On the last Sunday of January, Belarus celebrates the Day of Belarusian Science. Traditionally, the eve of this holiday is marked by much discussion about the country's achievements, what scientists are currently working on, and the overall prospects for the development of domestic science.

2026 has been declared the Year of the Belarusian Woman in Belarus. Forty percent of all 27,000 scientists in the country, including doctors and candidates of science, are women.

How do our scientists' research ranks in global rankings and by what principles is domestic science developing overall?

Belarusian science has long prioritized its own discoveries. It has often been argued that there are global areas to which our scientists, even if they have something to contribute, are not within our country's sphere of interest.

Belarus has always needed developments in the agricultural sector—how to increase the quality and quantity of harvests to boost our exports. Food is in demand worldwide today. Our country exports $9 billion worth of its products to 113 countries. Another area of research is industry, which also offers great prospects.

Looking at priorities, these two global positions have diverged into elements: mechanical engineering, robotics, instrument making, energy, microelectronics, and the bioindustry. And now something the whole world is ready to buy - our brains - the Information Technologies sphere - have emerged. Belarusian science is now striving to work as productively as possible in these areas.

Alexander Postalovsky, Deputy Director of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus:

"Issues such as building a model of an effective social state, artificial intelligence, the transformation of the sociocultural space, effective public administration technologies, and democracy—all these topics, if we're talking about not only the humanities but also sociological science, are priority areas in the current five-year plan and will be addressed through specific research projects."

Currently, 20 scientific and technical programs are being developed, the results of which we should see in practice. Space is an example. Just about a month ago, two Belarusian satellites were launched, with all the central equipment (in simple terms, everything that makes the satellite useful) being domestically produced. The first will, among other things, study magnetic fields. The second will enable early fire detection.

Or here's another example. In 2025, Belarusian scientists developed a test system for detecting influenza A and B viruses, as well as COVID-19. The tests are already available in Belarusian pharmacies. These are examples that have already yielded concrete results. Incidentally, each region must submit its own program during this five-year period.

Many research projects are being tested in technology parks. Their number has increased significantly in Belarus – over the past 10 years, their number has increased sixfold.

Technology parks produce a wide variety of products, from equipment to vaccines. Most importantly, their production volumes are constantly growing.

All this know-how is in demand not only in our country but also globally. Belarus ranks third in the number of quality certificates and the number of graduates in precision and engineering fields, 11th in mobile app development, and 20th in the number of patent applications for utility models. The share of exports of knowledge-intensive and high-tech products in the first nine months of 2025 amounted to more than 37%.

In financial terms, out of every $100 earned from exports, $37 came from products whose creation requires smart technologies and serious science.

And this is just the beginning. The National Academy of Sciences recently received a new impetus for development, and now speed is expected from Belarusian scientists. This applies to ideas, inventions, and, most importantly, to the practical application of all this. Time will tell whether our science will become a true driver, but we have everything we need: brains and money. All that remains is to work.