From April 6 to 9, the Belarusian National Technical University hosted a delegation from Hefei University of Technology.
The Chinese delegation included Professor Zhuang Delin, Deputy Director of the Office of International Exchanges and Cooperation; Professor Zhao Ping, Vice Dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering; Professor Zheng Yarong, Vice Dean of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Associate Professor Liu Hanqi, Secretary for International Relations of the School of Automotive and Transportation Engineering; Associate Professor Liu Fei, School of Materials Science and Engineering; and Mikhail Rusinov, a Russian language instructor and translator at HTU.
BNTU representatives were represented at the reception and official events by Pavel Shirvel, Dean of the Faculty of International Cooperation; Igor Ivanov, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Technology; Sergey Skirkovsky, Dean of the Faculty of Automobile and Tractor Engineering; Alexandra Zverko, Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering; Yulia Mazanik, Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology and Robotics; Alexander Manyukevich, Head of the Center for the Development of Engineering Education and Organization of the Academic Process; and Alexey Bely, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Technology.
The visit's work program was extremely busy. On April 7, negotiations were held to finalize key provisions of the cooperation agreement. The parties discussed the scheme for aligning the two universities' specialties, a memorandum of cooperation, and assigned tasks for preparing an application to establish a joint educational institution.
Yesterday, April 8, negotiations continued in the presence of Alexey Bely and Nikolay Vishnyakov, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs of the Faculty of International Cooperation. The parties moved on to coordinating curricula and discussing the organization of instruction in English.
On the final day of the visit, April 9, representatives from Hefei University of Technology met with Chinese students studying at our university. Representing the Belarusian university, Alexandra Zverko, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, and Alexey Bely, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, participated in the meeting.
Professor Zhuang Delin welcomed the students, noting their academic achievements and the importance of international exchange for both universities:
– I am especially pleased to gather with you today, exchange academic experiences, and strengthen our friendship. First of all, on behalf of Hefei University of Technology, allow me to express my sincere gratitude to the Belarusian National Technical University for its long-term, comprehensive support, and to all the faculty for your caring guidance and nurturing of students. China and Belarus enjoy a comprehensive strategic partnership. Our friendship is deep and long-standing, and humanitarian and educational exchanges serve as an important bridge linking the youth of our countries. Since the launch of the joint "2+2" program in 2018, our cooperation has borne rich fruit. To date, we have sent 175 students to study at your university: 62 are currently diligently studying here, and 113 have successfully completed their studies and returned home with a wealth of knowledge. These impressive figures testify to the strong cooperation between our universities. They were made possible thanks to the support of the Belarusian side, the care, attention, and wise guidance of the faculty.
Belarusian National Technical University has always adhered to a philosophy of openness, actively develops international exchanges, and strives to create a platform for youth development. As a leading technical university in Belarus, with strong potential and outstanding achievements, BNTU is our important partner. The main result of our cooperation is you, dear students. Young people are the hope for the future of friendship between our countries. I take this opportunity to address you. You have come a long way to study in Belarus. Through diligence and perseverance, you have not only acquired knowledge and skills but also broadened your horizons, becoming young ambassadors of Chinese-Belarusian friendship. Our university is proud of you. In conclusion, I wish all students success in their studies, good health, and a bright future, and I wish Belarusian National Technical University prosperity and new achievements. May our universities continue to deepen their joint education, expand areas of exchange, and jointly advance our partnership towards stable and long-term development.
During a question-and-answer session, the students discussed topics of interest to them with representatives from China and Belarus. They were interested in internships, the educational process, and prospects for further education.
As a memento of the meeting, the delegation members presented the students with souvenirs depicting the campus of their home university in Hefei. Such meetings not only allow students to maintain contact with their home countries but also receive direct answers to important questions from the leadership of both universities.
