Francysk Skaryna Gomel State University

Francysk Skoryna Homyel State University comprises 13 departments; the Institute for professional development and personnel retraining; 2 Research Institutes; 18 research laboratories; 42 student research units; 43 departments; University Museum-laboratory of Francysk Skaryna, 7 faculty museum displays, postgraduate courses and doctoral courses.

Francysk Skaryna Homyel State University offers 42 academic degree courses at the first stage of education and 22 degree courses at the second stage of education, and 57 specializations. Postgraduate courses are available in 46 academic degree courses and doctoral courses – in 6 academic degree courses. Students are admitted to Francysk Skaryna Homyel State University on the basis of their successful performance in centralized testing. At present there are about 8500 students, including more than 5000 students attending day-time departments and about 3500 students – part-time departments, about 650 master degree students, 118 post-graduate students, 5 doctoral student at the University (year 2019). The personnel comprises more than 1300 employees, including professorial-teaching staff (PTS) (excluding part-time employees) – 586. There are 4 Correspondent Members of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus, 45 Doctors of Sciences, 33 Professors, 240 Candidates of Sciences, 218 Associate Professors among the academic teaching staff and scientific employees.[1]

The University is part of the Ministry of education of the Republic of Belarus.[2]

The rating agency "Expert RA" conferred on Francysk Skaryna Homyel State University the rating level "D" which means an acceptable level of graduates' knowledge.[3]

According to the world university rating "Webometrics" Francysk Skaryna Homyel State University occupied 4405 place in April 2019.[4]

GSU Administrative building

The main training facilities are situated in five buildings, three of which are located in Sovetskaya street, one in Pesin street and one in Kirov street. The separate buildings are a sports complex and a student canteen.

Francysk Skaryna Homyel State University – building 2 (The Department of History, The Department of Law and the Department of Mathematics)

Francysk Skaryna Homyel State University was founded on the basis of Homyel Pedagogical Institute, first opened to the public on 8 November 1930. At first, the course of training ran for two years. Later it was prolonged to four years. There were only three departments: the Department of Physics and Mathematics, Chemical-biological Department and Literature and Language Department which provided instruction to students. A Teachers' Institute was functioning alongside. Throughout its short history from 1930 up to 1939 it was headed by directors: I. F. Ermakov; A. O. Stashevskiy; A. P. Elman; S. Y. Lebedev, M. F. Lozben; M. F. Alekseichik; S. F. Azshgirey and N. M. Ivashenko. In 1939 the name of the institution was changed to Homyel Pedagogical Institute the school named after Valery Chkalov.[5]

During the Great Patriotic War many members of the teaching staff and students joined the Red Army and the Institute was evacuated to Kirov region (Russian Federation). On 26 November 1943 Homyel was liberated and Homyel Pedagogical Institute named after V. P. Chkalov recommenced its functioning. During this period the main directions of the departments' scientific research were determined. The first issue of "Scientific notes" was published in 1954. In 1956 the course of study at the Institute was changed to five years.[6]

In 1958 Primary School Department was launched at the Institute followed by Engineering-pedagogical Department (in 1959) which name has been changed three times (Industrial-pedagogical, General Technical Disciplines and Handicraft, General Technical Disciplines and Physics). During its last two years, Homyel Pedagogical Institute named after V. P. Chkalov trained secondary school teachers at five departments (Physics and Mathematics, Philological, Chemical-biological, General Technical disciplines and Physics, Physical Education). In autumn 1961 postgraduate courses were added. In 1968 the Institute began its involvement in fulfilling state order research works (the first research work performed was "The Study of characteristics and properties of Polymeric Coatings by optical and spectral methods"). By 1968 Homyel Pedagogical Institute named after V. P. Chkalov had trained 12.5 thousand specialists.[7]

Faculty of History, Law and Mathematics

In 1968 the decision was made to found Homyel State University on the basis of the Pedagogical Institute. Order № 130 issued by the Minister of higher and secondary special education on 31 March 1969 read: "Homyel State University is to be opened on the basis of Homyel Pedagogical Institute named after V. P. Chkalov on 1 May 1969. The University is to comprise History and Philology Department, Mechanics and Mathematics Department, Physics Department, Biology and Soil Department, Geological Department, the Department of Economy and the Department of Physical Education".[5] V. A. Beliy, the famous scientist, was appointed the first principal. In 1969/1970 academic year the University enrolled 4 429 students, including 2349 studying at the full-time department and 2 080 studying by correspondence. The number of the first University graduates constituted 913.

In 1973 the famous scientist, academician and participant of the Great Patriotic War, B. V. Bokyts was appointed the second principal.[8] During the years of his administration the academician B.V. Bokyts created a scientific school of optics, known far beyond the borders of the Republic. High proficiency, experience of the professorial-teaching staff was successfully used in many countries such as Algeria, Vietnam, Cuba, Kenya, Mongolia, Sudan and others, which the Soviet Union assisted in training specialists in various branches of knowledge. In the 1980s the efforts to improve the teaching and educational process at the University were intensified. Close links with industrial enterprises and research institutes were established at that time. In the late 1970s and in the first half of 1980s for the first time in the Republic Homyel State University began to create branches of its chairs. Research institute scientists held classes in specializations, supervised work practices, course projects, diploma theses and organized counseling for post-graduate students.[5]

In 1988 the Council of Ministers of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (the decree issued on 29 November 1988) made a decision to name Homyel State University after Francysk Skaryna.[5] L. A. Shemetkov, the famous mathematician, the creator and leader of a new and promising scientific school of algebraic system formation theory was appointed to the post of the principal by the University Council on 19 September 1989.[9]

10 new degree courses were added at the University in the 1990s. By principal L. A. Shemetkov's initiative, the Dissertation Council and Doctoral courses were introduced. The scientific journal "Proceedings of Francysk Skaryna Homyel State University" has been issued since October 1999. International cooperation has greatly increased since 1994 when the University became the winner of 1 million dollar grant of the program TEMPUS. In 1994-1998 Francysk Skaryna Homyel State University jointly with the University of Clermont-Ferrand (France), the University of Birmingham (Britain) and the University of Kiel (Germany) was working on the project "The improvement of University Management".

In 1995 on the basis of agreement between Francysk Skaryna Homyel State University and the University of Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand I (France) Franco-Belarusian Institute of Management was founded. It was successfully functioning up to 2013.[10]

In December, 2017 with assistance of Nanjing University of Science and Technology (City of Nanjing, People's Republic of China) Confucius Institute was opened at F.Skorina GSU.[11]

In 2017 on the basis of Shanghai Professional Institute of Industry, Commerce and Foreign Languages F.Skorina GSU branch was opened – Homyel Institute.[12]

In 2018 the Chinese Language Center was opened at F. Skaryna GSU.[13]

• Mathematics and Technologies of Programming
• Physics and Information Technologies
• Biology
• Geology & geography
• Psychology & pedagogics
• Foreign languages
• History
• Law
• Economy
• Physical culture
• Philology
• Pre-university training
• Сorrespondence studies