Landscape Science and Geoecology Education at the Universities in Belarus: History, Current Status and Future Development

Abstract

Training courses on landscape science and geoecology are compulsory courses of educational programmes in classical universities with traditionally established biological, geographical faculties and faculties of natural science. Disciplines on landscape science and geoecology are taught also in specific universities where specialists-environmentalist with various specialization are graduated. In this regard from 54 Universities of Republic of Belarus, disciplines of landscape and environmental profile has been taught only in 6 ones. The survey have been made for 6 Universities and includes analysis of the list of landscape and ecological disciplines, history of their formation, total volume of classroom hours, and also hours allocated for self-study work. We examined in details the standard and training courses syllabuses. We recorded goals and objectives of each relevant course, structure, content, topics for laboratory and practical classes, seminars and self-study work as well as learning competences. The certain problems in the field of landscape science and geoecology education were identified as lack of academic disciplines, innovative specializations and specialities on landscape ecology. It is important to solve the problems nowadays when the system of higher education is changing in accordance with the requirements of the Bologna process. We discuss the results of survey and make recommendations for future development of landscape science and geoecology education. There is a need to enhance the environmental training of specialists with knowledge and skills in the field of balanced development of the natural environment and human society. It is necessary to increase the number of landscape and environmental disciplines through university component of curricula, introduce new specialization associated with the use of geographic information systems in geoecology and landscape science, applied aspects of landscape and environmental studies, assessment of landscapes and geosystems for different types of land use.