Applied Research Conference of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research "Strategic Analysis and Forecasting: Belarus in the Global World"

To the participants of the applied research conference «Strategic Analysis and Forecasting. Belarus in the Global World»

Dear conference participants!

I am delighted to welcome you in the hero-city of Minsk for the applied research conference hosted by our leading analytical centre – Belarusian Institute of Strategic Research.

In light of the global instability, it is crucial to encourage transparent and structured discussions. The modern world faces numerous challenges and paradoxes that result in significant crisis phenomena. Therefore, today’s conference, named as a gathering of peers and colleagues, holds immense importance. Reliable communication between professionals and analysts facilitates our comprehensive understanding of the multiple factors involved in ongoing global processes.

In the emerging global and regional environment, Belarus fully supports existing dialogue formats while simultaneously proposing novel approaches. Our country’s position in the international arena is based on continuity, adherence to principles and traditions, stability and openness of the Belarusian society.

I am confident that today’s discussion will be extremely constructive and practice-oriented, facilitating the development of precise methods that will enhance collaboration among the leading regional «think tanks».

I wish you all a productive stay in Belarus’ capital. May your work be fruitful and leave you with pleasant memories.

Head of the Administration of the President
of the Republic of Belarus                                                                                                                        Igor P. Sergeenko

25 October 2023

The Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research (BISR) (БИСИ) is a «think tank» established by the President of the Republic of Belarus on 12 February 2019 to provide information and analytical support for the Head of State and top officials in strategic areas of foreign and domestic policy.

The main focus of BISR’s operations include:

• scrutiny of domestic political processes and development of recommendations aimed at improving state policies in various areas;
• expertise of strategic planning documents (doctrines, concepts, strategies) developed by state bodies;
• objective research and analysis of international relations, geopolitical shifts, foreign policy processes, international security concerns with consideration given to their impact on the national interests of Belarus;
• analysis of foreign experience of information relations, political system development and multilateral cooperation;
• applied and fundamental scientific research in the field of domestic policy and international relations, whilst also organising scientific events such as conferences, symposia, and seminars;
• involvement in the implementation of interstate scientific programmes and projects, collaboration with scientific entities, analytical institutes and centres, universities.

BISR collaborates actively with top Belarusian and international institutions of science and education, research organisations and centres, public associations and mass media.

As an accredited scientific organisation, the Institute is dedicated to achieving precise scientific results that align with the country’s long-term development objectives and support the implementation of relevant state policy in priority areas.

The scientific expertise of BISR is embodied by analysts holding doctorates in law, economics, and sociology, as well as PhD candidates.

Currently, the Institute has consolidated prominent experts in strategic analysis, political science, sociology, media, national security, foreign policy and international relations. For the expert community in Belarus, BISR is a recognised hub for aggregating, analysing and implementing ideas.

BISR’s research also focuses on exploring the historical memory of the Belarusian people, the features of the impact of digital transformation on the development of society, as well as the creation of in-house analytical methods.

The findings of scientific activities are showcased in analytical reports that are distributed to both the country’s officials and state entities. Additionally, they are disseminated in publications, including reviews provided by BISR analysts to prominent mass media, and through speeches at both domestic and international scientific and expert events.

The BISR project series endeavours to explore the specific features of Belarusian society. The projects «Value Profile of Modern Belarus’ Society», «Generation Z: Attitudes and Values of Modern Belarusian Youth», «Social State in Action», «Pulse of Society» are dedicated to the subject.

At regional level, BISR implements the projects «Small Towns of Belarus» (study of social well-being, identification of problematic aspects and possible solutions), «The Future of the Village» (promising areas of integrated development of rural areas), «Young Analysts» (identification of talented young people inclined to analytical activities, organisation of creative competitions, seminars and training programmes).

BISR uses «big data» and modern algorithms to monitor media trends and current information flows. For this purpose, we have our own distinctive innovations, including the InfoMetrix information and analytical monitoring system. This enables us to swiftly analyse the information landscape, identify and describe «fake» information waves, and overall determine media trends.

As part of the Social State in Action project, the InfoSociology platform has been developed. It enables online sociological research, allowing users to create, edit and publish survey forms. Additionally, the platform offers analysis tools to interpret the information obtained, providing both graphical and textual reports on the surveys conducted.

Being the largest Belarusian think tank, BISR prioritises expert diplomacy as a key instrument for international cooperation. BISR maintains ongoing interaction with experts and 50 analytical structures from approximately 30 countries. We continuously expand our network of external partners and establish business contacts with foreign diplomatic missions accredited in Belarus.

The «Pivot to Asia» concept holds great significance in the research activities of the Institute. This track is the subject of a separate project titled «Big Game 2.0 in Asia», which analyses current trends and various aspects of bilateral cooperation between Belarus and the countries in the region.

The project «Belarus and China: Common Trajectory of Development» studies the contours of China’s transformation during Xi Jinping’s third term, the dynamics of Sino-European relations and their impact on Belarus, party building in China, and China’s regional development.

BISR project «Emerging World Order. Global Trends. Vision of the Future» aims to identify the current aspects of geopolitical transformations and their reflections on global perspectives, challenges, and key global trends.