ABOUT US

The Astafiej Vałovič Belarusian Research University is being created in response to the challenges of our time and the needs of society. It is an initiative of Belarusian scholars and intellectuals in exile, united by the desire to preserve and develop the national academic tradition and to provide a free environment for thinking and research.

The future University will be open to all who wish to study, conduct research, and teach in the Belarusian language, explore Belarus-related topics in a European context, and contribute to the intellectual dialogue about the country’s future. It will focus on MA and PhD programmes where teaching is closely linked to research and social responsibility.

The Vałovič University is conceived as a truly national research university — not a branch of another institution and not just another educational project. It aims to become a space where new knowledge is created, interdisciplinary research develops, and intellectual benchmarks for Belarus are formed.

It will be an institution built on academic freedom, with a Belarusian identity and European values. The University aspires to act as a catalyst for social change, a model of internal democracy, and an exemplary platform for broad public dialogue.

Open letter

An open letter in support of establishing the Belarusian Research University has been signed by more than 60 representatives of the international academic and civic community, including Svetlana Alexievich, Nobel Prize laureate in Literature; Natallia Pinchuk, wife of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski; Stefan Eriksson, former Ambassador of Sweden to Belarus; Adam Michnik, editor-in-chief of Gazeta Wyborcza; as well as scholars from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Norway, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Belarus.

The authors of the open letter called for broad cooperation with the founding team and for support of the project at the level of governments and foundations.

Read the open letter

To foster ideas that shape the future —
for Belarus, in Belarus, and in the Belarusian language.

Mission, Values, and Vision

Mission of the Vałovič University

To create an open space for thinking based on the principles of academic freedom, European values, and human rights; to strengthen Belarusian identity and the traditions of multiculturalism; to contribute to the democratic development of Belarusian society; and to expand its academic, intellectual, and cultural potential.

Principles and Values

The Vałovič University is founded on the principles of the Magna Charta Universitatum and on its own understanding of civic and academic responsibility.

Academic Freedom

Creating a space for critical thinking, freedom of teaching and research, open dialogue, and inclusiveness. This is the fundamental principle of a modern university.
National Identity

Strengthening Belarusian identity and the Belarusian language as instruments of thinking, research, and teaching. This does not exclude other cultures — it means being rooted in one’s own and open to the world.
Democratic Development 

The University seeks to be a community-based structure that involves all stakeholders — students, staff, partners, and alumni. It also serves as a model of internal democracy and an example for the future transformation of Belarus’s education system.
Unity of Teaching and Research 

Education and science should exist in close connection. Every academic course is grounded in current research.
Equal Opportunities

The University upholds the principles of inclusion and non-discrimination. Access to education, personal growth, and participation in community life should be open to everyone, regardless of background, gender, ethnicity, or other characteristics.
Lifelong Learning 

Educational programmes are designed for people of all ages and life stages, as learning has no age limits.
Global and Regional Relevance 

The University focuses on local issues of global significance, viewing Belarus as part of the European academic space.
Positioning of Belarusian Culture
 
Through research and education, the University seeks to expand the visibility of the Belarusian language, culture, and perspective within the international academic and educational community.

Vision

In 5 Years

The University aims to become a sustainable and recognized European academic and research institution.

Key objectives for this stage:

Launch of MA and PhD programmes;
Accreditation and recognition at the European level;
Publication of its own academic journal and growth in research output;
Organization of prestigious conferences and scientific forums;
Participation in academic exchange programmes;
Joint online courses and projects with other universities.

In 10 Years

The University envisions itself as one of the leading Belarusian academic and analytical centers, with an extensive international network of partners and a strong alumni community.

Strategic priorities:

Stable partnerships with leading European universities;
A full cycle of educational levels and a developed system of doctoral programmes;
Status as a respected analytical center on issues related to Belarus and the region;
Around 20 research centers and laboratories in the social sciences and humanities;
Research commissions from international organizations and civil society;
An active alumni community that supports the University’s mission and development.

Astafiej Vałovič — Patron of Our University

The patron of the Belarusian Research University is Astafiej Vałovič (1520–1587), a 16th-century statesman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, an advocate of education, law, and humanism. He made a significant contribution to the legal heritage of the Grand Duchy by taking part in drafting the Statutes of 1566 and 1588 — among the most progressive legal codes in Europe at the time. This reflects his profound knowledge and his commitment to the idea of the rule of law.

Vałovič actively supported the development of education and printing. He initiated the establishment of a higher education institution, which eventually led to the founding of Vilnius University. He also financed a printing house in Niasviž and supported thinkers such as Symon Budny.

His worldview was imbued with the ideals of humanism and moral responsibility. In his will, he freed his serfs from bondage — an exceptional and progressive act for that era.

Vałovič received his education in Germany and, most likely, in Padua, at universities that embodied the humanistic tradition and strong European intellectual connections.

The choice of his figure as the University’s patron is not accidental. He represents the synthesis of legal thought, education, and humanism — the very principles on which the mission of the Vałovič University is founded. Like our project, Vałovič saw in knowledge and enlightenment the foundations of a just society and the independence of the human spirit. His name for us symbolizes openness to new ideas, responsibility, and faith in the power of education.

Who Is Creating the University

The Vałovič University is an initiative of a community of Belarusian scholars, researchers, and educators abroad. Among them are professionals with experience working in Belarusian and international universities, analytical centers, and the National Academy of Sciences. They are united by a shared belief in the need for an independent Belarusian academic institution and an understanding that the country’s future depends on its own intellectual centers.

Their goal is not to create another educational project but to establish a full-fledged research university that combines European standards with a strong Belarusian identity. The association founding the University is registered in Poland.

The team operates through an organizing committee and thematic working groups — from the humanities and social sciences to educational policy and communication. Research centers are being established, initial academic programmes are being developed, and international partnerships are being formed.

Founders of Research Centers and Public Representatives of the Vałovič University:

Education Research Center – Maryna Sakałova, PhD in History, co-founder and Board Member of the Belarusian Association of Education and Science.
Center for Philosophical Studies – Ihar Padporyn, PhD in Philosophy, Associate Professor; Piotr Rudkouski, PhD in Philosophy; Andrej Łauruchin, PhD in Philosophy, Associate Professor; Pavel Barkoŭski, PhD in Philosophy, Associate Professor.
Center for Anthropology and Ethnology – Uladzimir Łobač, Doctor of History, Associate Professor.
Center for International Relations Studies – Roza Turarbiekava, PhD in History, Associate Professor.
Center for Sociological Studies – Hienadz Korshunau, PhD in Sociology, Associate Professor; Alena Shkurova, Doctor of Sociology, Associate Professor.
Center for Empirical Sociology – Andrej Vardamacki, Doctor of Sociology, Professor.

We are open to cooperation with researchers and partners who share our values and are committed to developing Belarusian scholarship within the European context.