Truly Home: International Students Share Why They Choose Belarus for Their Education

More than 2,500 students from African countries are studying at Belarusian universities, approximately 500 of them in medical fields. Belarus is prepared not only to significantly increase the number of African students at domestic universities but also to more actively engage faculty from this region in internships.

What is multi-vectorism? It's something much talked about in the West, and something we're working hard to achieve in our country. Greater Eurasia, China, the Middle and Far East, and even Africa are among the priority partners. But partnership, in the most primordial Belarusian traditions, should be not only on paper but also in warm human relations. We share the lessons of Belarusian multi-vectorism with the world. For those who truly appreciate them, we welcome you!

Andrei Ivanets, Minister of Education of Belarus: "This is a very dynamically growing continent for us. We see that the number of students coming from African countries is growing every year. And this isn't just a coincidence; it's a serious trend, because the large number of young people on the African continent is unable to provide higher education to most countries. And with the development of the intellectual and innovative potential of these countries, we see a demand and interest among students from the African continent for higher education."

Chinese, Arabic, French, English. Today, foreign languages are increasingly heard at the Medical Institute, the Polytechnic Institute, and other Belarusian universities. There are already 35,000 students from abroad studying across the country. Just 10 years ago, their number was half that.

Over 2,500 students from African countries are studying at Belarusian universities.

Today, nearly 3,000 students from 32 African countries choose our country as their study destination. Most of them represent Nigeria, Congo, Cameroon, and Morocco. For Belarus, Africa is like China 30 years ago. And, as the President of Belarus will call this region, it's the market of the future.

Asongacha Elsie Fong, student at the Belarusian State Agrarian Technical University (Cameroon): "I arrived to study a few days ago, and I can say I'm delighted. I chose the Belarusian Agrarian University and its Faculty of Management because Belarus is a world leader in this field. The education is high-quality, and we've already been promised plenty of practical training. Belarus is also a peaceful country, and the people here are very welcoming."

Incidentally, international students can study at Belarusian universities, including for free. Thanks to the support of the head of state, a grant system has been in place in Belarus since 2018 to implement specific joint projects abroad and train personnel for them.

Ahmed Abdulkadir, student at the Belarusian State University (Libya): "I studied in Libya for a year and realized that something needed to change. Education in Belarus is not only affordable, it's much better quality. There's a personalized approach to each student, more interesting topics, and more practical experience. I didn't speak any Russian when I arrived, but thanks to my Belarusian friends, I learned about Belarusian culture. It's wonderful."

And for those who have chosen a medical profession but also want to contribute to international relations, there's cultural diplomacy. She's a straight-A student at our medical university and a participant in the 34th "Slavianski Bazaar" in Vitebsk.

Belarus is said to be the place where I first felt truly at home. The people were open and welcoming, and I made friends with whom it was easy and interesting to be with.

Jessica Ogbunuju, student at the Belarusian State Medical University (Nigeria): "You should never be afraid of growth, even if it means moving. At the medical university in Belarus, I realized how well and responsibly they treat students and their knowledge, especially in medicine. I strive to achieve high grades in order to work here. Another dream of mine that came true in Belarus is participating in the main vocal competition in Vitebsk."

The geography of Belarusian educational services exports is quite extensive. Increasingly, we see citizens of so-called distant arc countries at our universities who have not previously studied in Belarus, for example, from New Zealand, the Central African Republic, and El Salvador. Because knowledge should be borderless.