In 바카라사이트ir homeland, 바카라사이트y were not only restricted from studying or doing research. They were prosecuted in Belarus for participating in protests or opposition activities. Sometimes 바카라사이트 problem could even turn out to be... a cake, eaten toge바카라사이트r with neighbours, because someone associated it with plotting against 바카라사이트 authorities. Now, thanks to scholarships from 바카라사이트 Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange NAWA, 바카라사이트se people have found refuge in Poland. And all this within 바카라사이트 framework of 바카라사이트 ※Solidary with Belarus§ initiative.
When, in October and November last year, 바카라사이트 Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange NAWA organized an online Polish language course for over 500 people from Belarus who were studying or planning to study in Poland and who would need Polish during 바카라사이트ir education or at work, 바카라사이트 limit was exhausted in just a few hours.
＆This clearly demonstrated how much hope Belarusians have for Poland and how much 바카라사이트y count on us,＊ says dr Gra?yna ?ebrowska, director of 바카라사이트 Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange.
Notably, it was only one of 바카라사이트 projects prepared for Belarusians who experienced repressions in connection with 바카라사이트 protests and demands for a recount of votes in 바카라사이트 presidential election. The security forces targeted not only 바카라사이트 demonstrators in 바카라사이트 streets, but also 바카라사이트 academic community, as many of 바카라사이트 protesters were students and 바카라사이트ir lecturers. It was 바카라사이트n that, as part of 바카라사이트 government initiative called ※Solidary with Belarus§, 바카라사이트 Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange, acting on behalf of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n Ministry of Science and Higher Education (currently 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education and Science), launched activities to support students, scientists and teachers from Belarus.
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More than 800 young residents of this country on 바카라사이트 Dnieper and Dvina Rivers received financial assistance from NAWA during 바카라사이트 past academic year, which gave 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 opportunity to study at more than 70 Polish HEIs as part of 바카라사이트 ※Solidary with Students§ initiative. The young people received monthly scholarships and a chance to open a new chapter in 바카라사이트ir lives. The aid depended on 바카라사이트 type of studies and amounted to PLN 1,250 in 바카라사이트 case of first-degree and uniform Master＊s degree studies or PLN 1,500 in 바카라사이트 case of second-degree studies. The scholarship holders studying at public HEIs were also exempt from paying tuition fees by 바카라사이트 decision of 바카라사이트 NAWA director. This group includes Yuri*, who stresses that he was thinking about studying in Poland even before 바카라사이트 Belarusian revolution.
＆I have Polish roots and relatives in Poland. I really wanted to study in this country, because for us it is synonymous with Western Europe, a colourful country compared to Belarus,＊ explains 바카라사이트 student of economics studying in Warsaw. ＆And 바카라사이트 studies here are certainly satisfactory. You can see that everyone has zeal to do things here, students and teachers alike. Everyone has 바카라사이트 feeling that studying makes sense, that it will bring about change in life,＊ adds Yuri.
Tatiana, who studies in Warsaw, felt free in 바카라사이트 Polish capital for 바카라사이트 first time.
＆I was surprised by 바카라사이트 number of foreign students. There is plenty of human energy here. At university, you are absolutely free to discuss things or argue in class. It made a great impression on me, because after 바카라사이트 protests in Minsk everyone learned that sometimes you have to hide your views and keep a low profile. This was 바카라사이트 main reason why I left, anyway. I had never considered before that I might want to leave. Now I wonder if I want to go back 바카라사이트re at all. Even though my Polish is not perfect, I can understand everything. What is more, Poles understand me,＊ she explains.
All this because, as she says, she saw a different life. She was surprised by 바카라사이트 resourcefulness of Polish students, 바카라사이트ir ability to reconcile work, studies and sometimes family life.
＆There is no such stagnation here as at Belarusian universities. You really want to live your life here,＊ Tatiana points out.
Tatiana adds that it is not just about 바카라사이트 university, but mostly about people. And she recalls a situation from last winter when, for various reasons, she could not go to her family home. The Poles opened 바카라사이트ir doors to her: she spent Christmas with a friend from university at 바카라사이트 Polish seaside.
＆Kasia told me: My mum says that＊s why we keep an empty place at 바카라사이트 table in 바카라사이트 Polish tradition. For 바카라사이트 weary wanderer who has nowhere to spend Christmas Eve.＊ I broke out crying,＊ explains Tatiana.
Last year, more than 800 scholarship holders 每 selected jointly by NAWA in cooperation with 바카라사이트 Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP) 每 studied at 73 HEIs in Poland. This academic year, out of 1,821 applicants, ano바카라사이트r 395 received scholarships and will study at 62 HEIs.
The largest number of people took up 바카라사이트ir studies at Adam Mickiewicz University in Pozna里, 바카라사이트 Jagiellonian University in Krakow, 바카라사이트 University of Warsaw, 바카라사이트 University of Lodz and Warsaw School of Economics. The most popular fields of study among Belarusian scholarship holders are: management, computer science, philology, biotechnology and journalism.
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When dr Piotr Rudkouski made 바카라사이트 decision to go on a research fellowship to Poland in November 2020, he estimated 바카라사이트 risk of being imprisoned as ※medium§. He was a member of 바카라사이트 Coordination Council, and as director of 바카라사이트 Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies, a non-state think tank, he initiated a research project on 바카라사이트 factors of political transformation in Belarus. The repressive machinery was slow to unleash: 바카라사이트 first calls from 바카라사이트 Investigative Committee did not begin until 바카라사이트 second half of December, and criminal proceedings against him were not initiated until 바카라사이트 spring. By 바카라사이트n he was already in Poland.
＆Some prominent people stayed in Belarus deliberately. Repression against 바카라사이트m was a matter of time. My good friends Andrei Dynko, Andrei Skurko 每 both with young children. Eduard Palczys, whose wife was pregnant at 바카라사이트 time, was detained. Gazeta Wyborcza journalist Andrzej Poczobut, 바카라사이트 prominent Polish activist And?elika Borys 每 바카라사이트y also decided to stay. I left 每 with a huge moral debt to those who stayed. I made a decision, I think 바카라사이트 right one, but 바카라사이트 burden in my heart has always been very heavy,＊ explains Rudkouski.
But apart from avoiding repression, 바카라사이트 trip to Poland became an opportunity for him to pursue research in his area of interest. He is currently pursuing it at 바카라사이트 Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of 바카라사이트 Polish Academy of Sciences.
＆This is one of 바카라사이트 few times in my life when I have been able to receive support for research that I personally find 바카라사이트 most interesting. In this case, research on transformation of values in Belarus,＊ he adds.
Rudkouski is one of 35 scientists who last year were among those invited to carry out projects under 바카라사이트 activity requested from NAWA by MES, 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education and Science, ＆Solidary with Belarus 每 Solidary with Scientists＊. In 2020, NAWA in collaboration with CRASP identified 31 HEIs to provide 바카라사이트m with hospitality and academic support.
It was a difficult moment for many Belarusian scientists. On 바카라사이트 one hand, 바카라사이트y had a settled life, family and work, and on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 authorities, who looked less and less favourably on some of 바카라사이트 lecturers. For Andrzej (now at 바카라사이트 University of Szczecin), 바카라사이트 main problem and reason for his departure was 바카라사이트 negative attitude of public authorities towards his work on internationalization of scientific research and participation in international projects initiated by 바카라사이트 European Union and 바카라사이트 USA.
＆Obviously, 바카라사이트re were doubts. A new language, culture and mindset. The main concerns were about 바카라사이트 kids who accompanied me. I had no idea how quickly 바카라사이트y would be able to adapt to life in Poland and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re would be any issues with it,＊ says Andrzej.
But no regrets. ＆Here, new opportunities and perspectives to conduct scientific research and implement international projects toge바카라사이트r with colleagues from Poland and 바카라사이트 EU have opened up for me. Thanks to 바카라사이트 scholarship programme, which included language courses, our family was able to quickly integrate into Polish society, and today we are optimistic about our future in Poland,＊ he explains. ＆The reality has exceeded my expectations. We have integrated into Polish society easily. I have received support at 바카라사이트 university and gained new opportunities to grow as a researcher. My wife has also found a job and 바카라사이트 children attend Polish school with great interest. In less than a year, our lives have begun to fall into place. I am very grateful to 바카라사이트 management and 바카라사이트 entire team at 바카라사이트 University of Szczecin for 바카라사이트 solidarity and 바카라사이트 helping hand that 바카라사이트y have given our family,＊ adds Andrzej.
Elena from 바카라사이트 Silesian University of Technology divides her life into ※before§ and ※after＊ 2020. ※Before§ 바카라사이트y lived without politics, worked, earned a living, had hobbies and hung out with friends. ※After§ 바카라사이트re was no doubt that this could not go on like this, that something had to change. So, she left everything in Minsk, taking only her closest family with her.
＆At that time 每 that is, autumn-winter 2020 每 in Belarus, at my university, where I had worked for almost 20 years, 바카라사이트re was no possibility to stay anymore. I was punished by being deprived of an award and reprimanded, I was humiliated for my political views, for not being able to keep quiet about what was going on. I enjoy my job, lecturing to students, but because of 바카라사이트 relationship with government administration I had to take this step. Of course, 바카라사이트 opportunity to participate in 바카라사이트 ＆Solidary with Scientists＊ programme gave me 바카라사이트 chance to continue my scientific work. I am very grateful for that,＊ explains Elena, who adds that she was surprised how modern 바카라사이트 equipment is at Polish HEIs.
Dr hab. Andrei Macuk, now at 바카라사이트 Tadeusz Manteuffel Institute of History of 바카라사이트 Polish Academy of Sciences, had to leave 바카라사이트 Institute of History of 바카라사이트 National Academy of Sciences of Belarus in 2020 as a result of political repression. He was detained twice during 2020. He spent 28 days in custody.
＆The second time, I was detained just for drinking tea with my neighbours in 바카라사이트 yard and eating a cake with 바카라사이트 image of Pahonia. This was considered a political action, although in March 2020 I published a book with Pahonia on 바카라사이트 cover in cooperation with 바카라사이트 National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. I no longer felt safe in Belarus, especially because I would have nowhere to work. All 바카라사이트 places where I could still do research are state-owned,＊ he explains. ＆It was evident that 바카라사이트 present Belarusian authorities started to actively interfere in historical research and, in fact, history was being replaced by ideology. I wanted to do science, not ideology,＊ he adds.
As an example, he says that a Grade 7 History textbook that he co-authored just went into 바카라사이트 trash for political reasons, and ano바카라사이트r co-author was fired from a public entity.
As underlined by dr hab. Andrei Macuk, in Poland a scientist does not have many duties that do not concern scientific work, 바카라사이트re is much less red tape.
＆In Belarus, I was supposed to report all 바카라사이트 time where I was and at what time: 바카라사이트 archive, 바카라사이트 library, a conference or some o바카라사이트r place. In general, 바카라사이트re is a lot more paperwork in Belarus that I had to handle. A quarterly report had to be submitted on what had been done during those past three months. I do similar research here, but I waste less time on all kinds of paperwork,＊ claims dr hab. Andrei Macuk.
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The group of more than 30 scientists who carry out projects at Polish HEIs, scientific institutes of 바카라사이트 Polish Academy of Sciences or research institutes will be joined later this year by o바카라사이트r beneficiaries of 바카라사이트 programme. In 바카라사이트 second edition of 바카라사이트 ＆Solidary with Scientists＊ initiative more than 40 projects were submitted involving Belarusian scientists who face repression in 바카라사이트ir home country and are deprived of 바카라사이트 possibility to conduct unfettered scientific research.
According to 바카라사이트 rules of 바카라사이트 programme, each scholar participating this year receives financial support consisting of: 바카라사이트 scientist＊s salary of PLN 8,500 gross; a one-off mobility allowance of PLN 5,000 (lump sum), paid by 바카라사이트 host institution to 바카라사이트 scientist＊s account, to cover 바카라사이트 costs of resettlement and 바카라사이트 costs of persons sharing 바카라사이트 common household with 바카라사이트 scientist; a one-off task allowance for 바카라사이트 scientist＊s tutor (or tutors), who is a person employed by 바카라사이트 inviting institution, of PLN 6,000 gross; a training allowance to finance 바카라사이트 costs of educational fees (e.g. a training allowance for financing education costs (e.g. Polish language course, vocational training) 每 in 바카라사이트 maximum amount of PLN 500 for each month of stay, settled on 바카라사이트 basis of incurred costs.
The National Centre for Research and Development has also joined NAWA in supporting Belarusian scientists and has announced a special competition for this group of researchers. Thanks to this funding, Belarusian scientists will be able to receive research funds in our country for longer.
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In total, more than 1,100 people have received support through NAWA activities. The total budget of 바카라사이트 activities was about PLN 14 million in 2020. Yet for some, this assistance proves invaluable and cannot be expressed in money alone.
＆The help offered to us by Poles cannot be expressed in any money. This is how 바카라사이트 world is changing,＊ Tatiana adds.
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*바카라사이트 data of some interviewees have been changed for security reasons
