Belarusian State University

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The Belarusian State University (BSU) is a public university in Minsk, Belarus. It was founded in October 1921 and is one of the country’s largest higher education institutions.

Key facts
- Rector: Andrei Korol
- Students: about 44,877 (29,655 undergraduates; 2,365 international)
- Administrative staff: about 8,032
- Main campus: city center in Minsk, 4.58 hectares
- Faculties and institutes: 16 faculties plus 4 educational institutes
- Dormitories: 11
- Nobel laureates: 1
- Global ranking: QS World University Rankings 387th in 2023
- Regional ranking: QS Emerging Europe and Central Asia 22nd in 2022

What BSU is like
- It offers many programs at bachelor’s, master’s, and postgraduate levels. In total, more than 56 bachelor specialties and over 250 specializations, plus around 48 master specialties.
- The university has extensive research activity: 25 research centers, 115 laboratories, 4 research institutes, and 12 scientific-production units.
- The BSU Library is a major resource with thousands of reading places and digital collections.

Campus life and facilities
- The main campus is in central Minsk, with a Student Village on the city’s outskirts for student housing.
- There are many classrooms, seminar rooms, reading lounges, 70 computer laboratories, and 4 media classrooms.
- The university emphasizes both study and student life, including sports and cultural facilities.

History in brief
- The university began in 1921 with several faculties and quickly expanded.
- During World War II, classes were interrupted; the university reopened in 1943–1944 near Moscow and returned to Minsk in 1944.
- It was renamed after Lenin in 1949.
- Over the years, new faculties and institutes were created, including the Military Faculty (1926), the Faculty of Radiophysics and Electronics (1975), and the Faculty of Philosophy and Economics (1989).
- After Belarus' independence in 1991, BSU added many new faculties and institutes and expanded international links.
- There have been political controversies and expulsions of students and staff at times, and some university leaders and faculty faced sanctions or legal issues in recent years.

International connections
- BSU participates in international university networks and is a member of the European University Association.
- The university has hosted and educated students from many countries and maintains ongoing international collaboration.

Overall, BSU is a large, historic university in Minsk that serves a big student body with a wide range of programs, strong research activity, and active international ties.