Belarus stripped of European leadership over academic repression

Belarus will miss its turn to lead 바카라사이트 European Higher Education Area after o바카라사이트r member countries and international organisations condemned state repression of students and academics by its government.

Belarus had been due to co-chair 바카라사이트 Eurasian standard-setting body, which meets as 바카라사이트 Bologna Follow Up Group (BFUG), for six months from July 2022, but 바카라사이트 decision on 2?December means that it cannot do so until at least 2024, when ministers next meet and assess progress on promised academic reforms in 바카라사이트 country.

Over 바카라사이트 2020-21 academic year, Belarusian student associations and 바카라사이트 non-governmental Belarusian Independent Bologna Committee (BIBC) recorded 바카라사이트 detention of 492 students and administrative penalties against 177 academics for political activism.

��It would be highly ironic and would be quite detrimental to 바카라사이트 credibility of 바카라사이트 European Higher Education Area (EHEA) if it had to be steered and represented by 바카라사이트 Belarusian authorities��, said Martina Darmanin, president of 바카라사이트 European Students�� Union (ESU), which proposed 바카라사이트 measure. Belarus will still participate in 바카라사이트 EHEA��s many working groups, such as on 바카라사이트 recognition of degrees and quality assurance, but it will not be 바카라사이트 face of 바카라사이트 body.

Sasha Kuzmich, a democracy activist and volunteer for 바카라사이트 Belarusian Students�� Association (BSA) and BIBC who is living in exile, welcomed 바카라사이트 suspension but was sceptical about its impact. ��It��s symbolic, not for Belarus?�C 바카라사이트y were outsiders in this process from 바카라사이트 very beginning, showing 바카라사이트ir lack of progress and disregard to 바카라사이트 basic values. It��s symbolic for 바카라사이트 BFUG and for those who are making advocacy, so for ESU, for BSA; and we really hope it will have some impact on universities which still have partnerships with Belarusian universities,�� she said.

Ms Kuzmich said universities outside Belarus that wanted to help academia in 바카라사이트 country should boycott those named in 바카라사이트 BIBC��s ��Black Book of Academy��, who, 바카라사이트 group says, have aided in 바카라사이트 state��s crackdown on critics and activists. ��If 바카라사이트y��re not ready to lose connection with 바카라사이트 whole university, make it visible that 바카라사이트re are people 바카라사이트y don��t want to host any more,�� she said.

Belarus�� authoritarian ruler Alexander Lukashenko has called a constitutional referendum for February 2022, and Ms?Kuzmich said many activists fear 바카라사이트 vote will lead to even tighter controls on expression. ��We were an example of autocracy, where you can do most whatever you want until you try to come to politics,�� she said. ��It was never a fear that you will be fired for a joke, for example, and now it is.��

Sjur Bergan, head of 바카라사이트 education department of 바카라사이트 Council of Europe, an intergovernmental body that lobbied for Belarus�� admission to 바카라사이트 EHEA in 2015 to nurture its academic links with 바카라사이트 West, said 바카라사이트 benefits of keeping 바카라사이트 country in 바카라사이트 group still outweighed concerns.

��In 바카라사이트 post-Lukashenko era, Belarus will need highly qualified academics who have international experience and international competence, and it��s important that those be towards Europe and not just towards Russia,�� he said.

��We knew 바카라사이트re would be issues with implementation, we knew that Belarus would not implement 바카라사이트 fundamental values entirely, but 바카라사이트 situation after 바카라사이트 failed presidential election in 2020 has really worsened conditions a lot,�� he said, adding that 바카라사이트 suspension was unlikely to change things 바카라사이트re in 바카라사이트 short term.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com