“When universities work together, they can truly make significant breakthroughs in science and studies. We see this as we participate in various international projects, where our researchers not only draw from the experience of top global institutions but also demonstrate leadership and new directions for science in Europe and the world. It is precisely collaboration and networking among universities, not competition, that open up the broadest opportunities for innovation and progress,” notes Prof. Juozas Augutis, Rector of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU).
According to the Rector, one of VMU’s greatest strengths is its broad-ranging research, engaging and bringing together researchers from various fields and institutions to investigate a wide variety of issues – from climate change and artificial intelligence to multilingualism, demographic studies, and forestry. Interdisciplinarity, where experts from different scientific fields join forces in a common project, is one of the cornerstones of success.
VMU has forged significant partnerships by participating in major research infrastructures and programmes such as the Nemunas and Santaka Valleys, Kaunas Science and Technology Park, the Transform4Europe European University, CLARIN, COST, Jean Monnet, NordPlus, Horizon Europe, and many others. According to Prof. Julija Kiršienė, VMU Vice-Rector for Research, the results of recent years speak for themselves.
“Over the past few years, we have carried out about 300 international and national scientific and business projects at VMU, collaborating with universities and businesses, as well as other organisations. We also implement ‘Horizon 2020’ and ‘Horizon Europe’ projects and coordinate three major international, interdisciplinary ‘Horizon Europe’ projects that we have won: the ‘Forest 4.0’ Centre of Excellence establishment project, DIACOMET – a project on communication ethics and accountability in media, and SKILLS4JUSTICE – a skills development partnership for sustainable and fair migration patterns,” says Prof. Kiršienė.
According to the Vice-Rector, the ‘Forest 4.0’ international project with partners focuses on digitizing forestry activities; DIACOMET, a project involving ten European countries, focuses on standards of media ethics and combating hate speech and disinformation; and the SKILLS4JUSTICE project aims to examine the nature and development of skill shortages and the potential of various skill partnerships to address these shortages in countries of migrant origin and destination.
Value of project contracts reaches 344.9 million euros
In 2023, VMU carried out 298 research projects with a total contract value of 344.9 million euros. Currently, VMU is implementing over a hundred projects in the fields of biotechnology, biophysics, technology law, digital technology, economics, educational science, sociology, philosophy, computational linguistics, language acquisition and bilingualism, creative industries, researcher mobility, and other areas.
“The importance of interdisciplinarity and collaboration is illustrated by the majority of the projects conducted by VMU. For example, the cluster ‘Digital Language Data and Intelligent Technologies’ brings together linguists and computer scientists researching topics in computational linguistics, artificial intelligence, and digital humanities. Representatives of this cluster also represent Lithuania in the international research infrastructure CLARIN ERIC,” explains Prof. Julija Kiršienė.
In collaboration with researchers from Lithuania, Germany, and Finland, VMU initiated a Centre of Excellence of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Living and Working (SustAInLivWork), and alongside ten leading European research institutions, it participates in the research infrastructure Generations and Gender Programme. This programme seeks to develop essential datasets for researchers and policymakers on population and family dynamics and contribute to the resolution of pressing societal challenges. These are just a few of the significant, large-scale ‘Horizon Europe’ projects in which Vytautas Magnus University is involved.
To enhance the competitiveness of Lithuanian higher education, as early as 2019, VMU joined forces with Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, and the Lithuanian Energy Institute for joint scientific projects. Kaunas researchers then began investigating cancer treatment and diagnostics, drug resistance, new sources of bioenergy, and other pertinent issues. Eight years ago, in collaboration with Swiss scientists, VMU developed an innovative cancer treatment method that allows cancer cells to be effectively destroyed with doses a thousand times smaller than those currently used in chemotherapy.
Collaborating with top universities in doctoral studies
VMU is also an active member of the Transform4Europe (T4EU) European University Alliance. According to Prof. Kiršienė, this membership significantly contributes to VMU’s goal of being recognised as a university conducting international scientific research. T4EU facilitates the development of international partnerships, joint degrees, student and teacher exchanges, and participation in research projects with other international institutions. VMU is particularly interested in developing international joint doctoral programmes.
“In every doctoral field at VMU, we have brought together the best Lithuanian and foreign researchers, gathered the finest scientific potential, knowledge, and experience of the participating institutions, and created networks for doctoral studies across various scientific fields. Collaborating with our country’s, Europe’s, and other regions’ institutions, VMU can prepare top-level scientific experts ready to competently address the most pressing challenges,” summarises Prof. Kiršienė, VMU Vice-Rector for Research.
Vytautas Magnus University holds the right to offer doctoral studies in 24 scientific fields and collaborates with 17 Lithuanian higher education and research institutions. As a member of the T4EU network, VMU has started cooperating with other European institutions in conducting doctoral studies. For example, VMU and Sofia University are the first among T4EU partners to have a joint doctoral student under a Cotutelle agreement. A Cotutelle is a model of doctoral studies where collaborating universities admit the same doctoral student according to the regulations in their respective countries and agree on the terms of the doctoral programme. Upon defending the thesis, a double doctoral degree is awarded.
Currently, negotiations are actively underway for doctoral collaboration with other alliance partners, including Saarland University (Germany), University of Alicante (Spain), University of Trieste (Italy), Jean Monnet University (France), and others. The aim is to promote doctoral internships and organise an annual conference for doctoral students from partner universities, as well as summer and winter schools, seminars, and professional development courses for doctoral students and their supervisors.
Unique cooperation project – Academic Kaunas
Another successful example of university collaboration is the Academic Kaunas initiative: the Kaunas Academic Space, where the city’s higher education institutions collaborate rather than compete, offering broader opportunities for studies and research.
“The idea of uniting the city’s universities is not new, as there are examples of such collaborative formats in other European countries, but in Lithuania, this is a unique project, and the results achieved are also unique. For a long time, Kaunas universities lived in competition, avoiding collaboration; however, the situation fundamentally changed once they joined European University Alliances and began operating at an international level. Sharing our experience and bringing together researchers, teachers, and students to contribute to the development of the city, region, and country is our main goal,” says Dr. Simona Pilkienė, VMU Vice-Rector for Studies.
This initiative began in 2022 when Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), and Lithuanian Sports University (LSU) signed a joint agreement. The agreement provides for close cooperation in the fields of research, studies, and practice, as well as in joint projects, and also allows students to freely choose courses of interest at other universities in the city.
By collaborating in the field of studies, the universities within the Kaunas Academic Space aim to provide broad opportunities for students wishing to try out studies at different higher education institutions. One of the key innovations is that students can freely choose courses of interest at other universities in Kaunas, upon completion of which, their results are validated as part of their studies.
“With this initiative, we want to show that Kaunas truly is a student city, where studying can be flexible and free. Undoubtedly, such a unique opportunity brings great benefits to each student who wants to expand their knowledge and develop various competencies. VMU, as a university that conducts studies based on the concept of Artes Liberales, has always provided great freedom for students to create their own schedules – now those opportunities have extended even beyond the university itself,” explains Dr. Pilkienė.
According to the VMU Vice-Rector for Studies, the elective inter-university study courses or modules allow students to freely choose subjects of interest at other universities in Kaunas. For those who complete such elective study courses or modules, the results are validated in accordance with the procedures laid down in the universities’ study regulations.
“Since the autumn semester of 2022, students from the four Kaunas universities have had the opportunity to choose from more than 40 inter-university study courses. Nearly 200 university students take advantage of this opportunity each year. This initiative is also used by foreign students, who particularly appreciate this opportunity when choosing to study in Lithuania. In recognition of the successful results of this initiative, we have decided to further develop the collaboration and have mobilised our experts to develop an interdisciplinary module aimed at addressing practical urban issues, which will be taught by a joint team of teachers from all universities,” says Dr. Pilkienė.
Kaunas universities have united for the sake of students on multiple occasions. In 2023, four Kaunas higher education institutions and the economic development agency Kaunas IN signed an agreement that jointly invites students to study in this city, thereby seeking to enhance Kaunas’s appeal both as a student city and as a city where one can carve out a successful professional path. The agreement was signed by Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Kauno Kolegija Higher Education Institution (KK), Kaunas University of Applied Engineering Sciences (KTK), and the economic development agency Kaunas IN.
“It is gratifying that by participating in joint initiatives and collaborating with universities, businesses, and other partners, VMU is on the path of progress. This is precisely VMU’s mission – to gather and create academic potential, to be active creators of the country’s future, and to contribute to the development of global culture and science. Academic leadership is vitally important for this,” concludes VMU Rector Prof. Juozas Augutis.
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