Economics, law, and architecture are particularly popular among applicants from the Vitebsk region

July 29, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. Economics, law, and architecture are in high demand among applicants from the Vitebsk region. The competition for specialties related to these subjects is the highest in the region's universities, Igor Romanov, executive secretary of the Vitebsk Regional Commission for Monitoring the Preparation and Conduct of Entrance Examinations in Higher and Secondary Special Educational Institutions in 2009, told a BELTA correspondent. Thus, the competition among young people who decided to become architects at Polotsk State University (PSU) was 6.7 people per place. The "Jurisprudence" specialty at Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov (VSU) is traditionally in high demand. Here, 12.4 people compete for one place. At Vitebsk State Technological University (VSTU), economic specialties (5 people per place), finance and credit (5.4), and design (from 4 to 5) maintain a high standard, and at Vitebsk State Academy of Veterinary Medicine, veterinary sanitation and expertise (3.5). Along with them, new university offerings are gaining popularity. For example, at VSU named after P.M. Masherov, the competition for "Museum Studies and Protection of Cultural and Historical Heritage" was 5.8 people per place, and at PSU for "Tourism and Hospitality" - 7.9. At the same time, technical specialties of the light industry, with a competition of 1.3-1.5 people per place, "Zootechnics" at the veterinary academy (0.9), and "Musical Art and Foreign Language" at VSU named after P.M. Masherov (1) were practically unclaimed by applicants. Overall, the average competition in the region's universities was 2.1 people per place (2 in 2008). The highest average competition was, as in previous years, at VSU named after P.M. Masherov (2.6). At Polotsk State University, it was 2.5 (2.2 in 2008). In 2009, 5,669 people expressed a desire to enroll in universities in the Vitebsk region. Of these, 200 applicants are medalists, 289 have diplomas with honors, and 66 are citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan who have the right to free education in Belarus under international agreements. -0-