Belarus' universities' sci-tech export at $7m in 2014

Belarusian higher educational establishments earned some $7 million on the export of scientific and technological products in 2014, Belarus' Education Minister Mikhail Zhuravkov said at the press conference dedicated to the Day of Belarusian Science, BelTA has learned.

The list of exporters includes eleven universities, including the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics (BSUIR), the Belarusian State University (BSU), the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU), the Belarusian State Transport University, the Belarus-Russia University, and others. The universities supplied their scientific and technical developments to 28 countries of the CIS, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and to the USA under 278 contracts and license agreements. “Besides, in 2015 the universities will fulfill contracts singed with organizations of ten countries, such as Russia, China, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Armenia, etc. Belarus' leading exporters in this field are BSU, BNTU (including the BNTU Research and Technology Park Polytechnic), BSUIR, and the Belarusian State Transport University,” the minister said.

The Belarusian Education Ministry operates four technological parks (at BNTU, the Vitebsk State Technological University, the Polotsk State University, and the Polessky State University). They have been awarded the status of subjects of innovation infrastructure by the State Committee on Science and Technology. BSU is a co-founder of OOO Minsk City Technopark, and the Brest State Technical University co-founded ZAO Brest Science and Technology Park.

The Belarusian universities maintain scientific and technical cooperation with organizations of over 65 countries. This cooperation is based on more than 1400 agreements. The main Belarus' partners are Russia, Ukraine, China, and Poland.

In 2013 Belarusian university scientists were actively involved in more than 270 projects of international programs, funds, and grants, such as the Seventh EU Framework Program for Research and Technological Development, the EU cross-border cooperation program Baltic Sea Region, and others. All in all, the universities earned over $2.1 million. BSU was the leader among them as it was working on 240 joint international projects together with its partners from Austria, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Japan, etc.

Scientific and technological developments and innovative products of Belarusian universities are in demand in foreign markets. Most popular are scientific solutions in such fields as nanotechnologies, materials, redioelectronics, information technologies, telecommunications, laser technologies, energy conservation, medicine and healthcare, steel industry, construction, and light industry.