Belgorod State University’s Biology Program Successfully Completes External Examination

During a general meeting with the commission, the rector of Belgorod State University, Evgeniya Karlovskaya, highlighted the university’s ongoing collaboration with the National Centre since 2018. This partnership has allowed the university to receive valuable feedback from previous examinations, which has been instrumental in enhancing the educational process.

‘Currently, 53 educational programs at our university hold certificates of professional and public accreditation, 47 of which are internationally recognized,’ Evgeniya Karlovskaya stated.

Galina Motova, the director of the National Centre for Professional and Public Accreditation, introduced the expert commission, which comprised representatives from both professional and student communities. The commission included Alexander Karevsky, a foreign expert and chairman of the commission, who is also the first vice-rector of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno; Dmitry Vinokhodov, vice-rector for research and head of the Department of Molecular Biotechnology at Saint Petersburg State Technological Institute (Technical University); Elena Morozova, head of the Department for Analysis and Support of Control and Supervisory Activities in the Belgorod Region; and Tatyana Kushkina, a master’s student in the Agronomy program at Belgorod State Agricultural University named after Vasily Gorin.

The examination was conducted remotely over three days. During this time, commission members explored the university’s online resources, reviewed materials related to the material and technical base of the Institute of Pharmacy, Chemistry, and Biology, and posed questions concerning the university’s mission, goals, and objectives – both generally and within the Biology major specifically. Upon concluding the external examination, Alexander Karevsky expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to gain insight into the university’s current endeavors. He noted that while working in an online environment presented certain challenges, the university had effectively turned these challenges into opportunities. He was particularly impressed by the openness displayed at the management level, even in a virtual setting.

‘The university is undergoing a remarkable transformation from a classical institution to a one focused on innovative development. It has also gained recognition in both Russian and international rankings. All recommendations provided are aimed at fostering growth,’ Alexander Karevsky remarked.

Dmitry Vinokhodov, the deputy chairperson of the commission, emphasized the remarkable quality management system in place at the university, describing it as one of the best he has encountered among Russian universities. He expressed admiration for the university’s material and technical base and its laboratory equipment supporting the Biology program. He advised that special attention should be given to budgeting for reagents alongside equipment to ensure optimal functionality.

Elena Morozova, representing employers, noted that graduates from the university consistently receive positive evaluations as highly qualified specialists. She concluded her remarks with well wishes for each student’s future success.

Anna Ishutkina, the coordinator from the National Accreditation Center, expressed her gratitude to everyone involved in the preparation and execution of the accreditation procedure for their dedicated efforts.

In response, the rector of the University, Evgeniya Karlovskaya, thanked the experts for their positive evaluation of the institution and commended the staff of the BelSU Institute of Pharmacy, Chemistry, and Biology for their successful navigation of the accreditation process.

As the meeting concluded, the University was presented with a certificate confirming its successful completion of the international external examination for educational programs in the field of Biology. The final accreditation decision, based on the self-assessment report and the findings from the external examination, is set to be made in December during a meeting of the National Accreditation Council.