The Astafiej Vałovič Belarusian Research University is being established as a space where research forms the foundation of education and the development of the academic community. The University has a clear research mission — not only to transmit knowledge but also to generate it, responding to the pressing challenges of our time.

To ensure depth and quality of research, the University’s structure will include specialized research centers. These centers will unite Belarusian and international experts, scholars, and young researchers, creating an environment for analysis, interdisciplinary projects, and discussions on key topics in the social and human sciences.

The centers are open to cooperation with organizations, businesses, and media — offering opportunities to commission research, receive expert consultations, or join collaborative initiatives.

Building this network of centers is a strategic step toward strengthening Belarusian scholarship and integrating it into the European and global research space. Each center has its own specific focus and academic profile, but together they form a unified system — working for Belarus and with Belarus.

The founder and public representative of the Center is Maryna Sokolova, Candidate of Historical Sciences, co-founder and member of the Council of the Belarusian Association of Education and Science.

The Center for Educational Research of Volovich University integrates approaches from various fields of knowledge: pedagogy, philosophy, sociology, psychology, political science, economics, law, history, and technology. The main focus of the activity is the analysis of systemic conditions of access to education, its quality and equity.

Research and educational areas

• Critical educational research – education as a political and social phenomenon, support for teachers as agents of social change.
• Educational policy and governance – alternative policies based on democratic values; cooperation with international organizations.
• Education and technology – critical analysis of digital transformation and the use of artificial intelligence in education, development of media and IT literacy, ethical use of technologies.
• Education for social justice – inclusion, equality and human rights.
• Adult education and non-formal learning – development of civic competence.

At the heart of all areas is interdisciplinarity (integration of knowledge from different fields).
The center already has the potential to launch programs in the field of non-formal education, but for other areas (education policy, AI research, transformational research) experts, international partnerships and further development of methodologies are needed.

Plans and existing activities

• A two-year plan has been developed Master’s program “Critical Civic Education: Pedagogical Strategies for Working with Young Adults” (120 ECTS, 4 semesters, hybrid format, teaching in English, Belarusian and Polish). The program is aimed at educators from civic initiatives, activists and researchers, as well as regional specialists in the field of civic education.
• A program for the intra-university seminar “Contours of the University: Theory and Practice” (2025–2026) has been developed to understand the role of the national university abroad.
• The nearest stage (fall 2025 – spring 2026): formation of a research field, establishment of partnerships, pilot launch of educational programs.

Work and interaction formats

• Participatory identification of priorities (focus groups, seminars, dialogues with communities).
• Collaboration with international experts and academics institutes.
• Analytical studies, seminars, open lectures.
• Dialogue with Belarusian educational communities.
• Analysis of urgent needs of Belarusian civic education.

Partnership opportunities

• Joint research and educational initiatives.
• Conferences and open discussions.
• Participation in determining priority topics for research.

Founders and Representatives

• Ihar Padporyn — Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor
• Piotr Rudkouski — Ph.D. (University of Warsaw)
• Andrei Lavrukhin — Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor
• Pavel Barkouski — Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor (Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Polish Academy of Sciences)

The Center for Philosophical Research at Volovich University brings together scholars working at the intersection of philosophy, the humanities, and the social sciences. Its primary focus is the critical analysis of contemporary systems of knowledge and cultural paradigms, the study of consciousness, identity, ethics, and politics, as well as reflection on the role of philosophy in social and technological transformations.

Research and Educational Areas

• Epistemology and cognitive studies
• Political philosophy and critical theory
• Identity studies
• History of ideas
• Bioethics and contemporary technologies
• Contemporary art criticism

The Center combines classical and contemporary philosophical approaches, with particular attention to the intellectual situation of Belarus within regional and global contexts. Priorities:

Contemporary epistemological studies: reconstruction and design of the social and cultural preconditions of knowledge and meaning; sociology of knowledge.

Critical thinking: logic and argumentation as tools for de-ideologization and demythologization of scholarly consciousness.

Cognitive studies: problems of consciousness and rationality in the context of posthumanism, transhumanism, and the development of AI.

Contemporary art criticism and hermeneutics: phenomenology and new ontology of creative activity; grounding of new artistic practices.

Political philosophy and critical theory: studies of totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and societies in crisis; contemporary theories of solidarity and participation.

Philosophy of human rights and ethics of care: critical reassessment of theories of democracy and justice; inclusivity and care as foundations of a new social contract.

Bioethics and biopolitics: moral dimensions of technology, the impact of ecological and technological factors on society, and the problem of “future shock.”

History of ideas: intellectual history of Belarus and the region in a global context, with priority given to the 18th–21st centuries.

Identity studies: contemporary theories of nationalism and globalization, postcolonial and postnational studies, critique of imperialism and decolonization concepts.

Plans and Current Activities

• Preparation of the first version of the MA program “Epistemology and Social Critique” as well as several preparatory courses for entry-level students.
• Development of a public lecture program.
• Launch of courses and lecture series planned in the near future.

Long-Term Goals

• Philosophical reflection on the processes of Belarusian national development.
• Creation and popularization of key concepts of Belarusian philosophical thought.
• Development of Belarusian philosophical terminology.
• Popularization of philosophical research in the public sphere.
• Advancement of interdisciplinary fields in response to national and global challenges.
• Creation of a Belarusian-language philosophical community and cooperation with international academic networks.

Formats of Work and Collaboration

• Research projects in priority areas
• MA and preparatory educational programs
• Public lectures and interactive seminars
• Cooperation with other centers and initiatives

Opportunities for Partnership

• Joint research projects
• Joint MA and doctoral programs
• Conferences, seminars, workshops, and creative laboratories
• Consulting on contemporary philosophical issues and their connection to technological and social processes
• Commissioned research within the Center’s academic profile

Founder and Public Representative — Uladzimir Lobach — Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor

The Center for Anthropology and Ethnology at Volovich University focuses on the study of Belarusian culture in its historical development and contemporary transformations. Particular attention is devoted to issues of identity, memory, interethnic relations, and urban transformations within the European context.

Research and Educational Areas

• Postcolonial history of Belarusian ethnography and ethnology
• Everyday culture of Belarus
• Memory culture in Belarus
• Regional and local studies of Belarus
• Anthropology of war (occupation) as an alternative to the official narrative of the “Great Patriotic War”
• Anthropology of the Belarusian cultural landscape: traditional elements and contemporary forms, and their influence on identity
• Interethnic relations in history and the present: cultural practices in Belarus in the context of European experience
• Anthropology of the Belarusian city: the evolution of a rural ethnos into an urban nation
• Folklore and ethnomusical landscape of Belarus

Academic Fields

Ethnography, ethnology, social and cultural anthropology, folklore studies, history, cultural geography, and semiotics.

Priority Research Topics

• Contemporary issues in social and cultural anthropology and ethnology
• Postcolonial history of Belarusian ethnography and ethnology
• Methods and principles of field research
• Semiotics of the Belarusian cultural landscape
• Anthropology of the Belarusian city
• Anthropology of war and occupation

Plans and Current Activities

• Development of a public lecture series on the ethnography of Belarus, anthropology of occupation, theories of social and cultural anthropology, ritual folklore, and ethnomusicology.
• In the near future: implementation of public lectures in both online and offline formats.
• Long-term goals: organization of the scholarly and methodological conference “Belarusian Ethnology in the 21st Century” and development of preparatory and MA-level courses related to the Center’s areas of expertise.

Formats of Work and Collaboration

• Scholarly research in priority thematic areas
• Interdisciplinary projects involving other centers of Volovich University and European academic communities
• Participation in joint seminars, conferences, and other academic events
• Publication of research results in the form of articles and monographs

Opportunities for Partnership

The Center supports all relevant forms of interdisciplinary cooperation.

Founder and Public Representative — Roza Turarbekava — Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor

The Center for International Relations was established on the initiative of Belarusian and international scholars of international relations. It is an interdisciplinary research and educational unit of Volovich University dedicated to research and teaching in the field of international relations, with mandatory inclusion of the Republic of Belarus within this context.

Research Groups

Belarus in the System of International Relations

• The Westphalian system of international relations and the dynamics of the European and global order
• Theory and practice of international relations
• Sociology and anthropology of international relations
• The place and role of Belarus and Belarusians in European and world history

Global and Regional Security

• Existing and potential interstate conflicts as threats to Belarus
• Mechanisms for the resolution of international conflicts
• Military-political alliances and Belarus’s strategic choices

European Studies vs Belarusian Studies

• Belarus as an integral part of Europe (historical, cultural, and other dimensions)
• Belarus’s interaction with the EU, European countries, and pan-European organizations
• Relations between the homeland and Belarusian communities abroad

Regional Subsystems of International Relations

• Political and economic processes in China
• Southeast Asia
• Eurasia
• The European Union (Central, Southern, and Northern Europe)
• The Middle East
• Latin America
• Africa and other regions

International Communication and Information

• Organization of the university’s international relations
• Preparation and implementation of international projects
• Diplomatic and business protocol and etiquette
• Collection, processing, and dissemination of international information
• Digital and information-based methods of working with international information

Plans and Current Activities

• Development of a two-year MA program “International Relations” (120 ECTS, 4 semesters, research-practice profile, instruction in Belarusian and English).
• Preparation of a public lecture series on the Center’s research topics, to be held in both online and offline formats.
• Participation of Center representatives in organizing the traditional Belarusian-Polish “Round Table” on bilateral relations at the University of Wrocław (December 2024 and October 2025).
• Coordination of preparations for the Volovich Forum, scheduled for spring 2026.
• Cooperation with the Institute of International Studies and Security of the University of Wrocław, as well as universities in Poland, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Opportunities for Partnership

• Joint MA and doctoral programs with double degrees
• Participation of international faculty members in teaching and dissertation defenses
• Joint research projects and publications
• International conferences, seminars, and workshops
• Organization of academic exchange and research fellowships

Founder and Public Representative — Andrei Vardamatski — Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Professor

The Center for Empirical Sociology at Volovich University focuses on the systematic monitoring of public opinion, the use of contemporary quantitative and qualitative research methods, and the development of new approaches to studying Belarusian identity, geopolitical orientations, and social transformations.

Research and Educational Areas

• Public opinion monitoring using representative CATI methods
• Geopolitical orientations of Belarusians: multidimensional measurement, “hard-choice” and “soft-choice” models, and types of geopolitical cooperation
• Dynamics of Belarusian identity: the role of the national language and character, distinctions from Russian identity, and the factor of the “triune people” concept
• Belarusians’ attitudes toward the war in Ukraine: assessment of Belarus’s role, responsibility, prospects, and factors of empathy
• Phenomena such as the “new normality,” resovietization, pseudo-patriotism, and life without a vision of the future
• Sociological axiometrics: research on value dimensions of society, factors of resilience and susceptibility
• Interdisciplinary studies: historical comparisons, social psychology and the collective unconscious, cultural and axiometric dimensions

Plans and Current Activities

• Launch of a regular public opinion monitoring program
• Publication of annual analytical reports on the condition and dynamics of Belarusian society
• A series of open lectures and seminars on contemporary sociological research methods
• Development of educational modules for MA programs and university research schools

Formats of Work and Collaboration

• Field research: quantitative and qualitative
• Public presentations of findings, open lectures, and discussions
• Cooperation with other university centers and with international academic and expert communities

Opportunities for Partnership

• Joint research projects and monitoring initiatives
• Commissioned studies and expert consulting
• Collaborative educational and communication initiatives

Founders and Public Representatives

• Hennadz Korshunau — Candidate of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor
• Alena Shkurova — Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor

The Center for Sociological Research at Volovich University brings together scholars studying the dynamics of Belarusian society within a broad international and interdisciplinary context.

The mission of the Center is to create an independent platform for objective sociological research on Belarusian society, contributing to its development through scholarly analysis, education, and policy recommendations. Its vision is to become one of the leading centers in Central and Eastern Europe for the study of social transformations, with a particular focus on the Belarusian diaspora and the digital sphere, integrating global standards with local needs.

Research and Educational Areas

• Nation- and state-building
• Social transformations and revolutionary movements
• Sociology of migration and diaspora
• Digital space and the information sphere
• Social stratification and inequality
• Environmental social research
• Sociology of public opinion and communication
• Interdisciplinary studies
• Social and psychological research

Objectives

• Conduct academically grounded research on the condition and dynamics of Belarusian society (both in Belarus and abroad)
• Study and interpret the historical development of society and the state
• Strengthen researchers’ professional sociological competencies and adapt contemporary methodologies
• Improve competencies in working with sociological data among experts, journalists, political and civic actors; expand the circle of “qualified consumers” of sociological information
• Develop international cooperation with sociological institutes and experts from other countries
• Integrate sociology with other disciplines (psychology, economics, political science) in comprehensive research projects
• Publish and popularize research findings through academic publications, conferences, and media
• Formulate recommendations for public policy and civic initiatives
• Ensure ethical standards, and create a research data bank and archive
• Protect the independence of research from political influence through partnerships with international organizations (for example, the European Sociological Association)
• Develop a system of professional sociological education

Formats of Work and Collaboration

• Sociological and interdisciplinary research
• Educational seminars and public lectures
• Joint projects with NGOs and academic institutions

Opportunities for Partnership

• Commissioned research projects
• Expert support and consulting
• Collaborative initiatives