In the early 20th century, during the reconstruction of Belarusian economy, the country faced significant and multifaceted challenges, necessitating the preparation of highly skilled personnel for all sectors of the national economy.
In response to these challenges, on December 10, 1920, the Minsk Polytechnic School, classified as a "technical school," was transformed into a higher technical educational institution named the "Belarusian State Polytechnic Institute" (BSPI). The institute aimed to train engineers with higher education in the main areas of the state's industrial activity.
At its inception, the institute operated with five faculties:
1. Mechanical Engineering
2. Civil Engineering
3. Cultural-Technical
4. Chemical-Technological
5. Electrical Engineering
N.K. Yaroshevich was appointed as the first director (rector) of the institute, and the teaching staff comprised approximately 50 individuals. In the first academic year, the institute enrolled 305 students, with an additional 119 participants in the preparatory department.
Subsequently, after a series of reorganizations, on July 1, 1933, the Council of People's Commissars of Belarus decided to restore the polytechnic institute. By September 1933, the institute had 120 lecturers and 20 departments, providing education to 1200 students.
In the early 1940s, the Belarusian Polytechnic Institute (BPI) emerged as one of the leading technical universities in the Soviet Union. Across its 32 departments, organized into 4 faculties, it offered engineering programs in seven specializations. The faculty expanded to 180 members, including 19 professors and 71 associate professors. Between 1933 and 1941, approximately 2000 engineers graduated.
The outbreak of the Great Patriotic War interrupted BPI's activities. However, in 1945, classes resumed with 375 students. By 1949, the student body had grown to 1500 individuals, supported by over 160 faculty members across 37 departments.
1991 - Transformation into Belarusian State Polytechnic Academy (BSPA)
In 1991, the Belarusian Polytechnic Institute, awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, underwent transformation into the Belarusian State Polytechnic Academy (BSPA), as per the decree of the Council of Ministers of the Belarusian SSR dated April 17, 1991, No. 149.
1997 - Leading Engineering Institution Status
In 1997, the Belarusian State Polytechnic Academy was granted the status of a leading engineering and technical educational institution within the national education system of the Republic of Belarus, as per the decree of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated January 17, 1997, No. 6.
2002 - Transformation into Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU)
In 2002, the Belarusian State Polytechnic Academy was reorganized into the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU), by the decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 165 dated April 1, 2002.
2005 - Designation as a Base Organization for CIS Member States
In 2005, a decision was made to grant the Belarusian National Technical University the status of a basic organization of Commonwealth of on independent states in higher technical education by the decision of the Council of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States dated November 25, 2005.
For more than a century and its foundation, the university has trained and graduated:
- Over 185,000 highly qualified specialists for the Republic of Belarus.
- Over 7,000 specialists for 120 countries around the world.