From acquaintance to practice: BNTU and TSIACE build a common educational space
The delegation of the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU) as part of the Dean of the International Cooperation Faculty (ICF) Pavel Shirvel and Deputy Dean Olga Dashkevich visited Ashgabat from 10 to 12 October 2026. The visit was timed to coincide with the international exhibition and scientific conference "Health, education and sports in the era of the revival of a new era of a powerful state," but its key event was a meeting with the leadership of the Turkmen State Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering (TSIACE).
This visit is not just a protocol event, but an important step in building long-term academic cooperation between the two countries. The central point of the program was the acquaintance with the new complex of buildings of the TSIACE, inaugurated on September 1, 2026 with the participation of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov. The campus, spread over 32.2 hectares, is designed for 5 thousand students and includes a 13-story main building, buildings of eight faculties and 28 departments, a library and a conference room. For the delegation of BNTU, representing the leading engineering university of Belarus, the inspection of such a facility is of particular importance: it demonstrates the scale of Turkmenistan's investments in construction education and creates a material base for joint educational programs.
Of particular interest were specialized laboratories equipped to train architects, engineers and builders. In conditions when both countries rely on the digitalization of the construction industry and the introduction of "smart" technologies, the exchange of experience in the field of laboratory base becomes a practical tool for improving the quality of personnel training.
The classroom fund of the new campus, designed for the simultaneous training of thousands of students, allows you to receive large international delegations and hold joint scientific events, which the BNTU delegation was able to personally evaluate. The culmination of the visit was a meeting with the faculty and students of TSIACE. Deputy Dean O.Dashkevich presented a detailed presentation of BNTU, its scientific and educational potential and opportunities for participation in academic mobility programs. The format of the meeting did not imply a monologue, but a lively exchange of views: Turkmen students asked questions about admission, learning conditions and employment prospects after graduating from a Belarusian university. Such interest is not accidental - the architectural and construction specialties of BNTU are traditionally strong, and the presence of the BNTU consulting center in Ashgabat, opened in June 2026, makes the admission procedure for Turkmen applicants as transparent as possible.
During official negotiations with the leadership of TSIACE, the parties discussed a whole range of initiatives that can turn academic partnership into a real bridge of friendship and mutual enrichment. It was about academic exchanges of students and teachers, those living threads that bind universities stronger than any contracts. Joint scientific work was also discussed: preparation of articles for leading journals, exchange of research data, participation in conferences.
A separate topic was the conduct of practices: turkmen students could undergo internships at Belarusian enterprises and construction companies, and Belarusian students could learn from experience in Turkmenistan, where large-scale urban planning projects are being implemented today. These agreements, clothed in beautiful words about friendship and cooperation, have a very specific practical dimension: they open the way for hundreds of young people who dream of high-quality modern engineering education. It is worth noting that for BNTU, working with Turkmen students is not a one-time action. Back in May 2026, representatives of the faculty of BNTU, headed by Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Yuri Nikolaychik, held a lecture for more than 200 students of TSIACE, laying the foundation for regular academic dialogue. The October visit was a logical continuation of this line: from acquaintance to specific proposals for interuniversity cooperation in the construction and architectural spheres.
The visit on October 9-12, 2026 showed that the Belarusian-Turkmen academic partnership is turning into a practical plane. The new campus of TSIACE, equipped laboratories and interested students – all this creates a favorable environment for deepening cooperation. If the parties maintain the momentum, in the coming years we can expect the launch of joint educational programs and an increase in the number of Turkmen students at BNTU. The engineering bridge between Minsk and Ashgabat is becoming stronger, and its pillars – academic exchanges, joint articles and practices – will only grow stronger every year, connecting the hearts and minds of the two peoples.
