The Military Training Center of KBSU: From Establishment to Status as an Inter-University Training Hub

The Military Training Center (MTC) at the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov has become an important element of the military training system in the region. Its creation was initiated by a Russian Government order dated January 31, 2024, and confirmed by a Presidential Decree dated April 12, 2024. The MTC’s key mission is the targeted training of qualified military personnel commissioned by the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS).

The first cadet intake took place in 2024. Currently, 95 cadets from the initial cohort are undergoing their final 30-day military training camp, which includes a trip to the base in Mozdok. Following the field training, a military oath ceremony will be held in accordance with the curriculum. Graduates will be awarded military ranks and issued military ID cards for privates and sergeants in the reserve.

The current recruitment process marked an expansion of the range of specialists being trained at the Military Training Center. This year, 121 cadets were recruited through a competitive process, based on the results of standards selected by a committee headed by representatives of the Ministry of Defense.

The training is divided into two key areas: 99 cadets are training as mechanics and unmanned aerial system (UAV) operators to serve as privates and sergeants in the reserve; 22 cadets have been assigned to the platoon of UAV unit combat crew chiefs. Upon completion of their training, they will be awarded the rank of lieutenant in the reserve.

As noted by Vice Rector for General Affairs Murat Gukepshokov, starting next year, the quota for lieutenant training is planned to be increased by another 10 spots. This program will be aimed at applicants seeking officer rank and subsequent contract service. This educational pathway effectively equates graduates to those graduating from a traditional military academy.

The KBSU Military Training Center is also expected to be transformed into an interuniversity military training center in the near future. Receiving the status of an interuniversity center will allow for the allocation of additional state-funded places and open the opportunity for students from other universities in Kabardino-Balkaria to undergo military training at KBSU in sought-after Aerospace Forces specialties.

«The KBSU Military Training Center not only successfully fulfills the state order for training specialists for modern, high-tech branches of the armed forces, but is also developing dynamically,» concluded Murat Gukepshokov.