High Scientific Competence Centers Launched at Vytautas Magnus University for Bioeconomy Development and GDP Growth
Creating economic prosperity without compromising future generations is only achievable by developing bioeconomy based on sustainability and circular economy principles. In Lithuania, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy (VMU AA), which holds extensive experience and scientific potential in bioeconomy research, has taken the leadership role in promoting efficient use of biological resources. A significant new step in this direction is the establishment of two centers of high scientific competence: the Bioeconomy Excellence Centre (BioTec) and the Smart Forestry Excellence Centre. These centers aim to foster innovation, develop science-business partnerships, educate young scientists, enhance the university’s visibility, and strive for leadership in the Baltic region and across Europe.
Creating Added Value for Both the State and the Academy
The quality of research at VMU and other Lithuanian public universities is being enhanced through the “University Excellence Initiative” launched by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport in 2023. In 2023, €4 million was allocated, last year more than €13 million, and by 2027, a total of €57.5 million is planned.
“Universities themselves, knowing best their strengths and priorities, could decide where to invest these state-provided funds. VMU has decided to divide these funds to strengthen social sciences and bioeconomy,” said VMU AA Chancellor Prof. Dr. Astrida Miceikienė.
According to Prof. Miceikienė, identifying priority areas was straightforward for an institution celebrating 100 years of scientific tradition. Agronomy and environmental engineering emerged as critical for both international leadership and domestic bioeconomy stimulation, prompting the establishment of the Bioeconomy Research Centre of Excellence at VMU Agriculture Academy.
“VMU AA researchers have also achieved remarkable success in forestry research, collaborating with leading European science centers. Hence, we are establishing another center—the Smart Forestry Excellence Centre—funded not by the ministry’s initiative but by winning international competition through the HORIZON-WIDERA-2022 program, dedicated to creating and developing the ‘FOREST 4.0’ excellence center,” Prof. Miceikienė explained.
According to Prof. Miceikienė, these centers attract top scientists capable of innovative research. Modern infrastructure, equipment acquisition, and research funding are essential to these goals.
Chancellor of VMU Agriculture Academy, Prof. Dr. Astrida Miceikienė
“The centers aim to attract young researchers focused long-term on bioeconomy and forestry, alongside international experts, since Lithuania, being a small country, cannot maintain top experts in all fields,” she stated. These excellence centers generate value for both the state and VMU AA by enhancing researchers’ capabilities, promoting innovation, increasing academic publications, and training more graduate students. Innovations created by researchers can be commercialized, ultimately boosting GDP through increased tax revenues.
Positive Social and Economic Impact
According to Prof. Dr. Zita Kriaučiūnienė, head of VMU AA’s Bioeconomy Research Centre of Excellence, the center has already yielded results by acquiring advanced scientific equipment and software. Tools like “SimaPro” software enable comprehensive lifecycle assessments for agricultural systems, aiding sustainable agricultural decisions. Other innovations, like “LI-COR” portable gas analyzers and precision nitrogen fertilizer application technologies, significantly improve research quality in agronomy and environmental engineering.
Research topics include soil and plant health, climate change mitigation, and sustainable agrotechnologies. These studies aim to positively impact society and the economy by promoting agricultural sustainability and resilience against climate change.
Prof. Dr. Zita Kriaučiūnienė, head of VMU AA’s Bioeconomy Research Centre of Excellence
Prof. Dr. Zita Kriaučiūnienė highlighted numerous publications in prestigious scientific journals, active international conference participation, and collaborative projects, including “Holistic Assessment of Agroecological Measures” (2025-2028) and innovations for sustainable wheat production using advanced sensors and spectroscopy.
“VMU AA Bioeconomy Research Centre of Excellence actively promotes technology commercialization. The next step involves encouraging innovative bioeconomy ventures capable of creating high-value products,” summarized Prof. Dr. Zita Kriaučiūnienė.
Smart Forestry Excellence Centre – For a Data-Driven Future of the Forestry Sector
Smart Forestry Excellence Centre for Innovative Bioeconomy Under the HORIZON-WIDERA-2022 program, VMU AA, alongside European partners, is developing the “FOREST 4.0” project—a competence center applying AI and IoT in forestry. The project aims to enhance Lithuania’s bioeconomy leadership in Europe by digitalizing forestry operations and supporting informed decision-making.
Prof. Dr. Gintautas Mozgeris from the Department of Forestry and Ecology emphasizes that tools developed will provide comprehensive data on forest ecosystems, enable risk forecasting, and promote balanced resource management. The project also plans to implement greenhouse gas emission monitoring technologies to support carbon farming practices, ensuring effective management and carbon credit verification.
Head of the Department of Forest Sciences, Faculty of Forestry and Ecology, VMU Agriculture Academy, Prof. Dr. Gintautas Mozgeris
“It is particularly important to avoid practices where greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters purchase carbon credits that do not actually result in emission reductions or increased absorption. Through the ‘Forest 4.0’ project, it is planned to establish a GHG emission monitoring tower capable of capturing real-time data on greenhouse gas emissions within a radius of over 100 kilometers. Additionally, mobile equipment will be utilized to monitor long-term GHG balances, enabling analysis of how GHG balances change in different conditions such as clear-cut areas, restored forest wetlands, and more. Expanded scientific research will validate effective carbon farming methods, simultaneously reducing the risks and societal impacts associated with the increasingly prevalent practice of ‘greenwashing,’” summarized Prof. Dr. G. Mozgeris.
Ultimately, VMU AA’s advanced research initiatives in bioeconomy and forestry promise significant social and economic benefits, including increased national GDP and sustainable growth.
