History at a Glance

The 1950s saw an intensive growth of radio engineering industry. New factories and plants were built all over Belarus to produce TV-sets, radios, automatic devices, computing machinery and other equipment. Having acknowledged that the radio engineering industry was developing faster than the radio engineering research and education, the government ordained to found a new higher educational institution - Minsk Radio Engineering Institute (MREI).

Minsk Radio Engineering Institute was opened on 15 March 1964, and initially had three faculties:
- Radio Engineering Faculty
- Faculty of Automation and Computer Machinery
- General Engineering Faculty for Part-Time Studies

2,500 students were admitted to MREI in 1964. Leading professionals were invited from all over the Soviet Union to take charge of academic departments. Initially there were 143 teachers: 3 professors and corresponding members of the BSSR Academy of Sciences, 37 doctors of science, 42 senior lecturers, 61 lecturer and 1 assistant.

Professor Ivan Kovalyov, Dr.Sc., Prof., Corresponding Member of the BSSR Academy of Sciences, an experienced scientist in radio electronics, was appointed the first Rector of Minsk Radio Engineering Institute (1964-72). Within this period a Rector's office, Academic Services Directorate, faculties, departments, Research and Development Department, administrative and public facilities were formed. Three MREI buildings comprised spacious lecture halls and rooms, a library with reading-halls, a sports complex with a swimming-pool, laboratories and workshops fitted with training and research equipment. Also, a Training Informatory and Computing Laboratory and a Training Computing Centre were created.

Such distinguished people as Members of the BSSR Academy of Sciences K. Buslov, E. Konovalov, Corresponding Members of the BSSR Academy of Sciences I. Ilyushin, V. Treyer, Professors V. Savelyev, L. Smolnikov, T. Solodkov and other scientists greatly contributed to the progress of MREI.

During the first decade, the student body reached 5,200 students and 120 PhD students. By the number of full-time students the Institute came third in the country. There were three full-time faculties: Design and Technology of Radio Electronic Equipment; Radio Engineering and Electrical Communication; Automation and Computing Machinery. Training departments were divided into various scientific areas. Up to 300 R&D products designed by the Institute faculty, students and postgraduates were presented at annual exhibitions.

Professor Viktor Ilyin, Dr.Sc., Honourary Figure of BSSR Higher Education, full member of the International Higher Education Academy of Sciences, was MREI Rector from February 1973 till June 2000. Now Dr. V. Ilyin is the Honourary Rector of BSUIR.

In 1975, the Institute was acknowledged as the best HEI at the All-Union Review of the Implementation of Science and Technology in the National Economy. The following year it won in the All-Union Review of the Innovations Penetration and was awarded a Diploma of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions. In 1978, MREI took the leading position among the USSR HEIs and research organisations and was granted the Red Challenge Banner of the USSR Ministry of Higher and Vocational Education.

In 1975, the Institute was awarded a Certificate of Merit of the BSSR Supreme Soviet Presidium for the efficient educational and research work. Three years later it was granted the Honourary Certificate of the BSSR Supreme Soviet Presidium. In the meantime, MREI was marked by the Honourary Certificate of the USSR Ministry of Higher and Vocational Education for the achievement of high results at the All-Union Socialistic Competition in 1977.

MREI staff were recognised with government awards, honourary titles, state prizes andetc. Among them there were thirteen winners of the Government Award in Science and Technology, four Honourary Figures of Science and Technology, four Honourary Figures of Belarusian Higher Education, one Honourary Figure of Physical Culture, two USSR and BSSR Honourary Inventors and Rationalisers, and five USSR and BSSR Honourary Coaches.

By mid-1980s, Minsk Radio Engineering Institute had 5 full-time faculties comprising 33 academic departments and 670 lecturers, including 40 professors and 250 associate professors. The student body consisted of 8,500 students. The volume of research and development funding constituted 8.3 mln Rouble.

By the authority of the USSR government, in March 1987, MREI was specifically recognised for the progress in scientific research and specialist training, being included into the list of top USSR universities.

By early 1990s, Minsk Radio Engineering Institute was a major national higher educational establishment, embracing about 95% of all students in radio engineering.

By the decree of the Government of the Republic of Belarus No. 786 dated 16 November 1993, the Minsk Radio Engineering Institute was reorganised into Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics (BSUIR).

By the resolution of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus No. 365 dated 16 August 1998, the University was specified as the basic institution of Belarus for training in computer science, radio engineering and electronics. In December 1998, BSUIR was certified as a higher educational institution of a University type by the State Inspectorate for Educational Institutions and the Ministry of Education.

By the year 2000, the University consisted of 8 faculties and 35 academic departments. There were 702 lecturers, including 56 professors and 317 associate professors. The student body consisted of over 8,200 students who studied in 17 degree programmes.

On 2 October 2000, Professor Mikhail Batura, Dr.Sc., full member of the International Higher Education Academy of Sciences, Honourary Figure of Belarusian Education, became the Rector of BSUIR.

This was the time of active IT-penetration in all spheres of the University life. A Centre for Information Technology and Innovations was created in 2001. A concept for a BSUIR Integrated Information System (IIS) was approved. An Institute for Advanced Training and Career Enhancement in Informatics and Radioelectronics (Institute of Information Technologies) was created. The University official website has been successfully working since then.

The year 2001 saw the launch of the first eight Master Programmes (second level of higher education) in BSUIR. Also, BSUIR was the first Belarusian University to introduce shortened training of college graduates to provide a higher education degree. In 2002, it became the first Belarusian University to introduce distant learning with a Centre for Distant Learning founded. In 2003, BSUIR introduced the first Belarusian computer testing for applicants, including tests in Physics, Mathematics, Russian and Belarusian, which were developed under the order of the Ministry of Education. The year 2004 saw the foundation of the first Belarusian University electronic library with the financial support of ‘Priorbank’.

On 14 February 2003, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko visited the University. He delivered a lecture on the topic ‘High Technologies Define the Future of Belarus’.

In February 2004, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus conducted the attestation of BSUIR and acknowledged it as the industry-leading university. The University was granted a Certificate on National Accreditation of the Educational Institution of a University Type and licensed to carry out educational activities for the period of five years.

In November 2005, the Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) specified BSUIR as the basic CIS organisation for higher education in computer science and radio electronics.

The year 2005 also saw the introduction of the first in Belarus information admission system ‘Electronic Applicant’.

The University is constantly searching for new training methods and techniques. The year 2005 saw the introduction of electronic learning packages for all disciplines, which include all kinds of material needed for successful mastering of the discipline: lecture texts, laboratory practical tasks, theoretical guidance for practical classes and workshops and control tests. This was the first experiment of such kind in Belarus.

In 2006, the University won in the nomination ‘Higher Education’ at Minsk Contest of the Best Achievements in Ideological Work.

In 2009, BSUIR celebrated its 45th anniversary and successfully re-passed national accreditation of the educational institution of a university type.

In 2009, the University structure involved 9 faculties, 38 academic departments, R&D Unit, including 36 research labs and 14 teams, 2 Centres of Common Use Equipment, Research and Development Centre for Industrial Power Engineering and Automation, and Institute of Information Technologies. The University staff amounted to 2,200 people, including 750 faculty members; 350 persons out of them possessed academic degrees and titles.

In 2011, the University was certified as a Scientific Organisation by the National Committee for Science and Technologies and the Belarusian National Academy of Sciences.

In 2012, BSUIR was awarded the Prize of the Government of the Republic of Belarus for Achievements in Quality in the year 2011.

On 21 December 2012, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko visited the University for the third time. He visited the exhibition of the main University achievements and activities of the joint educational and research centre ‘BSUIR - INTES’ (Intellectual Technologies and Systems). Also, he visited a lecture at the Faculty of Computer Systems and Networks, where he took an opportunity to talk to the University students and faculty and answer their questions.

Owing to the excellent work results during the years 2008-12, the University's name was put on Minsk Soviet Region Board of Honour.

In June 2013, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus made a decision to put the University’s name on the Republican Board of Honour. On 27 June, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed Decree No. 281, which ratified the Government decision. This was the first case in history when an educational institution was put on the Board.

In 2013, BSUIR signed an agreement with Computer Systems Institute (the USA) on educational services for the USA dwellers. Branches of BSUIR Department of Information and Computer Systems Design were created at CSI campuses in Chicago and Boston. The first intake (a group of 10 students living in the USA) started their studies in autumn 2013. These students studied in Programmable Mobile Systems via the branch in Chicago.

In March 2014, BSUIR celebrated its 50th anniversary. President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko congratulated the University. In the meantime, the Honour State Flag of the Republic of Belarus was awarded to BSUIR by the Presidential Decree No. 104 dated 28 February 2014. The University was honoured for outstanding achievements in training, social and cultural development.

In addition to this, BSUIR has re-acknowledged its reputable position having won in the contest among research organisations in 2014. And its name was put on the Republican Board of Honour for the second year in a row under the Presidential Decree No. 299 dated 27 June 2014.

More than half a century has elapsed from the moment when a unique educational and research centre for highly-qualified training (MREI-BSUIR) was established. In 50 years the University passed a glorious way; it has become a widely acknowledged educational, research and cultural centre. ‘Fifty years is an honourable number of years, full of great achievements in the past and possessing good potential, vital energy and experience for the future. It’s the right time to dynamically develop, because we know how to reach our goals and objectives’, - said BSUIR Rector, Professor Mikhail Batura in his interview during the 50th anniversary celebrations.