Minsk, 22 January – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko presented Doctor of Science diplomas and professor certificates to academic, research and teaching staff in a ceremony held at the Palace of Independence on 22 January.

“The main feature of our time is the unprecedented number of innovations. Everything is changing: paradigms, technologies, development topics - in every direction, left and right, backward and sideways. And even we ourselves, people, are changing. The ideological and geopolitical landscapes are transforming rapidly,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko. “A new phase of the digital revolution is gaining momentum right before us.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that even in such a rapidly changing world, some things are absolute. “For us, this is love and attachment to our land, to our family and loved ones. It may seem like philosophy, some kind of morality. But this is also fundamental to all scientific work and to the very spirit of the scientist. It offers a solid foundation, sets the right course, and gives meaning to all that we do,” he stressed.

According to the head of state, the future envisioned just yesterday by the most advanced science fiction writers is now here: “This future is the age of science; without it, ensuring the security and wellbeing of the state and the world as a whole is impossible.”

Belarusian science, amidst global challenges and uncertainty, demonstrates resilience and an ability to assimilate and continuously develop innovations, the president said. “The knowledge economy, so-called artificial intelligence, biotechnology, smart agriculture, new materials - all these fields are of interest to our scientific community, particularly those of you gathered here today,” he emphasized.

The president stressed that the country needs timely and effective solutions: "If there are no breakthrough scientific discoveries today, tomorrow we will not have unique technologies."

Aleksandr Lukashenko drew attention to the fact that priorities and new guidelines for Belarusian science and the country as a whole were discussed at a large-scale meeting with scientists and at the Belarusian People’s Congress session.

“Belarussian science faces strategic challenges: the development of high-tech industries, inter-disciplinary research and industrial schools, the integration of science, education and the real sector with access to implementation and mass production. Increasing the productivity of such interaction and reducing technological dependence is a top priority," the president said.

In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out the unique role scientists play in the system: “You are more than just creators of new knowledge. You also shape the strategic vision for the development of science and participate in the expert review of key decisions.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko expressed his hope that domestic scientists continue developing scientific schools and making new discoveries. “We will fully support this. For concrete scientific work, we will always find both money and time,” he said.

The president noted that he is proud of the achievements of Belarusian scientists, but he also sets expectations. “I have already said why: today, life is impossible without science,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.

Therefore, first and foremost, the president expects concrete results from the country’s main scientific institution – the Academy of Sciences.

The president noted that scientists have managed to establish strong research schools and solve certain problems in clinical medicine and demography, microelectronics, wood processing technologies, and the cultivation of domestic agricultural crop varieties. “Our science has accomplished a great deal and, I am convinced, will accomplish much more because we have a foundation and groundwork in place. What our academic, applied, and industrial science also needs is to become better organized, establish the necessary systems, and define its objectives. This, in turn, will eliminate the ‘small-scale research’ phenomenon that many researchers have been pointing out of late. And we can achieve much greater results,” he stated with confidence.

“The time has come to act, to implement the most ambitious plans, projects, and ideas,” the head of state addressed the ceremony participants. “It is a time for concrete actions and new breakthrough discoveries for the benefit of our native Belarus. Dear friends, you have earned the right to be in this hall today. My sincere congratulations to you all.”

The head of state presented Doctor of Science diplomas to 12 scholars.

Aleksandr Dovgalev, Associate Professor and Head of the Regional Testing Center at the Belarusian-Russian University, was awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences for developing and establishing the technological foundations for the finishing and strengthening treatment of friction unit surfaces in modern machines and mechanisms, which increases their wear resistance by 3.8 to 4.9 times. The research results have already been implemented at enterprises, including Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, Mogilev Tool Plant, and several others.

The academic degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences was also conferred upon Mariya Zenkova, Associate Professor at the Department of Commodity Science and Product Expertise of the Belarusian State Economic University, for developing the scientific foundations of a technology for preserving sprouted wheat and buckwheat grain to create new products of enhanced nutritional value, characterized by functional purpose and a long shelf life. The obtained results address the challenge of providing the population with safe, high-nutritional-value products, as well as the seasonality of operations in the canning industry. The corresponding approaches have already been implemented in production, for example, at Bykhov Canning and Vegetable Drying Plant.

Another Doctor of Technical Sciences is Associate Professor and Head of the Sectoral Laboratory of New Technologies and Materials at the scientific and technical center of Integral, the managing company of the holding company Integral Yaroslav Solovyov. The academic degree was awarded to him for developing a model and new methods for forming, via rapid thermal processing, contact-barrier structures for power microelectronics products with improved energy efficiency across an expanded operational temperature range. The research results have been implemented in production.

Associate Professor and Vice-Rector for Research at the Belarusian State Technological University Vyacheslav Fleisher was also awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences. He developed a technology for producing rosin resin acid amides and new types of bifunctional products based on them. The implementation of these innovations at domestic enterprises has enabled the production of a wide range of high-quality types of paper and cardboard with improved strength and hydrophobicity indicators.

Associate Professor and Head of the Oat Laboratory at the Scientific and Practical Center for Agriculture of the National Academy of Sciences (NASB) of Belarus Anton Vlasov was awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Agricultural Sciences for creating seven new high-yielding and adaptive next-generation oat varieties, as well as for developing a cultivation technology for domestic oat varieties to realize their yield potential under changed climatic conditions. The implementation of the improved technology and new oat varieties on sod-podzolic soils in Belarus ensures an increase in grain yield of 1.1 to 11.6 centners per hectare.

Olga Popko, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, has been awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Arts. The degree was conferred for revealing the significance of private collections as an artistic phenomenon reflecting the nature of the historical and cultural context of their time and their role in the development of art. This research has uncovered the importance of the art collections of the Princes of Wittgenstein and their organic connection to Belarusian art and the collections of the Radziwiłł princes. The research results are utilized at the Mir Castle Complex, the Gomel Palace and Park Ensemble, the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve Nesvizh, and the National Historical Archive of Belarus.

Svetlana Shcherbatyuk, Associate Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Accounting at the Grodno State Agrarian University, has been awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Economic Sciences for developing an accounting and analytical system for managing agricultural organizations in crisis situations. This system enables effective monitoring of the implementation of financial recovery plans and identifies risks of deteriorating financial health in agricultural organizations.

Yelena Medvedskaya, Associate Professor at the Department of Social Work at the Pushkin Brest State University, has been awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Psychological Sciences for defining manifestations of the deformation of higher psychological cognitive functions (attention, memory, thinking, speech) in internet users aged 40-65 and for developing a model of deforming internet influence, which explains their emergence through the implementation of an “effort avoidance” behavioral strategy.

Oksana Dudich, Associate Professor at the Department of Ophthalmology of the Institute for Advanced Training and Retraining of Healthcare Personnel at the Belarusian State Medical University, has been awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Medical Sciences for developing and implementing into clinical practice a personalized treatment system for patients with traumatic defects and deformities of the orbit, based on computer modeling. This ensures effective restoration of facial aesthetics, reduces surgery time by 1.8 times, and facilitates the nearly complete recovery of visual functions in patients.

Another Doctor of Medical Sciences is Yelena Zhuk, Associate Professor at the Department of Radiation Diagnostics of the Institute for Advanced Training and Retraining of Healthcare Personnel at the Belarusian State Medical University. The academic degree was awarded to her for introducing optimal algorithms for the radiation diagnosis of malignant neoplasms of the cervix and uterine body into clinical practice. The developed methods enhance the diagnostic efficacy of examinations and reduce the radiation dose to the patient.

The academic degree of Doctor of Medical Sciences has been awarded to Veronika Prilutskaya, Associate Professor at the 1st Department of Childhood Diseases of the Belarusian State Medical University, for developing and implementing a technology for the medical prevention of growth and development disorders in children with high and low birth weight.

Yuliya Yarets, Associate Professor and Scientific Supervisor of the Sectoral Laboratory of Scientific and Diagnostic Research at the National Scientific and Practical Center for Radiation Medicine and Human Ecology, has been awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Medical Sciences for developing and implementing a new effective comprehensive system for diagnosing and predicting wound and burn infections into practical healthcare.

The president presented professor certificates to Viktor Vasilyev, Head of the Department of Cinema and Television at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts (Arts); Aleksandr Gusinsky, Doctor of Technical Sciences and Head of the Department of Information and Measurement Systems at the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics (Instrumentation and Metrology); Olga Tolochko, Doctor of Juridical Sciences and Professor at the Department of Public Administration of the Belarusian State University (Law); Oleg Tretinnikov, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Chief Research Associate at the Stepanov Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (Physics); Aleksei Trukhan, Doctor of Medical Sciences and Senior Surgeon at the Medical Unit of the 432nd Order of the Red Star Main Military Clinical Medical Center of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (Medicine); and Irina Shlyaga, Doctor of Medical Sciences and Head of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology with courses in Ophthalmology and Dentistry at the Gomel State Medical University (Medicine). 

One of the ceremony’s participants is Anton Vlasov, head of the oat laboratory at the Scientific and Practical Center for Arable Farming of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Agricultural Sciences for developing a new generation of high-yield and adaptive oat varieties.

The scientist shared details of his long-term work. Oats are used as part of compound fodder but are in even greater demand for human food products, including for athletes. For example, doctors recommend consuming oats to stabilize cholesterol levels and prevent diabetes. Recently, oats have even begun to be used in the production of popular plant-based milk alternatives.

Aleksandr Lukashenko also asked the scientist about oat yield and sown areas. The 2025 harvest of this crop showed good results. The main point the president emphasized was adherence to cultivation technology.

The head of state pointed out that the animal husbandry sector in Belarus is slightly lagging behind the level of performance of crop farmers. He noted that the pressing issues need to be resolved in the next year or two.

“Some argue that the reason lies in veterinary or some other issues. That’s complete nonsense. The problem is our lack of organization. We have everything we need in abundance. That is why I often say that we need better organization, discipline, and a well-structured system to preserve young livestock,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The discussion about the applied nature of science arose in the context of a conversation on microelectronics. The head of state emphasized the sector’s strategic importance: “It is difficult to imagine any development without microelectronics. The state is paying close attention to technological processes.”

"Science is becoming a priority not only for the development of our state. We need to evaluate some things objectively and pay more attention to the applied research," Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “Even very developed countries, such as the United States of America and China, cannot afford to do everything. They certainly conduct a larger amount of scientific research. We need to do what brings prosperity to our people."

One of the event participants, Veronika Prilutskaya, Associate Professor at the First Department of Childhood Diseases at Belarusian State Medical University, stated that Belarus has a reputable pediatric scientific school, and it is important to preserve it, develop consistently, and pass on to future generations of pediatricians-neonatologists. “It is undeniable that healthcare in the Republic of Belarus is at the highest level. Scientific research supported by the state allows for the implementation of personalized, practice-oriented approaches and improves the quality and effectiveness of healthcare for the child population," she emphasized, directing words of special gratitude for supporting the initiatives of scientists to the head of state.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that this is not solely his personal merit. “My credit, and that of all my colleagues and subordinates, is that we did not discard what we all achieved during the Soviet period and built on it," he said.

“After the war, having lost so much of our population, with the country lying in ruins, our Belarusian people, the citizens of Belarus truly, as people say, dug in their heels and reached certain heights in healthcare. Much was accomplished,” the president noted. “We discarded nothing, we did not dismantle the system. We proceeded from reality. We understood that before breaking something, one must consider what will replace it. Moving as if on thin ice, slowly, gritting our teeth, we refined our schools, both in education and in healthcare. This is the great merit of those people and those generations who created the foundation of our medicine, our healthcare.”

The head of state placed special emphasis on the successes in providing care for mothers and children. Belarus holds a leading position globally, boasting the lowest rates of infant and maternal mortality. These achievements are acknowledged by foreign experts, including those from countries that are far from friendly towards Belarus.

“You are doing a great thing,” Aleksandr Lukashenko gave high praise to the specialists in this field of healthcare. “You have not only a very attractive but a most crucial function. Life begins with you. You do everything to give all of us the opportunity to become adults. You keep the little ones healthy (and they all pass through the hands of pediatricians, your hands). Otherwise we would have no people, no citizens of Belarus."

The head of state first and foremost thanked all doctors for their hard, dedicated work. “You can see that we are doing quite a lot. We will do more, and not only in science,” the president said. “We will do more not only in science, but also in practical medicine.”

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, healthcare institutions of all levels in Belarus operate at a commendable standard: from national research and treatment centers, regional hospitals, and clinical centers, to district hospitals and primary care facilities. “We have focused on rural health centers and given them a shake-up. Mostly, it's pleasant to see our rural health centers, our primary care units that provide care to our people," the president noted.

“Everything will depend on you,” the head of state said addressing the entire medical community. “If there is even the slightest chance for success, we will support and assist you.”

The president also drew attention to existing shortcomings. “There are very many deficiencies and shortcomings in our healthcare system. Iit is very regrettable when they are of a subjective nature. It's one thing if we lack resources, if we simply cannot do something today. This is life. But when it is subjective, when it depends on a doctor themselves, on those working in healthcare, and people sometimes have legitimate complaints, this is bad. I believe we are capable of overcoming this. I see that the Healthcare Ministry has been working to do so,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.

The topic of military medicine was raised during the ceremony. One of the participants noted that the work of military surgeons is not limited to military healthcare institutions. It was also emphasized that treating gunshot wounds and blast injuries is no longer the exclusive domain of military doctors.

“Life has changed so much that these blast injuries and wounds are not only a military matter but also a civilian one,” Aleksandr Lukashenko agreed. “To be frank, when the special military operation began, I supported the idea of immersing our doctors (and not just military ones) in the reality of what is happening there. And that reality is sometimes horrific.”

The president drew attention to the work of Belarusian doctors who provided aid to the wounded during prisoner-of-war exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. “When these exchanges began, we sent them to the south of the country, to district hospitals and the hospital in Gomel. At the time, I demanded from the Minister of Healthcare that more of our doctors should see what was happening,” he stated.

Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that Belarusian doctors have proven themselves well in treating the most severe cases: “Our doctors are great. They saved everyone. Moreover, some patients already had very serious infections, people without arms, without legs.”

“Overall, you are doing a great job. I often tell civilian leaders of medical centers and hospitals: ‘Go and learn from the military doctors.’ People say the level is very high,” the head of state commented regarding the competencies of Belarusian military doctors.

Alexander Lukashenko called for self-sufficiency in key sectors. It is important that we produce all necessary things primarily at home rather than rely on imports.

“Thank you very much for achieving this level. For coming to the Palace of Independence, the main symbol of our independence. Naturally, there are no random people here,” the president said.

He wished that the scientists do not to stop in their research and share their experience with others, not confine themselves within small collectives and groups.

Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized the importance of developing a wide range of fields, including those showcased at the current ceremony: healthcare, microelectronics, and agriculture.

“We must work to earn money. We must ensure the nation is healthy, clothed, and fed. We have everything for this, and even more,” the president said. “We will focus on creating new manufacturing facilities. You know, in shipbuilding, aircraft manufacturing. We have already begun doing it, we know how to do it. Nuclear energy. Who would have thought we could build a nuclear power plant? We learned to do it. That means the nation is educated. We are up to any task. We just need to understand that we must do things primarily ourselves."

“I am not against competition. It should be there. But we must first and foremost produce everything necessary for ourselves with our own hands. Whatever we lack, we will buy,” the Belarusian leader noted.

Source: https://president.gov.by/ru/events/ceremonia-vrucenia-diplomov-doktora-nauk-i-attestatov-professora-...