Belarusian National Technical University

The Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU) is one of the leading technical universities of Belarus and the CIS. The BNTU has been training engineers since 1920.

The BNTU today:

• Comprises 17 faculties offering high-quality training in 89 specialities and 121 specializations.
• Trains over 35 000 students in advanced BA, MA, PhD, and post-doctoral programs.
• Numbers over 2000 highly qualified lecturers and scientists involved in teaching and research.
• Has 41 research laboratories creating innovations, transferring technologies, and cooperating with production.
• Runs 3 institutes offering refresher courses in the newest areas of technology and economics.

Besides, the BNTU provides various facilities for the students' personal growth and recreation: sports grounds, cultural centers, libraries, student clubs, etc.

The BNTU meets the challenges of the 21st century combining classical university traditions with modern approaches and technologies. According to Webometrics, the BNTU ranks among 9% of the world's best universities.

Training process for international students is supported by the International Cooperation Department. Duration of study at the BNTU is 5 years that includes learning a speciality (engineering qualification). After getting qualification a student can continue his/her education at Master courses with duration of 1 year.Training at the University is carried out on terms of contract basis.

International students shall be enrolled at full training course after their graduation from the Preparatory Department. International students can be enrolled at full training course without the Certificate of Preparatory Department Graduation only after the decision of the Rector's University Commission which confirms his/her knowledge of the language of training and corresponding level of education.

Creative activities give a strong impulse to personal growth and unconventional thinking. Throughout the years of its existence, the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU) has always sought to provide the students with academic excellence and possibilities to express their talents in various artistic venues. Such policy promotes respect for uniqueness of each person and mutual understanding, and adds some vibe to the life of the BNTU community.

Strategic planning of the BNTU activity aims at:

• Meeting the needs of the state and the society for highly-qualified engineering and research professionals ensuring dynamic development of the country and the regions
• Meeting personal needs for intellectual, cultural, ethical, and physical development.

Main strategic (long-term) directions of the BNTU activity:

• Introducing innovative training programs taking into account global higher education context and the membership in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) the Republic of Belarus was granted recently. The training programs should be based on integration between training, research, and production lines of BNTU activities, as well as systematic monitoring of the needs of customers and stakeholders.
• Actively embracing best practices in training specialists with the focus on internships and training in prominent foreign universities, as well as enterprises and organizations dominating world market.
• Establishing effective links with the leading industrial organizations, academic and educational establishments and centers, including foreign ones.
• Developing the University resource base and introducing modern equipment, novel information technologies, and telecommunication systems into training process.
• Shaping the spirit of leadership and corporate culture in the University; enhancing the ability to be successful in a competitive environment.
• Promoting historical, educational, and cultural heritage of the BPI-BSPA-BNTU (or University) with regard to strategic interests of Belarus.

Large and complex tasks of recovering the national economy in 1920s required highly qualified personnel for all the industries.Therefore, on December 10, 1920 Minsk Polytechnic School was transformed into a higher technical educational establishment Belarusian State Polytechnic Institute. This institution trained engineers for the main industries of the state. Belarusian State Polytechnic encompassed 5 faculties.

Teaching staff included 50 lecturers, 305 full-time students and 119 students of preparatory department studied at the Institute during the first academic year.Later on, the Institute saw a series of reorganizations. It was not until July 1, 1933 that Belarusian Sovnarcom (government of those times) decided to restore the Polytechnic Institute, by then comprising 20 departments. In September, 1933 Polytechnic Institute united 1200 students and about 120 professors.

In the early 1940s BPI became one of the leading technical institutes of the Soviet Union. 32 departments of four faculties trained engineers in seven specialities. The number of lecturers reached 180, including 19 professors and 71 senior lecturers. In 1933-1941 About 2000 engineers graduated from BPI.

The Great Patriotic war interrupted BPI activities. The Institute resumed its work in 1945 welcoming 375 students. In 1949 BPI encompassed 37 departments training 1500 students. The number of lecturers exceeded 60 by then.

• 1991 - on April 17 Belarusian Polytechnic Institute was reorganized into Belorussian State Polytechnic Academy (BSPA).
• 2002 - on April 1 BSPA was reorganized into Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU) by the Presidential Decree.
• 2005 - on November 25 the CIS Heads of Government Council granted the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU) the status of the basic organization for higher engineering education of the CIS member states.

In the last 5 years the BNTU has introduced 12 new specialities demanded by the country's economy, such as nuclear energy, computer mechatronics, and geodesy.
The BNTU successfully cooperates with 114 foreign technical universities from 34 countries in the fields of science and training. Over 1500 international students are currently being trained at the BNTU.