The opening ceremony for the first academic year of the China-Belarus Institute of Outstanding Engineers took place on Thursday at the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU).
Song Yanping, Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Belarus, described the newly opened institute as another landmark achievement in the two countries' educational cooperation. She noted that the institute represents a practical application of the "extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits" model within engineering education; it aims to integrate education, science, and workforce development, while also deepening the connection between academia and industry.
"I am confident that the institute will develop at a high level and eventually become a key platform and a model project for bilateral exchanges in engineering education, talent training, and technological innovation. It will produce outstanding engineers who are fluent in foreign languages and possess deep professional expertise, thereby contributing to the deepening of comprehensive cooperation between China and Belarus in the field of education," the diplomat stated.
BNTU Rector Sergei Kharitonchik noted that the start of the new academic year at the China-Belarus Institute of Outstanding Engineers is a historic milestone and a clear example of how two great nations—Belarus and China—can build a shared technological future.
"This is the first overseas institute of outstanding engineers of its kind, combining the potential of university research, cutting-edge technologies, and real-world industrial production. Our goal is to train an elite cadre of engineers in the most advanced fields of the modern era: artificial intelligence, digital engineering, big data, and intelligent manufacturing," Sergei Kharitonchik emphasized.
The China-Belarus Institute of Outstanding Engineers was established through a partnership between BNTU, Nanjing University, Sinomach Digital Technology Co., Ltd., and the Qixia High-tech Industrial Development Zone in Nanjing. Drawing on the actual needs of industry in both countries, the Institute focuses on key areas such as artificial intelligence and advanced engineering technologies. It implements a dual-supervision system (involving both Chinese and Belarusian supervisors), facilitates the joint development of curricula, student exchanges, and collaborative research, and establishes a "talent training – technological development – industrial transformation" pipeline; the Institute aims to train highly qualified engineers who combine a cross-cultural perspective with practical engineering skills, while fostering friendly cooperation between China and Belarus and promoting innovation-driven development within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.