- •1 Higher Education in Belarus. Our University.
- •The role of knowledge and education in society.
- •Types of higher educational establishments in Belarus.
- •Forms of tuition at Belarusian higher educational establishments.
- •The Belarusian State Economic University: rules of enrolment, schools and conditions for studies, curricula, student life.
- •Institute of Social Liberal Education.
- •2. University Education in Great Britain and The usa.
- •2.1 The procedure of admission to Universities.
- •2.2 Types of Universities in Great Britain and the usa.
- •2.3 Peculiarities of the teaching process.
- •2.4 University degrees.
- •3. The Republic of Belarus.
- •3.1 Geographical position. Natural resources.
- •3.2 State and Government structure and bodies.
- •3.3 Belarusian economy: the economic system, sectors of economy: manufacturing, agriculture, services. Recent economic trends and problems.
- •4. Great Britain
- •4.1 Geographical Position. Natural Resources.
- •4.2 State and Government Structure and the main Bodies
- •4.3 The uk economy: past and present. The main sectors and industries, current trends in the economy.
- •4.4 The City of London
- •4.5 Great Britain and European Integration
- •5.1 The us geography.
- •5.2 Government structure: branches, their bodies and functions. Political parties.
- •5.3 National symbols.
- •5.4 The main public holidays.
- •5.5 The us economy as a mixed economy. The role of the government in the economy. The main sectors of the American economy: manufacturing, agriculture, services.
- •6. Environmental Issues.
- •6.1 Ecological problems caused by the development of civilization.
- •6.2 The consequences of the Chernobyl disaster.
- •6.3 International efforts in solving environmental problems.
- •6.4 The idea of sustainable development.
- •6.5 The Kyoto Protocol.
- •7. Economics as a Science.
- •7.1 The subject of economics.
- •7.2 Microeconomics and macroeconomics.
- •7.3 Three economics issues.
- •7.4 Economic system: market economy, command economy, mixed economy.
- •7.5 The role of money in economy: a brief history and functions of money.
- •8. Employment
- •8.1 Definition of employment and labour.
- •8.2 Types of employment: full-time, part-time work, flexi time arrangements, telecommuting (working from home), self-employment, ect.
- •8.3 Compensation for work.
- •8. 4 Problems at work (discrimination).
- •8.5 Looking for a job, recruitment.
- •9. Entrepreneurship and Small Business.
- •9.1 Keys to success in business.
- •8.2 The features of successful entrepreneurs. How to start one’s own business.
- •8.3 Franchising as a form of business.
- •10. Management as My Major.
- •11. Decision Making.
- •12. Planning.
3. The Republic of Belarus.
3.1 Geographical position. Natural resources.
Belarus situated in the centre of Europe. The total area of the country is about 208 000 square km. Belarus boards on the Ukraine in the south, on the Russia in the east, on the Poland and Latvia in the west and on the Lithuania in the north. Belarus is made up of 6 regions: Minsk, Brest, Vitebsk, Grodno, Mogilev, Gomel. The capital of the country is Minsk. The population of the country is about 10 million people. Russian and Belorussian are two official languages in Belarus. We have large forest and water reserves. Belarus possesses the world’s largest reserves of potassium salts for production of potash fertilizers, and peat, that are mainly exported. Among the other minerals are food salt, construction materials (chiefly limestone, dolomite, gravel, fire resistant and refractory clay, loam and quartz sand, used locally) and small deposits of gold and diamonds.
3.2 State and Government structure and bodies.
Belarus is a presidential republic, governed by a president and the National Assembly. The legislative power is represented by the National Assembly which is a bicameral parliament comprising the 110-member House of Representatives (the lower house) and the 64-member Council of the Republic (the upper house).
The House of Representatives has the power to appoint the prime minister, make constitutional amendments, call for a vote of confidence on the prime minister, and make suggestions on foreign and domestic policy. The Council of the Republic has the power to select various government officials, conduct an impeachment trial of the president, and accept or reject the bills passed by the House of Representatives. The executive power is represented by the President and the Government. The government includes a Council of Minister. The judiciary comprises the Supreme Court and specialized courts such as the Constitutional Court.
3.3 Belarusian economy: the economic system, sectors of economy: manufacturing, agriculture, services. Recent economic trends and problems.
Belarus is a highly developed industrial country and has a well-developed economy. Trade, services and the industrial sector are the main sources of the country’s economy development. Trade and other services accounted of 41% of GNP; industry, including mining and manufacturing - 46%, and agriculture 13%. Our major exports are machinery, transport vehicles, chemicals, petrochemical products, transport services. About 60% of Belarus exports go to former Soviet republics. Belarus major trade partners are Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania. The main industries include machine building, instrument making, textile and clothing manufacture and food processing.
Manufacturing contributes most of the country’s industrial output. The country is known for its heavy-duty trucks, transport vehicles and tractors. Heavy industry is the most highly developed sector of economy. Machine building industry is mostly concentrated in Minsk. Among Belarus most powerful plants are the MAZ, the MTZ. Atlant. Chemical industry produces chemical fibers, plastics, soda ash. The chief chemical product is potassium fertilizer. Agriculture accounts for about a seventh of Belarus’ economic output. Belarus has a large amount of farmland. Belarusian agriculture specialized in animal farming(milk and meet product), flax, potato, grain, vegetable, crops, sugar beet and other.
Problems: Belarus is poor in terms of national resources. Our country generates only about 12% of its own energy needs. A long term development goal for Belarus is to build an open market-type economy. Such a system should ensure the prosperity of all parts of the population and create equal opportunities for every individual and enterprise.