European Humanities University (Belarusian: Еўрапейскі гуманітарны ўніверсітэт, romanized: Eurapeyski humanitarny universitet (ЕГУ/EHU), Lithuanian: Europos humanitarinis universitetas (EHU), Russian: Европейский гуманитарный университет, romanized: Evropeyskiy gumanitarnyy universitet (ЕГУ/EGU)) is a private, non-profit liberal arts university founded in Minsk, Belarus, in 1992. Following its forced closure by the Belarusian authorities in 2004, EHU relocated to Vilnius (Lithuania) and thus continues its operations as a private university.
After the mass protests of the Belarusian presidential election of 2010, many EHU students and teachers were imprisoned by the KDB. The university said it would work with students to help them in their education despite the circumstances.[2]
In academic year 2020/21 EHU serves around 680[3] mostly Belarusian students, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs and promoting research in the humanities and social sciences. About two-thirds of EHU's students attend via online programs and reside in Belarus. About one-third attend courses on campus in Vilnius. Teaching languages – Belarusian, Russian, some courses are taught in English, German and French. EHU ranks second among private universities in Lithuania.[4]
On July 24, 2004, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus revoked university's license for the provision of educational services, claiming the campus was unsuitable for classes. The university was forced to terminate its operations. The actions of the authorities provoked a mass protest next day; about two hundred students and faculty defended their right to study and work in EHU.[6]
On March 10, 2006, EHU was granted the status of a private Lithuanian university. The first EHU undergraduate class in Vilnius completed its studies in 2009.
On June 14, 2013, EHU was awarded an Atlantic Council Freedom Award for unwavering commitment to democracy in Belarus by providing Belarusian students with a free and democratic environment to pursue their education.[8]
In 2014 EHU completed faculty reform, which aimed at providing better working conditions for faculty and to strengthening the overall quality of education and research at the university.[9]
In 2015 EHU announced the results of an international rector's search, which involved 19 candidates from seven countries. On April 3 Prof. G. David Pollick (US) was appointed as Rector.[10] In the same year university Senate endorsed Magna Charta Universitatum.[11] In summer 2016 Prof. G. David Pollick resigned from the university's Rector position following an audit by Deloitte that revealed him to be the beneficiary of a potentially fraudulent reimbursement scheme.[12][13]
Starting October 3, 2016 Jørgen Jørgensen (Denmark) served as University's Acting Rector.[14]
In academic year 2016/17 EHU started implementation of the brand new liberal arts-inspired Core Curriculum, which was designed with an assistance of the Bard College network.[15]
Starting from May 3, 2018, EHU Campus is located in the former Augustinian monastery of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Vilnius Old Town.[17]
During the AY 2020/21 Opening Ceremony, former president candidate and leader of the Belarusian opposition Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya made a keynote address to EHU students.[3]
On April 3, 2023, Professor Krzysztof Rybinski became Rector of the university.
Academics
Operating in Lithuania, EHU is involved in the Bologna process and conducts the academic process according to the standards of the European Higher Education Area. Upon successful completion of degree studies at EHU, university graduates are awarded European Union-recognized diplomas.
The university's academic year begins on October 1.
Academic departments:
Department of Humanities and Arts
Department of Social Sciences
EHU offers following high-residence and low-residence undergraduate programs:[18]
EHU offers low residence programs and courses via Moodle. Upon completion of distance courses free listeners are awarded with an ECTS.
High-residence students are also eligible to participate in Erasmus+ and Campus Europae student mobility programs with more than 50 partner universities throughout Europe. EHU provides tuition fee waivers for Belarusian students on the basis of academic merits and thanks to the support of the university donors. Additionally there are stipends available for Belarusian undergraduate high-residence students at the ratio 1 stipend per 10 students.[20]
Research
EHU conducts research in humanities and social sciences and supports the research activities of its faculty and students by maintaining research centers, laboratories, and institutes:
Center for Constitutionalism and Human Rights
Center for Gender Studies
Center for German Studies
Laboratory of Critical Urbanism
Laboratory of Visual and Cultural Studies
EHU research centers conduct research activities, organize scientific conferences, publish scientific journals (Journal of Constitutionalism and Human Rights, Journal of philosophical and cultural studies).
Leadership
General Assembly of Part-Owners
The General Assembly of Part-Owners is the highest governing body of the university that brings together organizations that reestablished EHU in Lithuania after its closure in Minsk. These include the Eastern Europe Studies Centre (Lithuania), Open Society Foundations (USA) and Eurasia Foundation (USA).[21]
Governing Board
The Governing Board is responsible for the strategic direction, finances, and functioning of the university. Starting January 6, 2020 the new membership of the Governing Board has been appointed for the 3-years term.[22]
The composition of the Governing Board:
Chair Andrius Kubilius (Lithuania), Member of the European Parliament, Former Prime Minister of Lithuania
Vice-chair Megaklis Petmezas (Greece), Vice Principal for Communication, Marketing and Student Recruitment at the International Faculty, City College, University of Sheffield (Main Campus in Thessaloniki)
Mindaugas Kačerauskis (Lithuania), deputy director at the Development Cooperation Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania
Reinhard Stuth (Germany), former Minister for Culture and Media at Hamburg State Government
Prof. Krzysztof Rybinski, ex officio (Poland), Rector of the European Humanities University
Prof. Anatoli Mikhailov, ex officio (Belarus), President of the European Humanities University
President
Prof. Anatoli Mikhailov is a scholar in the field of German philosophy, who founded EHU in Minsk in 1992 and served as Rector until September 30, 2014. Starting October 2014 Prof. Mikhailov serves as EHU President.[23]
Rector
On April 3, 2023, the General Assembly of Part-Owners appointed Professor Krzysztof Rybinski to be the Rector of EHU. An accomplished scholar with a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Warsaw, Professor Rybinski is a seasoned academic administrator with more than 20 years of management experience, including three years as Rector of Narxoz University in Almaty, Kazakhstan and five years as Rector of Vistula University in Warsaw, Poland.
Senate
The Senate is a collegiate academic consulting body, operating on the parity representation basis of the two academic departments of the university. According to the Statutes, the Senate is responsible for assessing the quality of studies, research and art activities. Chair of the Senate is Prof. Aliaksandr Puptsau.[24]
Students' Union
Students' Union is an autonomous student self-government body, operating as a legal entity, which represents EHU students internally and externally, as according to the Law on Higher Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania. EHU Students' Union is a full member of the Lithuanian National Union of Students.
People
Doctor Honoris Causa
EHU's Doctor Honoris Causa degree is conferred upon scholars, statesmen, public, religious, and political figures of the Republic of Belarus and other countries to honor their accomplishments in humanities and social sciences, university education and culture; their contributions to the development of democracy and the realization of the principles of the rule of law; and their contribution to the development of culture and promotion of intercultural dialog.
_logo.jpg){kind=logo}
