Коммуникативная задача:
Обсудить возможности сотрудничества Республики Беларусь со странами изучаемого языка / мира в сфере науки и техники.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGIES.
COOPERATION BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS AND UNESCO IN THE FIELD OF SCIENCE
1. Discuss in small groups.
- What do you know about UNESCO - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization?
- What do you know about cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and UNESCO?
2. Read the article. What fields of science does Belarus cooperate with UNESCO?
UNESCO contributes to promotion of knowledge, builds collaborative networks of scientists, conducts researches in the field of social, human and natural sciences, develops the standards for intellectual cooperation, ensures the implementation of the international conventions.
Participation of Belarusian scientists in UNESCO programmes and activities provides the possibility to obtain expert assistance in the implementation of research projects. It is a means of increasing participation in the international scientific cooperation and the exchange of scientific information, of bringing intellectual and material and technical capacity of other countries, of gaining access to the results and methods of the up-to-date scientific research.
In the field of natural science Belarus is an active participant of the UNESCO programme "Man and Biosphere" (MAB) (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ ecological-sciences/man-and-biosphere-programme/) since its creation in 1971. In 1983 the first International Congress on Biosphere Reserves was held in Minsk. Under the programme a network of biosphere reserves was created throughout the world, which covers all the world's major ecosystems. Each of the reserves consists of at least one of the protected areas and the adjacent buffer zone and the zone of cooperation. In general, the World Network includes 610 biosphere reserves in 117 countries.
Biosphere reserves are the areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, which have received international recognition under the UNESCO Programme "Man and Biosphere" (MAB). They are to promote and to serve as an example of optimal relationship between man and nature.
Belarus has currently been elected for the period 2011-2015 into the International Coordinating Council of the Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme. The task of this council is to assess the activities of biosphere reserves and to decide on their inclusion into the World Network.
MAB National Committee has been established and successfully operates in Belarus. It coordinates the activity of the three Belarusian Biosphere Reserves, which have been introduced in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves:
· Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve (http://berezinsky.by/content/ru/index.html);
· Belavezhskaya Pushcha (http://www.npbp.brest.by/);
· West Polesie Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (http://brpp.by/other/west-polesie.html).
There are other institutions that implement their activity under UNESCO: the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the International Hydrological Programme (IHP).
In the field of human and social sciences the Republic of Belarus takes an active part in UNESCO Bioethics Programme, created in 1993. Under the Program international conferences and seminars are organized and international legal instruments in the field of bioethics are elaborated. In 2006 the National Bioethics Committee was established in Belarus at the Ministry of Health.
Not only biology and medicine should comply with ethical principles. All the science in general shouldn’t contradict moral standards. In 1998 on the UNESCO initiative the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) was established. COMEST advises the Director-General of UNESCO on topical ethical issues in various sectors of scientific and technological activities (environmental ethics, climate change ethics, the ethics of nanotechnology, etc.). Special emphasis is being placed on the need for proper teaching of ethics disciplines.
Philosophy has a special place among the social sciences and humanities. This approach of UNESCO, caused by the unquestioned authority of philosophy in shaping critical thinking and pluralism, is shared in Belarus. In our country annual international philosophical conference are held in honor of World Philosophy Day, which is celebrated on November 15.
Under the programme "Management of Social Transformations" (MOST) UNESCO has created the database and network to monitor processes undergoing in the countries, where deep social transformations are taking place.
UNESCO is involved in international efforts to combat doping in sport, mainly through the implementation of the International Convention against Doping in Sport. UNESCO has elaborated the Convention to let all the governments work together and use the force of international law in countering doping. Since its entering into force 173 states joined the UNESCO Convention against Doping in Sport (February 1, 2007). Belarus has been a party to the Convention since February, 2009.
3. What programmes do Belarusian scientists take part? What are the aims and activities of these programmes?
4. Make up a plan of the article and deliver a short speech on cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and UNESCO in the field of science.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGIES.
BELARUS HI-TECH PARK
1. Discuss in small groups. Which questions can you answer?
- Have you ever heard of Belarus Hi-Tech Park?
- What industries does it support?
- When was it founded?
- Where is it located?
- What resident-companies do you know?
- What countries does HTP cooperate with?
2. Read the information from the official site of HTP and check your answers.
What is HTP?
During the last years the ICT sector in Belarus receives strong governmental support and is one of the top-priority economic sectors to develop. Thus, by the special Law, issued in 2005 Belarus Hi-Tech Park was established with the main goal to support software industry. HTP Belarus provides special business environment for IT business with incentives (средства поощрения, стимулы) unprecedented for European countries.
Since 2015, Hi-Tech Park resident-companies are allowed to get involved in new science-intensive activities. Now, any company engaged in IT and related industries (micro-, opto- and nanoelectronics, mechatronics, telecommunications, radar ranging, radio navigation and wireless communication), information protection and establishment of data processing centers can apply for residency within the HTP.
First residents were registered in 2006. Currently 144 companies are registered as the Parks residents. Among them are European and world leaders: EPAM Systems, the World of Tanks developer Game Stream (Wargaming development center), IBA IT Park, Itransition, Viber Media. Half of Belarus HTP resident-companies are foreign companies and joint ventures (совместные предприятия). By the origin of investments attracted to the sphere of new and high technologies:
45% HTP residents were set up by Belarusian investors,
55% HTP resident was set up by foreign investors participation:
24% – joint ventures
31% – enterprises with 100% foreign investments.
The export share in the total production volume is more than 80 per cent. The resident companies are successful on North American and European hi-tech markets. Today they have customers in more than 55 countries around the globe. Today world leading corporations, such as Peugeot, Mitsubishi, British Petroleum, Gazprom, Reuters, British Telecom, London Stock Exchange, World Bank, Coca-Cola, etc. are among major consumers of Belarusian software developed in Belarus Hi-Tech Park.
Where is HTP?
HTP territory is located close to the main transportation network of the city: the central Minsk avenue, Minsk ring road, main road to the National Airport of Belarus (distance to the airport is 40 km), railway route Berlin-Minsk-Moscow. The territory is perfectly accessible by public transport.
According to the master plan the future physical Hi-Tech Park will embody the idea of a hi-tech city where people would comfortably work, live and rest – it will have the science and production area, the residential area, the business & education as well as the public & sport areas.
The Science and Production area includes a complex of scientific and production premises for IT companies, their production facilities.
The Residential area includes residential housing, with high density multiple dwellings for IT companies’ specialists, a kindergarten and a school.
The Business & Education area includes a public and business center, which will host IT companies, a hostel for IT Academy students and a hotel.
The Public & Sport Area consists of a public and sporting center, which includes multifunctional sport gyms, a swimming-pool, sauna, fitness center, "health path", restaurant and a healthcare center.
Quick Facts about HTP
· First 4 resident-companies were registered on June 6, 2006:
o EPAM Systems
o Sakrament IT
o System technologies
o ScienceSoft
· More than 30 % of the Park’s employees are women.
· More than 70 % of the Park’s employees are young people under 28 years old.
· 88 % of the software produced in the Park account for exports. 39 % account for the USA and Canada, 48 % account for the European countries, 12% - for Russia and CIS countries.
· The Park’s resident EPAM Systems is the #1 software engineering outsourcing services provider in Central and Eastern Europe.
For future employees of HTP
Traditionally, the main providers of employees for the HTP are the four faculties: Faculty of Computer Systems and Networks (Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, BSUIR), Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science (Belarusian State University, BSU), Faculty of Information Technologies and Control (BSUIR), and Faculty of Information Technologies and Robotics (Belarusian National Technical University, BNTU). Graduates of these faculties account for 50% of all young specialists employed by HTP companies annually.
The leading regional universities are Francisk Skorina Gomel State University, Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, Brest State Technical University and Polotsk State University.
3. Read the information again and say what the numbers below stand for.
2006 144 80 30 70 55 50 39 48 4 24
4. Work in pairs. Make up an interview with the Director of Belarus HTP and act it out in front of the class.
5. Would you like to work in Belarus HTP? Why / Why not?
