Belarusian State University Faculty of Biology

More than eleven thousands biologists have been graduated from the Faculty since 1931. About eighty graduates have received the ‘Doctor of Sciences’ degree (highest scientific degree, equivalent to Habilitation or old style UK D.Sc.); seven hundreds graduates obtained the ‘Candidate of Sciences’ degree (equivalent to Ph.D.).

A number of world-class researchers and outstanding managers of high education started their career in the Faculty. For example, Professor Leonid M. Sushchenya was graduated from the Faculty in 1953. He is widely accepted as one of the creators of modern Freshwater Biology. Leonid M. Sushchenya was an Academician of both Soviet and Belarusian Academies of Sciences. In 1990s, he was a President of National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB). Another ecologist, Professor Alexander P. Ostapenya, was a Head of Hydrobiology Laboratory (largest in Europe). Professor Ekaterina I. Slobozhanina (graduated in 1967) is currently a Deputy Director of the Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering of the NASB. Another alumni, Professor Oleg G. Davydenko (graduated in 1973), works as a Head of Laboratory in the Institute of Genetics and Cytology of NASB. Vitaliy P. Semenchenko (graduated in 1973) is a Deputy Director General of NASB Scientific and Practical Center of Bio-resources. Professor Sergey A. Usanov (graduated in 1973) is a Head of the Institute of Bio-organic Chemistry of the NASB.

The highest standard in biology teaching is maintained due to the strong linkage between educational process and the scientific research in the Faculty. Internationally recognised centers for study of hydrobiology, biochemistry, plant ion transport, microbial molecular genetics, entomology and others have been established in the Faculty since 1931. The Faculty collaborates with NASB Department of Biological Sciences forming Joint University Centre between BSU and NASB. As a result, a number of research students have good quality publications and win Student Biology Olympiads, prizes and young scientist research grants both in Belarus and abroad.^{[citation needed]}

The international collaboration is another strong feature of the Faculty. The Faculty routinely organises several key international conferences, such as «Lake Ecosystems: Biological Processes, Anthropogenic Transformation, Quality of Water», «Xenobiotics and Living Systems», etc., usually involving several hundred participants. The Faculty publishes peer-reviewed «Physiological, biochemical and molecular fundamentals of biological systems».

As part of the NASB Department of Biological Sciences, the Faculty has established collaborative links with research institutions of NASB Department of Medical Sciences and NASB Department of Agricultural Sciences. The Faculty owes one of the Europe's most advanced Zoology Museum, which has recently been renovated to the highest international standard. It is also a home of old Fundamental Herbarium, University Botanical Gardens and Biological Theatre. The Faculty also owes a research base on Naroch Lake (large lake in the Northern Belarus), which is called «Vinberg’s Naroch Biological Station» and used both for teaching and research purposes.

• High Education Diploma

is five years of studies for full-time students, and six years for distance learning students; totally about 5000 hours of auditorium and laboratory work. It is widely accepted as equivalent to Bachelor-level degree in the Western Europe. Note that the number of lecture and practical classes is significantly higher (sometimes by 10–15 times) in BSU's High Education Diploma than in most universities of Western Europe, North America or Australia (B.Sc. Course).

• Magistrature

is usually one year-long postgraduate course, which is equivalent to Masters Course in English speaking countries. BSU also offers two-year Research Magistrature, which is equivalent to M.Diss. or M.Res. in English speaking countries.

• Aspiranture

includes three and four-year programmes for the full-time and distant learning postgraduate students respectively. This is Candidate of Sciences course, which is equivalent to Ph.D. course in English speaking countries. It is internationally accredited and accepted.

• Doctoranture

is 2–3 years of postgraduate research at the highest level (post-C.Sc./Ph.D.). It is an equivalent to Habilitation Course in Germany. Doctoranture is aimed at preparing Doctor of Sciences Dissertation, which does not exist anymore in English speaking countries, while it is still required in most European countries.