universities of the CIS countries, France, Germany, Italy, and China. For over 10 years now, we have been closely cooperating with the University Paris-1 Pantheon-Sorbonne in France. At present, the BSEU has bilateral agreements with 64 universities and research institutions from 16 countries. Creative contacts with the national and overseas universities help enrich the process of teaching with practical information and provide a wide exchange of experience, as well as conduct research on relevant issues of the economic development and identify the most promising trends of training specialists based on the needs of the national economy and domestic labor market.

4. Answer these questions using the active vocabulary of the text.

1. What kind of specialists does the university train?

2. Why is the infrastructure of BSEU considered to be well-developed?

3. Do modern realities affect the activities of BSEU?

4. How can relations with other countries influence the work of university?

5. How many specializations does the university have?

6. Why does BSEU have to use practical information in its teaching process?

7. How do many faculty members have Ph.D. degree?

8. Are international activities developed at BSEU? Name some examples.

9. Why is BSEU the leading university in the field of economics?

10. Why did you choose this university to enter?

5. Match the two parts of the statements from the text

1. BSEU is a complex educational establishment	a) of the CIS countries, France, Germany, Italy and China.
2. The students are trained	b) amounts to 27000.
3. Being the leading school of higher learning in economics	c) with the Sorbonne University in France.
4. Training specialists with higher scholarly qualification	d) BSEU is in the process of development and searching for new forms of teaching.
5. Creative contacts with the national and overseas universities	e) which trains specialists in the field of economics, management, finance.
6. The faculty’s efforts are aimed at	f) well-educated specialists with business skills.
7. The university develops relations with the leading universities	g) providing students with solid professional training, knowledge of economics, calculus, foreign languages.
8. The total number of students	h) help enrich the process of teaching with practical information and provide exchange of experience.
9. Modern realities make it a necessity to train	i) is done at the graduate school and post-doctoral courses.
10. For over 10 years now, we’ve been closely cooperating	j) in 20 majors and 48 specializations.

VI. Match each sentence to its translation.

1. Among them are international students from 23 countries.	a) Контакты с национальными и зарубежными университетами обогащают процесс обучения практической информацией и обеспечивают обмен опытом.
2. Modern realities affect our activities and make it a necessity to train well-educated specialists with initiative.	b) К настоящему времени БГЭУ заключил двусторонние соглашения с университетами и исследовательскими институтами 16 стран.
3. Contacts with the national and overseas universities help enrich the process of teaching with practical information and provide exchange of experience.	c) В БГЭУ преподают финансы и банковское дело, международные экономические отношения и логистику, хозяйственное право и рекламную деятельность.
4. The fields of teaching at BSEU are finance and banking, international economic relations and logistics, economic law and advertising.	d) Инфраструктура БГЭУ также включает Бобруйский филиал.
5. The infrastructure of BSEU includes also the Bobruisk Branch.	e) Современные тенденции влияют на нашу деятельность и вызывают необходимость обучать высокообразованных и инициативных специалистов.
6. At present, the BSEU has bilateral agreements with universities and research institutions from 16 countries.	f) Среди них есть иностранные студенты из 23 стран.

VII Make an outline of the text consisting of 5-8 sentences.

8. Retell the text according to its outline.

II. Education in Belarus

1. Go through the following vocabulary notes to avoid difficulties in understanding and find these words in the text.

qualitatively- качественно to envisage- рассматривать pre-school- дошкольный establishment- учреждение comprehensive- всесторонний degree-степень establishments-учреждения continuity-продолжительность

lyceum- лицей compulsory- обязательный free of charge- бесплатно applicant- абитуриент to confer- совещаться vocational-профессиональный competitive-конкурентный available-доступный

2. Read the statements and decide whether they are true (T) or false (F).

1. The reform envisages a continuity of study only at such stages as pre-school and secondary school.

2. There are 38 vocational schools in Belarus.

3. Secondary education is compulsory in Belarus.

4. Post-Graduate Departments prepare students for entering the university.

5. Rectors head higher educational establishments.

3. Read the text and check up your answers in ex. II.

The republic is reforming its system of education today, with the aim of creating an independent, qualitatively new national school. The reform envisages a continuity of study at all of its stages, such as pre-school, secondary school, vocational training and specialized secondary school, and further level at higher schools.

Belarus is a country with a high educational level. The total number of students in 1993/94 academic year was 2.4 million (nearly 25% of the population). There are 38 higher educational establishments in Belarus including Universities, 149 specialized comprehensive educational establishments, and 5.1 thousand various schools including primary and secondary ones. Among the secondary schools there are grammar schools, lyceums and colleges.

Secondary education in Belarus is compulsory. The state guarantees to every of its citizens the opportunity of a free of charge general secondary and technical secondary education. Specialized secondary and higher education is available for everyone according to his/her abilities.

After finishing the 9^th form one can go on to a vocational school, which offers programs of academic subjects and a program of training in a technical field, or a profession.

After finishing the 11^th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium one can go on in higher education. All applicants must take competitive examinations.

Higher educational institutions (institutes or universities) offer a 4-year program of academic subjects for undergraduates in a variety of fields, as well as a graduate course. Besides, there are Preparatory Faculties and Post-Graduate Departments. The former as the name says, prepare students for entering the university, the latter get them ready for either M.A. (Master's Degree) or Ph.D. (for which one needs to write and defend a dissertation).

Rectors head higher educational establishments. Prorectors are in charge of academic and scientific work.

An institute or a university has a number of faculties, each specializing in a particular field of study. Faculties have specialized councils, which confer candidate and doctoral degrees.

The main educational potential is concentrated in Minsk, where training and retraining of personnel take place, for practically every branch of economy, science and culture. Minsk is a centre of science, University education, and national culture.

4. Answer these questions using the active vocabulary of the text.

1. How many educational establishments there are in Belarus?

2. Is secondary education in Belarus compulsory?

3. Who head higher educational establishments?

4. Do Post-Graduate Departments prepare students for entering the university?

5. With which aim is the republic reforming its system of education today?

5. Match the halves of the sentences from the text.

1) The reform envisages 2) Belarus is a country with 3) Among the secondary schools there are 4) Specialized secondary and higher education 5) After finishing the 9th form 6) After finishing the 11th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium 7) All applicants must take 8) Prorectors are in charge of 9) Faculties have specialized councils 10) Minsk is a center of

a) one can go on in higher education b) is available for everyone according to his/her abilities c) competitive examinations d) science, University education, and national culture e) a high educational level f) one can go on to a vocational school g) academic and scientific work h) which confer candidate and doctoral degrees i) grammar schools, lyceums and colleges j) a continuity of study at all of its stages

6. Find Russian equivalents to the sentences in the second column.

Belarus is a country with a high educational level Secondary education in Belarus is compulsory 3.After finishing the 11th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium one can go on in higher education 4. The republic is reforming its system of education today, with the aim of creating an independent, qualitatively new national school 5. The main educational potential is concentrated in Minsk 6. All applicants must take competitive examinations

a) Республика преобразовывает ее систему образования сегодня, с целью создания независимой, качественно новой национальной школы b) Среднее образование в Белоруссии обязательно c) Все абитуриенты должны пройти экзамен d) После окончания 11-ой формы средней школы, лицея или гимназии любой может продолжить образование в Высшем учебном заведении e) Главный образовательный потенциал сконцентрирован в Минске f) Белоруссия - страна с высоким образовательным уровнем

7. Make an outline of the text consisting of 5-8 sentences.

8. Retell the text according to its outline.