The history of the Belarusian National Technical University is made up of many days. Each day has its own heroes, discoveries, decisions, and traditions. Every day is an integral part of BNTU's historical timeline, where the past flows into the present. Only by understanding this chronology, can we fully realize how great the university's path of development is.
In 1940, at a meeting of the Academic Council of the Belarusian Polytechnic Institute, an event occurred on this day that opened a new page in the academic life of the university. Teachers I.I. Ryzhov and Fyodor Okolkovsky successfully defended their dissertations for the academic degree of Candidate of Technical Sciences. These were the first defenses in the history of BPI. They set a high standard for the post-war generations of researchers, who continued to develop the scientific schools of the institute.
Also on May 25, but already in 2024, the creative teams of the Department of Culture at BNTU achieved another significant victory in the university's history. In 2024, the university was awarded the Grand Prix of the Art Vacation Festival for Students and Young Adults. This award is not a mere coincidence but the result of the department's systematic and dedicated efforts.
A similar success as in 2024 occurred on May 26, 2022. In Vitebsk, the youth capital of Belarus of that year, the final of the republican festival of artistic creativity of school and student youth “Art-Vacations-2022” was completed.
The day before the announcement of the absolute winners, on May 25, the awarding in the nominations took place, and the Department of Culture of BNTU received 19 diplomas. In addition, Romuald Parmon, the conductor of the People's Orchestra of Folk Instruments, was awarded a diploma for his many years of effective work in the field of artistic and aesthetic education of young people, as well as for preserving and promoting the traditions of amateur creativity. Natalia Penyaz, the head of the Department of Culture at BNTU, was also awarded a diploma for her many years of effective work in the field of artistic and aesthetic education, as well as for creating conditions for the development of young people's creative potential.
The next day, on May 26, at a solemn ceremony attended by the Minister of Education of the Republic of Belarus, Andrei Ivants, BNTU was awarded the Grand Prix of the festival. This long-awaited award was preceded by a huge amount of work over many years by the entire staff of the Department of Culture.
The series of victories did not end there: on May 22, 2026, a gala concert was held at the Republican Festival of Artistic Creativity of Students and Young People "ART-Vacations 2026," where BNTU also won the Grand Prix for its long-standing efforts to preserve and promote the traditions of amateur youth creativity and the high level of skill of its teams.
Three grand prizes in a few years are evidence that the creative life at a technical university is not inferior to professional art venues, and student amateur activity here has been elevated to the rank of genuine art.
In 1971, the BPI's creative team, the Architects vocal and instrumental ensemble, traveled to Moscow for the final All—Union TV show "Hello, we are looking for talents." For the student body, this was a step far beyond the limits of amateur activity at the institute. The architects represented the BPI throughout the state, proving that engineering and musical inspiration go hand in hand.
The final was held at the Ostankino television center. There are spotlights on the stage, cameras on the sides, and the audience and jury in the hall. The Architects performed two compositions. The first is the Belarusian folk song "Kasiy Yas Kanyushynu", which the band was the first to bring to the big stage. The second is "Alesya", light, perky, with a memorable chorus. The musicians played guitars, drums and sang along — without falseness, with sincere drive.
Following the results of the final performances, the Architects became laureates of the II All-Union competition "Hello, we are looking for talents!", inscribing BPI into the history of Soviet pop music.
In May 1975, the BPI Party Committee, whose secretary at the time was Alexey Grebnev, adopted a resolution titled "On Measures to Improve the Work of the BPI Club Board." The document outlined specific steps to enhance the aesthetic education of students, support artistic self-expression, and promote club activities. This decision, made at the highest level, gave a systematic approach to the institute's cultural life and laid the foundation for decades of progress.
On May 30, 2019, Vladimir Semashko, an honorary graduate of the Belarusian National Technical University, was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus for Belarus' activities within the Union State of Russia and Belarus. Vladimir Ilyich Semashko graduated with honors from the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Belarusian Polytechnic Institute (now the Belarusian National Technical University) in 1972. He began his career as an engineer-designer at the Design Bureau of the Dzerzhinsky Machine-Building Plant of the NPO Integral. Over the years, he rose from an ordinary specialist to the position of Chief Engineer of the Mechanical Engineering Complex. In 1996, Vladimir Semashko became the head of the Horizont plant, which under his leadership turned into the largest consumer electronics holding. From 2001 to 2003, he served as the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Belarus, and then became first the acting, and from 23 December 2003, the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus.
In November 2018, Vladimir Semashko was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Russian Federation. From May 30, 2019, to August 1, 2022, he served as Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus for Belarus' activities within the Union State of Russia and Belarus and relations with Russia. His appointment to high-ranking government positions was not only a well-deserved recognition of Vladimir Ilyich's personal professionalism but also a testament to the high-quality education provided by the Belarusian National Technical University, which has a long-standing reputation for training highly skilled professionals.
In 1941, the last pre-war issue of the large-circulation newspaper Za Proletarian Engineer was published. It shows the lively, multifaceted life of BPI: student successes, faculty discussions, and plans for summer internship. The newspaper became not just a chronicle, but the voice of the institute, which soon froze on the verge of war. Today, these pages are valuable documents of that era, preserving the atmosphere of a pre—war university.
In 1935, the first issue of the newspaper was published under the title "For the Proletarian Engineer" (renamed "Soviet Engineer" in 1939).
After the war, the newspaper was revived. The newspaper changed its name several times: in 1956, it was renamed "Soviet Engineer"; in 1993-1995, it was renamed "Belarusian Engineer"; and from 1995 to 2002, it was known as "Vesti BDPA." And finally, since 2002, it has been known as Vesci BNTU. Today, this newspaper is a faithful continuation of the traditions of its legendary predecessor. It remains a mirror of the university's social and scientific life.
At first glance, these events in the life of BNTU seem far removed from each other: science and entertainment, party resolutions and student festivals, peaceful life and the pre-war frontier. However, they are united by the university's commitment to being more than just performers; they are creators in science, on stage, and in life.
