Strengthening Scientific Ties with Friendly Belarus

The University of Tyumen expands its academic and research cooperation with Belarusian universities and institutes.

Developing Partnerships Across Borders

Scientific collaboration between the University of Tyumen (UTMN) and academic institutions of the Republic of Belarus continues to grow steadily.

First Vice-Rector of UTMN, Dr. Andrey Tolstikov, visited the Republic of Belarus, where he took part in the celebrations marking the 95th anniversary of Francysk Skaryna Gomel State University (GSU) — one of UTMN’s long-standing partner institutions.

Both universities share a common history: founded in 1930, at the dawn of industrialization, they became key institutions for training specialists in education and agriculture, while also providing scientific expertise to support industrial and agricultural development.

Over the years, UTMN and GSU have maintained close cooperation under a formal Agreement on Academic Partnership. Students from both universities regularly meet online and participate in joint educational and cultural initiatives.
A particularly productive area of cooperation has developed in the field of pedagogical sciences, coordinated by Professor Alfiya Zakirova of the UTMN School of Education.

Francysk Skaryna Gomel State University is home to a strong Faculty of Biology, with leading research schools in genetics, parasitology, lichenology, and mycology, and demonstrates a high level of international engagement.
Recent meetings in Belarus have further expanded the scope of joint activities between the two institutions.

Expanding Research Collaboration

During his visit to Minsk, the Belarusian capital, Dr. Tolstikov held talks with Dr. Dmitry Grummo, Director of the V.F. Kuprevich Institute of Experimental Botany at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB), as well as with leading researchers of the Institute.

The discussions built upon the outcomes of the official visit of the Tyumen Region delegation, led by Governor Alexander Moor, to the Republic of Belarus in July 2025.

As a result, a Cooperation Agreement between the University of Tyumen and the Institute of Experimental Botany of the NASB was signed, laying the foundation for new opportunities in academic exchange, professional development, and joint research projects, thereby strengthening the partnership between the two institutions.

“The University of Tyumen and our Belarusian partners are united by a shared vision of academic excellence and innovation,”said Dr. Andrey Tolstikov, First Vice-Rector of UTMN.
“This new stage of cooperation opens up important opportunities for joint scientific initiatives, staff training, and long-term collaboration in fields that are crucial for the sustainable development of our regions.”