Mikalai Lukashenka has received a degree from Peking University. A graduation ceremony for the first cohort of the joint Belarusian-Chinese biotechnology programme run by the Belarusian State University and Peking University was held in the Chinese capital today.
Before the ceremony, Aliaksandr Lukashenka met with the leadership of the Chinese university. He also addressed the graduation ceremony. Judging by the circumstances, his current visit to China was timed, among other things, to coincide with his son’s graduation.
“We would like to see what has begun here continue to develop. In Belarus, we would like these programmes to be comprehensive and in-depth, and we would also like them to be practice-oriented. Otherwise, what is the purpose of this education if it is not fully focused on practical application and does not benefit our two peoples?” he said.
Lukashenka added that today’s graduates had faced stiff competition for admission four years ago.
“It does not matter who they are: the president’s son or an ordinary young man from a rural or urban school. They all had equal opportunities to stand on this stage,” he added.
Lukashenka reiterated that Belarusian specialists should work in Belarus, although Russian and Chinese companies are interested in employing them.
“These are exceptional young people whom not only Belarus wants to recruit. They have already been offered highly paid jobs in China and Russia, major countries. I am sure the West would also welcome them. But my requirement is extremely strict: we did everything so that you could study here for the sake of Belarus,” he continued.
Lukashenka also set out another requirement.
“My requirement is extremely strict: we did everything to ensure that you studied here for Belarus. Scientists will support me: science is international; it cannot belong to one nation or exist in isolation. Therefore, from Belarus, we are ready to work first and foremost for the well-being of the Chinese people and everyone else who wishes to cooperate with us.
Therefore, my friends, I am addressing you now as president. You must remember that you are ours, you are Belarusians. You must do everything possible for the development of Belarus. Make sure that if we envy the Chinese state for its development, it is only a little. We must learn to do everything ourselves. We already know how to do many things, and we have a foundation for your work. You know where you will work. And you know that you will always have support at the highest level. So create, build and innovate. A great future lies ahead of you,” he said.
Judging by the published photographs, Mikalai Lukashenka received two degrees: one from the Belarusian State University and one from Peking University.
In 2022, the Belarusian State University and Peking University signed an agreement establishing a joint undergraduate programme in biotechnology. In July 2025, they signed another agreement covering the same speciality at the master’s degree level.
