The XIV Gomel Economic Forum which gathered representatives of business and scientific spheres was held in Gomel on May 19, 2017. The purpose of the Forum was to study the economic potential of Gomel region and broaden the existing cooperation. Faculty of Economics of Francisk Skorina Gomel State University initiated conclusion of agreement on network form of implementation of study programmes with Kursk Academy of State and Municipal Service.

Cooperation with this Russian higher educational institution has been implemented since June 2015. The experimental project «Training of specialists in the sphere of state management and economics in the context of adaptation of national systems of higher education existing in the Common State to the principles of Bologna process» has been implemented at the Faculty of Economics since 2016. The project was approved by State Educational Institution «Republican Institute of High School» as a platform for termination of development of regulating methodological support for implementation of higher education programmes in a network form. Academic exchange related to giving lectures, organization of practical (seminar) trainings and internship has been viewed as a main form of implementation of experimental project for two years.

Conditions for application of a new form of cooperation – network cooperation – were developed in the process of active cross-university cooperation. This form presupposes joint implementation of educational programmes of the second level of higher education (Master`s degree) in the sphere of state management and economics for the Common State on the basis of national systems of higher education of partner countries with the Bologna process principles taken into consideration. In 2017 future Master`s degree students (Economics) are planned to be enrolled for simultaneous study at Francisk Skorina Gomel State University and Kursk Academy of State and Municipal Service leading to diplomas both in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation (a part-time form of study including a distant one).

The Agreement on network form of implementation of study programmes acquired an official legal status within the framework of section ¹ 6 «Initiative-Innovations- Investments» of the XIV Gomel Economic Forum and was signed by Rector of Francisk Skorina Gomel State University S.Khakhomov and Rector of Kursk Academy of State and Municipal Service I.Antsiferova.

Academic staff members of the Faculty of Economics express the administration staff members their gratitude for assistance in preparing and signing the agreement, as well as for implementation of all directions of cooperation.