Development of higher education in Belarus (from 1991 to 2013)

According to recent statistical research the index of literacy in the population of Belarus is very high in comparison with other European countries. Higher education is a key element in the development of the economy and sustainability of the cultural and intel- lectual potential of the nation. Belarus is a young independent country that is passing through years of integration and international cooperation. This paper describes the development of higher education in Belarus starting from the collapse of the Soviet Union. Using a comparative approach the author focuses on legislation regulating the higher educational system and its development. A few aspects of international coop- eration are explored along with the reasons behind exclusion of the country from the Bologna process and its consequences on society.