This overview presents the key developments in education and science in March 2026, divided into two sections — developments within Belarus and those beyond its borders.
The overview was prepared by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Education and Science, Pavel Tereshkovich.
DEVELOPMENTS IN BELARUS
ONLINE PORTAL OF BELARUSIAN FAIRY TALES
The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus launched a portal of Belarusian fairy tales in authentic audio recordings. It is based on a collection created by researchers from the Institute of Art Studies, Ethnography, and Folklore from the late 1960s to the 2000s. The recordings are accompanied by detailed transcripts and metadata indicating who told the story, where, and when. Collections of Belarusian folklore are among the richest in Europe.
CLOSURE OF A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY
The Institute of Parliamentarism and Entrepreneurship, which began its work in 1993, is ceasing its operations. In 2017, it had 1,100 students and 80 full-time faculty members. In 2024, the Ministry of Education did not approve the institute’s admission plan, which led to its closure. It is reported that the remaining 59 students have been transferred to the Belarusian State Economic University and Belarusian State University. There is no public information about the fate of the faculty.
LICENSING OF SUPPLEMENTARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Starting January 1, 2027, the regime in Belarus plans to introduce mandatory licensing for supplementary education programs for children and youth. This means abolishing the notification-based principle for those providing education outside formal schools. The change will affect language courses, art studios, programming schools, and various clubs. The explanatory note to the draft law states that the absence of licensing in this sector creates risks to social security and contradicts the National Security Concept, which prioritizes the “patriotic education of citizens”.
SPECIAL HIRING CONDITIONS FOR TEACHING STAFF
In March 2026, information emerged about an official letter from the Ministry of Education with methodological guidelines on conducting psychological interviews with employees working with children. The new rules came into force on January 17, 2026. Among the requirements is a mandatory written pledge, including a clause on the “inadmissibility of committing extremist crimes”. This document must be signed in the presence of the employer. The document explicitly warns that “failure to sign the obligation entails refusal to conclude an employment or civil contract”.
AGREEMENT WITH THE NORTH KOREAN EDUCATION MINISTRY
On March 26, 2026, during an official visit by Aliaksandr Lukashenka to North Korea, an agreement was signed between the countries’ education ministries. It provides for student exchanges and training, as well as internships for academic staff in natural sciences, exact sciences, and engineering. This marks another step by the Lukashenka regime toward cooperation with some of the most controversial authoritarian regimes. Last year, similar contacts took place with the Taliban in Afghanistan and the military junta in Myanmar.
CONTINUED REPRESSION
Natallia Dziadziulia, an employee of the academic and methodological department of the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, was sentenced by the Minsk City Court to restricted freedom under Part 1 of Article 130 of the Criminal Code (incitement of hatred), as well as Parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-4 (facilitating extremist activity).
DEVELOPMENTS ABROAD
ANNUAL EXPERT SEMINAR ON LITHUANIAN–BELARUSIAN RELATIONS
On March 19–20, 2026, Vilnius hosted the Annual Expert Seminar on Lithuanian–Belarusian Relations, bringing together Belarusian and Lithuanian experts and politicians. The seminar included a presentation of a sociological study on Lithuanian public attitudes toward Belarusians and covered a wide range of topics, including the current state of Belarus–Lithuania relations, migration issues, attitudes toward Litvinism, and the preservation of architectural heritage from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. A separate session addressed the possibility of a joint historical commission.
MONOGRAPH “BELARUSIAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC, 1918–1920: ORIGINS OF BELARUSIAN STATEHOOD”
On March 1, 2026, Białystok hosted a presentation of Professor Dorota Michaluk’s monograph “Belarusian Democratic Republic, 1918–1920: Origins of Belarusian Statehood”. This unique publication explores the history of the Belarusian Democratic Republic, including the formation of Belarusian state institutions in 1918–1920, the activities of the BNR Council, the international context of the declaration of independence, and the role of Belarusian political elites in the complex geopolitical environment following World War I. The event in Białystok launched a series of presentations of the book. In Belarus, the book has been added to the list of “extremist materials”.
ROUNDTABLE “BELARUSIAN RESEARCHERS AND BELARUSIAN STUDIES IN LITHUANIA”
On March 5, 2026, an online roundtable discussion titled “Belarusian Researchers and Belarusian Studies in Lithuania” took place. It was co-organized by the Forum of Historical Research on Belarus of the German Association for East European Studies, the Belarusian Research University named after Astafei Valovich, and the Belarusian Association of Education and Science.
Participants noted that at least 30 professional Belarusian historians are currently based in Lithuania. Prospects for remaining in the profession are significantly worse compared to Poland, with most historians working in NGOs and media. Employment opportunities at the European Humanities University are limited due to the closure of its history program. The discussion also highlighted that contacts between Lithuanian historians and their colleagues in Belarus have effectively been severed, leading to diverging interpretations of key events and figures in shared history.
The roundtable was held as part of the “EU4Belarus: Support to Advanced Learning and Training (SALT II)” EU initiative.
BELARUSIAN LANGUAGE OLYMPIAD IN POLAND
On March 19, 2026, secondary school students from Bielsk Podlaski, Hajnówka, and Białystok took part in the Belarusian Language Olympiad. Participants completed a grammar test, wrote an essay, and gave an oral response on a topic from Belarusian literature. This year’s central theme was the works of Uladzimir Karatkevich. The Belarusian Language Olympiad is the only one of its kind among minority languages in Poland and has been organized since 1994 by the Department of Belarusian Studies at the University of Warsaw.
SEMINAR “STRUCTURAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES FOR BELARUSIAN HISTORICAL SCHOLARSHIP”
An online seminar titled “Structural and Institutional Challenges for Belarusian Historical Scholarship: Integration into European Academia; Identity Changes Caused by Exile; Funding Shortages; and the Role of Artificial Intelligence” was held on March 17, 2026.
Participants discussed the current state, key challenges, and development prospects of Belarusian historical scholarship in exile, as well as ways to strengthen expert dialogue and networking among Belarusian academic and intellectual communities abroad. They addressed integration into the European academic space, including in Ireland, Germany, and Poland.
The seminar was conducted as part of a project dedicated to studying and analyzing the condition of Belarusian historical scholarship in exile. The project is supported by “EU4Belarus: Support to Advanced Learning and Training (SALT II)”.
