Yesterday, May 21, the 5th International Student Olympiad was held in Minsk for students of universities training road construction specialists. The educational event brought together future professionals from seven higher education institutions in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. BNTU was represented at the competition by students of the Faculty of Transport Communications Yuri Baltrushaitis, Nikita Kulish, and Saveliy Mitrofanov.
Their introduction to the profession began even before the official start of the competition. Participants visited the Beldorcenter Republican Unitary Enterprise, where they were given a tour of a unique exhibition on the history of road construction. As Vladimir Golubev, First Deputy General Director of the enterprise, noted, the idea for this large-scale project originated three years ago. Initially, an exhibition was created specifically for young people to visually introduce the profession, and then the exhibit was expanded. It now covers the history of all road workers in Belarus and aims to instill patriotism and pride in this important and challenging work.
The event began with a welcoming speech from Farit Khanifov, Minister of Transport and Roads of the Republic of Tatarstan. He emphasized the strong historical ties between Belarusian and Russian specialists and offered valuable advice to future engineers:
"Beyond work itself, there are many life situations where you should always have friends by your side. I hope you will get to know each other over these days, and that these connections will last a lifetime."
The participants then moved to the Belavtodor Holding Management Company, where they delved into the details of the upcoming tests. Actual clients and contractors were involved in developing the tasks, testing not only basic knowledge but also professional acumen. The Olympiad questions were developed and the answers evaluated by respected experts, including Alexei Busel, Chief Researcher at the Belarusian Road Research Institute, and Viktor Shumchik, Advisor to the Management Company of the Belavtodor Holding Company.
"When you return to work, it won't just be routine. As a member of a team, you feel part of a team with a shared interest. We tried to formulate the tasks so you understand how to act correctly in real-life work situations," noted Yuri Masyuk, CEO of the holding company.
Igor Koval, First Deputy Chairman of the Board of the State Company Russian Highways, provided the students with a boost of motivation. The expert reminded them that their chosen profession opens up limitless opportunities for self-fulfillment and participation in projects that impact the economies of entire countries. He advised the students to cast aside unnecessary stress and simply enjoy the chance to prove themselves at a high international level.
After the opening remarks, the Olympiad itself began. The students had to answer 25 test questions and solve a challenging theoretical section. While the distinguished jury assessed their work and summarized the results, the participants enjoyed a fascinating sightseeing tour of Minsk.
The first day culminated in a gala awards ceremony, where the winners were announced. The prizes were distributed as follows:
First place – Lev Edelman (Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University);
Second place – Alfat Biktagirov (Kazan State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering);
Third place – Nikita Kulish (Belarusian National Technical University).
On the second day of the competition, May 22, the action-packed program continued at the Korolev Stan asphalt plant production site. The students took part in the opening ceremony of the Belavtodor holding's professional skills competition, after which they competed in the team practical round of the Olympiad. The large-scale educational event concluded with a closing ceremony, where the results were officially announced and the best teams were named. The team standings were as follows:
First place – team from the Kazan State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering;
Second place – team from the Brest State Technical University;
Third place – team from the Belarusian National Technical University.
The Olympiad proved that the future of the road industry is in the capable hands of motivated young professionals. The event provided participants with invaluable practical experience, strengthened international cooperation, and laid a solid foundation for future joint projects.
