MINSK, 14 October (BelTA) – More than 170 direct agreements between universities of Belarus and China have been signed over the past two years, Belarus’ Education Minister Andrei Ivanets said during the plenary session of the Association of Belarusian and Chinese Universities, held at the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War History on 14 October, BelTA has learned.
The minister stressed that Belarus-China relations have been developing dynamically for over 30 years. “Today they have reached a new level of all‑weather and all-round strategic partnership. Undoubtedly, the foundation of these relations was laid by the leaders of our countries: President Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus and President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China. Thanks to their efforts, a tremendous potential has been created for the development of mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation. Cooperation in education is certainly one of the priorities. Currently, there are more than 800 direct agreements between our higher education institutions, with over 170 of them signed in the past two years,” Andrei Ivanets said.
Within these agreements, bilateral scientific and educational projects are being implemented, academic exchanges are taking place, and joint educational and research structures are being created. Their number has grown from nine to 20 in recent years. “Today there are nine joint laboratories, nine joint centers, and two joint institutes. Educational institutions of the two countries are closely cooperating to implement the plan for flagship projects and expanded exchanges in 2024-2025 approved by the Ministries of Education of Belarus and China. A lot has been achieved, but as our president rightly noted, the potential for cooperation in education and science between our countries is far from exhausted. We must wisely and rationally use each other’s best competencies in the interests of our peoples. In this regard, we expect that the Association of the Belarusian and Chinese Universities, established two years ago as a brand new stage in our inter‑university relations, will soon become a full‑fledged platform to exchange knowledge, experience, and best practices between universities of Belarus and China,” the minister emphasized.
Since the association’s founding, two meetings have already been held, at which key areas of work were identified, thematic clusters formed, and joint initiatives developed. The minister expressed hope that the third meeting would continue this momentum and help generate proposals with real practical application, contributing to further fruitful cooperation between the two countries in education.
“We expect that the joint declaration on deepening cooperation in higher education within the framework of the association signed today will not only serve to establish a strategic partnership, but also give impetus to new breakthrough initiatives and achievements in our joint work. We also believe that the activities of the newly opened Belarus-China joint laboratory under the Belt and Road Initiative will make a tangible contribution to the development of joint scientific research, innovation, and advanced cooperation projects, thereby strengthening the foundation of long‑term, mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries. In addition, we expect full returns from the participation of educational institutions of both countries in the thematic clusters created at the association’s second meeting, through an increase in joint projects in key scientific fields, the introduction of innovative educational technologies, and the development of interdisciplinary research,” Andrei Ivanets said.
According to him, it is no coincidence that the third meeting of the Association of Belarusian and Chinese Universities is being held at the Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War. “This year is special for our peoples. It is filled with deep historical meaning. This year we mark the 80th anniversary of Victory over fascism. Here, among the exhibits dedicated to the heroism of the Belarusian people, we share with our Chinese colleagues the memory of that feat. This historical context highlights the importance of our cooperation not only in the academic and scientific spheres, but also, without doubt, in strengthening friendship and mutual understanding between the peoples of Belarus and China,” the minister concluded.
Photos by Andrei Sinyavsky
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