“Great lectures,” but “lives in a world he created himself.” Students talk about the BSUIR lecturer who recorded an appeal to Lukashenka

Dzmitry Anoshka

“There were very few lecturers like him”

Mark (name changed) enrolled in the Faculty of Computer Networks and Systems at BSUIR in 2018. He studied the specialty "Software for Information Technologies":

— Dzmitry Anoshka taught us the most important programming subjects for the first three semesters, that is, until the middle of the second year. The first semester covered a subject with a basic introduction to programming, algorithms, etc. All of this was taught using Delphi as an example, to provide a low entry barrier after school Pascal. The second semester was more complex: we studied how everything works at a low level. Key topics included studying Assembler x16 (FASM), processor instruction execution architecture, execution pipeline, low-level optimizations, and related concepts. And finally, the third semester was dedicated to the C language (plain C, without pluses).

Compared to other lecturers, Dzmitry Anoshka stood out. He truly imparted very important fundamental Computer Science knowledge, rather than just reciting from an old textbook. He shared a lot from his own experience; extensive practical experience was evident.

There were very few lecturers like him. In all four years of my study — a maximum of 10-20 people; most simply read the course from an old textbook. Now, most likely, only a handful remain.

I remember he even held extra lectures outside the schedule for those who wanted to gain deeper knowledge.

I really liked his lectures. But I was, rather, an exception. Many classmates felt that Dzmitry Anoshka was excessively "harsh and demanding" during exams and credit tests. I didn't share this opinion. Here, rather, the point is that in my time, many enrolled simply because Belarusian IT was at its peak then. Not everyone understood that programming isn't that simple. I, however, came to university already with practical experience, writing simple programs and bots for a small community on Telegram, and had dabbled a bit in competitive programming at school.

During my studies, I didn't hear about any conflicts he had with the BSUIR administration. But the atmosphere at BSUIR in those years was completely different. IT was "on the hype", the state intervened very little in the IT education process. After 2020–2022, many good people, including from the management, resigned or were dismissed.

In 2020, I was in my third year, and Anoshka was no longer teaching my stream at that point. As far as I heard, his views were rarely expressed within the university. Anoshka's main political statements were on his VK page.

These posts are still preserved — they contain attacks on a platform that collected ballot photos, on independent media, "parallels" between the actions of the opposition and the Rwandan genocide, criticism of activists and protest participants, stories about "Ukrainian Maidan playbooks," reposts from propagandists.

It caused dissonance for me then that such a good lecturer and specialist could hold such strange political views and beliefs.

“His lectures always had discussions, and it was very interesting”

Dzianis (name changed) studied under Dzmitry Anoshka for a year and a half. This was several years ago:

— Dzmitry Yauhenavich taught his subjects very interestingly and deeply. But he also demanded a corresponding level in exams. His subjects were introductory, fundamental for understanding programming in general. They covered both beginner and advanced topics. You could always discuss something with him during or after classes.

His main approach was for us to consider not so much a specific programming language, but rather how certain code writing approaches look, and how the "internals" of programming languages and platforms are structured. His lectures always had discussions, and it was very interesting. Of course, if a student wanted to benefit from such classes.

Exams and credit tests usually included theoretical questions and simple tasks from approved tickets. He didn't deliberately fail anyone. On the contrary, he often met students halfway and gave them another chance to think. Or he would prompt them to think in the right direction, and the student would arrive at the answer together with him.

Among interesting things, the "Blinchiki" (Pancakes) event he organized is also recalled: students could demonstrate programs and demoscenes they had written independently in Assembler. He assisted and supervised such projects in every way.

Dzmitry Yauhenavich was eager to teach, especially "enthusiastic" students. But those who didn't want to study still had to, because passing an exam with him without knowledge was impossible. Feedback about him was mostly very positive. Even before enrolling, I was recommended "Software for Information Technologies" partly because of him as a lecturer.

I don't recall any conflicts between him and the BSUIR administration at that time. Nothing negative, at least, was made public.

“Lives in the universe he created himself”

Siarhei (name changed), like the previous narrators, studied under Dzmitry Anoshka during his first and second years.

— He was very charismatic. For freshmen, he was an authority figure then, a truly interesting lecturer, with constant jokes and witty remarks in lectures. He always had many interesting stories. And Anoshka created such an impression, an inspiring one. He was liked in the department and the dean's office as a young lecturer, supposedly representing the future of the department and the university.

Taking a credit test/exam with him was nerve-wracking and intimidating. But they were conducted with respect; he would delve into the essence, not based on personal feelings.

Of course, there was something snobbish about him, like from a lecturer who considers himself a genius. But not a genius who would follow everyone else. For example, some lecturers worked in IT companies and also at the university either as a work-off for their master's/postgraduate studies, or simply because they couldn't do without teaching. But Anoshka went against the majority and collaborated not with IT companies, but with some unclear state projects in the areas of public security and energy.

He always had a "contrarian" vibe. "They are wrong, these are wrong, the majority are wrong, and he is the sole D'Artagnan." This rejection of everything popular led him to a skeptical attitude towards COVID and to pro-Lukashenka positions. In 2020, he complained to the dean's office specifically about me for inviting my classmates and fellow students to protest actions at the university.

Deans [since then] have changed, lecturers have been dismissed, but he remained. Now he lives in the universe he created himself.

“Alright, we've engaged in nonsense — that's enough, time to study”

Dzmitry (name changed) studied the specialty "Software for Information Technologies" at the Faculty of Computer Networks and Systems at BSUIR since 2018:

— Dzmitry Yauhenavich taught us for the first three semesters, giving an introduction to programming, Delphi, C, and Assembler. As a lecturer, he was very good, standing out strongly against other lecturers.

Many lecturers at the university are either academics with fantastic knowledge but suffer from difficulties in transmitting this knowledge due to the difference in understanding levels between student and professor, or they are retrograde lecturers who reject any innovations in principle and teach from textbooks ~20 years old. Dzmitry Yauhenavich, however, taught his subjects dynamically, always answered questions, was very engaged during lectures, organized something like an Assembler Olympiad for those interested, and generally seemed very keen to teach us something.

He demanded, rather, an understanding of his subjects, not rote memorization of definitions, which greatly pleased us then. His credit tests/exams, although difficult, were quite possible to pass. Including because one could demonstrate understanding, not just cramming. I passed all his subjects without retakes, although I was very nervous.

In 2020, he didn't accuse us of "treason to the homeland," but he made it clear that he considered student protests at best youthful folly, that there were no grounds for protests, and that we were being misled. He conveyed the idea, "Alright, we've engaged in nonsense — that's enough, time to study." On his personal VK page, he was much harsher and more outspoken.

For many of us, this came as a shock, because Dzmitry Yauhenavich gave the impression of a lively, humane lecturer, interested not in formalism, but in knowledge.

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