2026 Master's diploma awarding ceremony

The ceremony was attended not only by faculty members and parents, but also by a special guest: Vladimir Yurgevich, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus – Inspector for the Vitebsk Region. This visit was particularly significant for him, as it was his first time attending a diploma awarding ceremony at Polotsk University, where he personally congratulated the Master's graduates on the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

Vladimir Yurgevich, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus – Inspector for the Vitebsk Region: "The Head of State, Aleksandr Lukashenko, pays immense attention to the education system at all levels, from basic education to collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences. I am confident that today's graduates, upon entering the national economy and various enterprises, will make a significant contribution to the development of our economy.

We all see how highly competitive the global market is today. The President rightly points out that it is not enough to simply manufacture high-quality products; one must also know how to market and sell them profitably. I am confident that the knowledge you have acquired at this wonderful university, which has established all the necessary scientific and technical foundation for training highly qualified specialists, will serve as a solid foundation for your future careers. I wish you every success, and may your professional and scientific achievements be realized only in times of peace. Best of luck to you all!"

This year, 81 Master's graduates from Polotsk University are ready to start their professional careers at companies and organizations across the country. A large part of the graduates – 44 students – are international students, including 18 Master's graduates who finished their studies through a joint programme with Tashkent State University of Economics. On July 8, the Rector of Polotsk University, Yury Ramanouski, will attend the diploma awarding ceremony in Tashkent. The high quality of education is shown by the Belarusian Master's students themselves: 13 of the 26 full-time Master's graduates have decided to stay at their university, continuing their work as university staff.

Pursuing a Master's degree is a thoughtful choice for those who strive for excellence. Alexey Radyuk, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, spoke about the value of this step and his pride in his students' achievements: "Students who decide to continue their studies at the Master's level are taking an important step. In my opinion, the main difference of a Master's programme – which we mention every time from this stage –is that it is always a purposeful choice. People don't just enter a Master's programme 'just because': they choose this path, show their skills in research, achieve good results in their studies, and decide to do even more.

The most important factor here is the simple desire to know a little more and understand things a little better. This trait, no matter how simple it sounds, shows a completely different mindset–the mindset of becoming a true professional. You cannot be a top-level specialist without this drive. This is someone who improves every day and aims for professional and career growth. In my opinion, this is exactly what makes Master's graduates stand out.

Of course, we must not forget that a Master's programme is not just about deeper specialization. It is about developing analytical skills, adding to scientific knowledge, and finding answers to new questions – which is a very difficult but important task. And we are very happy that, through the teamwork of our wonderful colleagues and the students themselves, we have successfully achieved this goal.

It has been a great honor for me to support you on this journey and watch you grow into a new level of professionals. I believe each of today's graduates has had a wonderful, even if sometimes challenging, journey that you shared with your peers, research supervisors, and professors."

The Rector of Polotsk University, Yury Ramanouski, addressed the graduates with words of encouragement for their professional future: "Dear Master's graduates! You have completed another important step in your lives. Over the past year and a half to two years, depending on your programme, you have gained valuable research skills. You have learned not just to follow instructions and complete tasks, but to come up with your own ideas and set goals for yourselves and others. I am sure your professors and research supervisors gave you great help along the way.

The final result of your studies is your Master's thesis. It is important that this thesis becomes a starting point for your future achievements. For some of you, this might be the first step toward a PhD, and eventually a Doctoral degree. Your future research could help solve important tasks in import substitution at your companies, or allow you to introduce new ideas and results into their daily work.

Companies are eagerly waiting for you. Many of you already have work experience, and this diploma will help you in your future careers. A diploma is not just a piece of paper; it is proof of the most important skills you have gained. I am sure you will give us many reasons to be proud of your achievements. We will see your names in newspapers, on honor boards, and in the news. Dear graduates, I wish you every success on your new path!"

The official part of the ceremony continued with speeches from faculty representatives and the graduates themselves.

Margarita Sirotkina, Head of the Department of Modern Foreign Languages: "I want to congratulate you on this wonderful event! As is the tradition among language scholars, I want to tell you a parable.

Once, a wise man gathered his students on the riverbank and said to them: 'You have gained a lot of knowledge and read many wise scrolls, but now you face one final test'. He gave them old, dusty baskets with holes and asked them to bring back water in them. The students ran to the river and tried to scoop up the water. The fastest ones ran back and forth, trying hard and getting soaking wet. In the end, they came to the wise man and said it was impossible – the task could not be done.

The wise man replied: 'But look at your baskets now'. The students looked at them – the baskets were shining in the sun. All the dust had washed away; they were clean and looked brand new.

It is the same with us: by gaining knowledge and constantly updating it, we keep our minds sharp. In modern life, it is impossible to 'learn everything' and become a walking encyclopedia. We need to keep learning throughout our lives.

I want to wish you three things. First: don't be 'closed containers'; be clear like clean glass bottles – let the light shine through you, take in new knowledge, and constantly refresh it. Second: be like those baskets with holes –  filter out everything secondary and unimportant, keeping only what truly matters. Set big goals for yourselves. I always tell graduates: dream big, and everything will work out! And third: don't just stand on the shore. Boldly step into the water, and don't be afraid to get your clothes wet. Set high professional and personal goals, and you will succeed!"

Makhri Amanmyradova, Master's graduate: "Two years ago, I stood here with my Bachelor's diploma, and today I am here with my Master's diploma. I am very happy that I chose Euphrosyne Polotskaya State University of Polotsk.

I want to say a huge thank you to our university, the rectorate, and the entire administration for creating such a warm atmosphere. I want to give special thanks to our Dean, Alexey Leonidovich – thank you for your support and attention. I also want to thank the Head of the International Department, Olga Viktorovna – thank you for caring for international students, it means a lot to us.

And now I want to say the most important thing. My deepest thanks go to my research supervisor, Margarita Mikhailovna Sirotkina. Margarita Mikhailovna, thank you so much for your incredible patience! Thank you for always helping me, for your hard work, and for your wonderful kindness.

Today, my closest person is in this hall–my mom. Mom, thank you for your love, your support, for everything! To my fellow Master's graduates, I wish you great success, and to everyone here, I wish you good luck in life. Thank you all!"