The Belarusian National Technical University trains engineering specialists who are able to harmoniously combine deep knowledge of engineering and knowledge of foreign languages, which ensures their professional mobility and competitiveness in the modern labor market.
This kind of training has been provided by the Department of "Foreign Languages" since 1959.
Initially, within the walls of the Belarusian State Polytechnic Academy there was a single department of foreign languages, which included several full-time teachers of German and English. In 1963, it was decided to divide the Department of Foreign Languages into English and French Languages Department and German Language Department. Later, in 1989, these departments were reorganized into two independent structural units: English Language Department (headed by S.A. Khomenko) and the Department of Foreign Languages (German, French, and Spanish) (headed by A.M. Moyseychuk). Over the time, the Department of Foreign Languages was attached to the Faculty of Management Technologies and Humanitarization (FMTH). Thus, the official date of foundation of the Department of Foreign Languages in
as an independent structural unit - October 17, 1989
(Project No. 33P).
At different times, the Department of Foreign Languages was headed by Zenyuk N.I., Moyseychuk A.M., Vasilieva T.I., Kuzikevich G.P., and Plashchinskiy A.A. All of them made a significant contribution to the formation of the department's staff (team), organizing work at a high level and inviting highly qualified specialists, communicative and creative people to cooperate. Since 2013, it has been headed by Olga Veremeichik, PhD in Pedagogics, Associate Professor.
Over the years, a creative and friendly team has been developed at the Department of Foreign Languages, which, thanks to dedication, openness, and friendliness, enjoys well-deserved respect.
Throughout the entire period of the departmentʼs existence, the number of its staff has changed. Currently, the educational process is provided by 15 full-time teachers who transfer knowledge and experience to students, undergraduates and applicants for courses in English, German, French, Spanish and Chinese. The implementation of educational programs is provided by the department in all specialties of 15 faculties of BNTU, with the exception of FMME (the Faculty of Marketing, Management, Entrepreneurship).
Since the establishment of the department, close attention has been paid to the development of the material and technical base of the department, modern equipment has been purchased.
Currently, the department has a multimedia language laboratory, the software of which allows to optimize the training of future engineers in all types of speech activity (listening comprehension, reading, speaking and writing) and foreign language communication. Students, working in a language laboratory with educational video and audio materials, perform tasks of various levels of complexity, reproduce in practice a variety of communicative situations.
The teachers of the department are constantly working to improve the educational and methodological support of academic disciplines assigned to the department. The author's manuals developed by the staff during the existence of the department are a unique authentic material for the preparation of students of technical specialties. All works are publicly available in the repository of the scientific library of the Belarusian National Technical University.
The teaching staff of the department participates in international, republican and university scientific and practical conferences held both at BNTU and abroad.
Within the Department there is a Center for the development of students' scientific creativity "Linguistics and Cross-cultural Studies". Annually the following events are held within this center: Student Scientific and Technical Conference «Foreign language in the future specialist's professional activity», English language contest, quizzes and a Week of Foreign Languages and Foreign Cultures.
Such events are aimed at identifying and developing students' creative abilities, cognitive interest in learning foreign languages and the culture of the country of the language being studied, support for gifted students, as well as the formation of a future specialistʼs foreign-language communicative competence. It allows using a foreign language as a means of professional and interpersonal communication. Diverse extracurricular work in a foreign language is an effective form of competition. It contributes to increasing the prestige of foreign language education, strengthening the authority of the Department of Foreign Languages and the Faculty as a whole.
The department provides assistance in organizing foreign language communication with representatives of Latin America, China, India, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, etc. (online conferences, meetings, reception of delegations, visiting exhibitions, etc.), cooperation with the Confucius Institute for Science and Technology of BNTU has been established.
The Department of Foreign Languages continues to remain committed to the policy of openness, fostering cultural and scientific ties, and will continue to develop successfully, relying on time-developed traditions, professionalism and principles of teamwork.
