Today, October 6, the grand opening of the BELAZ Competence Center took place at the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU). This major educational facility has been established in Academic Building No. 8, hosted by the Automotive and Tractor Faculty. The initiative’s primary goal is to integrate the manufacturing expertise of the country’s heavy machinery giant with the university's scientific potential.
Attendees at the ceremony included BNTU Rector Sergei Kharitonchik; BELAZ OJSC General Director Sergei Lesin; Deputy General Director for Strategic Development and Corporate Governance Alexey Grachev; Deputy Chief Designer for Mining Equipment Digitalization (and Department Head) Dmitry Eliseev; as well as other representatives from the holding company and university staff. The opening ceremony for the new educational space began with welcoming remarks from Sergei Kharitonchik.
"Today is truly a historic day for me. I would like to thank BELAZ and Sergei Ivanovich for the tremendous work accomplished. This is a necessary and timely step. Today, the entire world is chasing cutting-edge trends, striving to stay ahead of the competition. Our small Belarus is taking powerful, confident strides in this direction. We are all proud of our renowned BELAZ, because it represents not just massive machinery, but advanced technologies applied in vehicle design and production. It stands for innovative solutions and support for mining operations across diverse regions of the globe. For us, this center offers employment and internship opportunities for our students, and serves as a prime example of the technologies that need to be taught. Today, I want to thank BELAZ for coming to the university and sharing these technologies with us." It is symbolic that we have shared a long-standing friendship with the plant, dating back to its very inception. I am delighted that many distinguished alumni—both past and present employees of BELAZ—have made significant contributions to the company’s development. A prime example is our most famous alumnus, Pavel Lukyanovich Mariev. I am very pleased with the cooperation taking shape, as it aligns perfectly with the state’s objectives regarding stronger collaboration and practice-oriented training. These are not mere words; they reflect the demands of the times. I would say this is a global trend that we are following. We will continue our partnership and remain fully open to collaboration, — emphasized the university head.
In recognition of the successful implementation of this important project, Sergey Kharitonchik formally commended Sergey Lesin on behalf of BNTU. The head of the engineering holding company continued the ceremony by outlining the company’s strategic plans for engaging with talented young people.
— Thank you for allowing us to participate in such a vital educational process. We are currently at the country’s leading technical university, and we take great pride in that fact. We fully grasp the current landscape, recognizing that it is quite difficult for universities to cultivate a strong pool of engineers without the involvement of industrial enterprises. This year, following extensive preparatory work, we completed another major milestone: the launch of specialized technical classes at two schools in Zhodino, featuring an advanced curriculum in physics and chemistry. Today, we are opening classrooms here at the university. We will complete this chain at the end of the year by opening a Center for Children's Technical Creativity at our own facility. In this way, we aim to create an ecosystem that integrates schools, vocational colleges, and higher education institutions. The enterprise aims to ensure a steady stream of talented, motivated applicants to the university, thereby guaranteeing the training of qualified engineers who arrive at the workplace fully prepared. We will no longer lose our most valuable resource—time—on the additional training or onboarding of young specialists. Early career guidance, plant visits, and exposure to engineering graphics and 3D modeling form the foundation of our Technical Creativity Center’s work. Therefore, Sergey Vasilyevich, I am confident that our collaboration will yield excellent results by attracting better-prepared applicants to your institution. Today, we are opening classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology that makes the learning process more engaging and helps students practically reinforce the knowledge taught here at BNTU. We are introducing new technological solutions, such as VR, to expand the university's capabilities and make the educational experience more exciting for the new generation. The primary goal of our holding company is to produce specialists capable of delivering real value from their very first day on the job after graduation.
To conclude the formal ceremony, Sergey Lesin, Sergey Kharitonchik, and Sergey Skirkovsky—Dean of the Automotive and Tractor Faculty—cut the ceremonial red ribbon. Immediately following the official launch of the Competence Center, guests were given a detailed tour, introducing them to the high-tech equipment in the new laboratories.
The new educational facility comprises two main areas. Igor Serebryakov, head of the "Advanced Vehicle Designs" student design bureau, outlined the capabilities of the "Intelligent Mining Machinery and Systems Engineering" laboratory. The space features a large virtual reality zone and workstations for 3D modeling. Students can study mining machinery in detail and practice virtual maintenance of haul trucks. A special test bench for autonomous vehicle onboard systems—equipped with a full suite of radars, cameras, and LiDAR sensors—is a particular highlight. Software developed by the plant's specialists includes the entire model range of the company's mining machinery.
Alexander Zakharov, Head of the Department of Hydropneumatic Automation and Drives, presented the "Training and Laboratory Complex." This area houses modern, versatile test benches for studying electric power drives, principles of hydrostatics, and automated control systems. The equipment allows students to assemble various hydraulic circuits and determine the operating parameters of mechanisms. The stations' rapid reconfiguration capabilities enable dozens of laboratory exercises to be conducted without long delays. Gaining a deep understanding of system operations will help future engineers confidently tackle real-world production challenges at a machinery manufacturing plant.
The opening of the BELAZ Competence Center marks a significant milestone in the history of the Automotive and Tractor Faculty. The new high-tech facility does more than just expand the university’s educational opportunities; it lays a solid foundation for training a new generation of engineers. The close collaboration between the university and the country’s leading machine-building enterprise continues to grow, opening up prospects for professional development and a successful career start for students.
