Presentation of study opportunities at VMU the Agricultural Academy to Kazakhstan’s audience (Kazakhstan, Almata)

Vice deans responsible for studies of VMU Agriculture Academy assoc. prof. A. Adamavičienė (Faculty of Agronomy) and lect. A. Stiklienė (Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology) with the financial support of the project “Raising the Awareness and Prestige of Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions in Kazakhstan, Promoting Studies in Lithuania” NR. 09.3.1-ESFA-V-709-01-0001 attended „International Education fair 2019“ which was held on 11–12 October, 2019 in Kazakhstan, Almata. During this education fair the opportunities of Bachelor and Master studies at Agriculture Academy were presented to the Kazakhstan’s audience.

A. Adamavičienė and A. Stiklienė had meetings with representatives of universities administration at Eurasian Technological University (ETU) and Kazakh National Agrarian University (KazNAU) also. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between VMU Agriculture Academy and Eurasian Technological University was singed and stamped. During the meetings it was discussed about Credit Mobility under Erasmus +, joint programs, double degree programs.

Visit to knowledge day and brokerage event „Horizon 2020 – Science with and for Society 2020“

Lecturer dr. Rasa Pranskūnienė from Bioeconomy Development Faculty, Business and Rural Development Research Institute and the Head of Agriculture Academy Museum has visited knowledge day and brokerage event „Horizon 2020 – Science with and for Society 2020“ in Warsaw, Poland (on the 14th and the 15th of October). More than 200 participants from 33 countries gathered in Warsaw, Copernicus Science Centre to discuss and exchange ideas. Event was organized by SiS.net, the international network of National Contact Points (NCPs) in the field of Science with and for Society in Horizon 2020 in cooperation with the European Commission. This international knowledge day event highlighted topics covered within the 2020 calls for proposals in Science with and for Society (SwafS) programme of Horizon 2020. Participants had the possibility to join in a brokerage event, which was of particular interest and relevance to members of the Science with and for Society research community who are looking for networking and funding opportunities within Horizon 2020. The matchmaking event gave participants the opportunity to join pre-arranged meetings with other participants in order to identify possible collaborators and to facilitate the setup of SwafS project consortia. The matchmaking session was preceded by an information session, which focused on the policy context, funding opportunities and the open call for proposals. This info session brought valuable insights for the proposal preparation, adding important background information to compliment the bilateral meetings on the second day of the event.

VMU Agriculture Academy representatives attended education fairs in Kazakhstan

Vice deans of VMU Agriculture Academy assoc. prof. Tatjana Sankauskenė and assoc. prof. Edvardas Vaiciukevičius with the financial support of the project “Raising the Awareness and Prestige of Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions in Kazakhstan, Promoting Studies in Lithuania” NR. 09.3.1-ESFA-V-709-01-0001 attended education fairs in Kazakhstan. On the 5th and the 6th of October they represented the Agriculture Academy in the Congress Center of Nur-Sultan and on the 8th and the 9th of October in Rixos Khadisha Shymkent.

During the visit in Kazakhstan, Tatjana and Edvardas presented not only the opportunities of studying in the Agriculture Academy for young people of Kazakhstan, but also they had meetings with the top managers of local universities and the representatives of their international departments. They discussed about the establishment of cooperation between universities in the field of academic mobility of students and teachers, attracting foreign scientists for guest lectures, the development of joint educational programs and research.

At Polish Hydropower Conference 2019

On 9-10 October 2019 prof. Petras Punys, dr. Egidijus Kasiulis, MSc Linas Šilinis and PhD student Linas Jurevičius from Institute of Water Resources Engineering together with assoc. prof. Algirdas Radzevičius from Institute of Hydraulic Engineering participated in 9th Polish Hydropower Conference HYDROFORUM 2019. Assoc. prof. Algirdas Radzevičius presented first LIFE NEXUS project results from Lithuania, Poland and Spain, concerning the web-based atlas of micro-hydro inventory in urban water networks (co-authored by prof. Petras Punys). Dr. Egidijus Kasiulis presented the issues that are leading dam removal processes across Europe and the Baltic States (co-authored by MSc Linas Šilinis). PhD student Linas Jurevičius presented first findings of his PhD thesis concerning optimal operation of large hydropower (Kaunas hydropower plant) reservoir. The conference finished with study tour around biggest hydropower plant in Poland – Solina hydropower plant (installed capacity of 200 MW), which operates as mixed pumped storage plant. Two turbines at this plant are installed only to produce electricity while the other two have ability also to reverse flow to upper reservoir.

Presentation of scientific research results in the international scientific conference in Lisbon

Researchers of the Faculty of Bioeconomy Development, Research Institute for Bioeconomy professor V. Vitunskienė, associate professor D. Makutėnienė, lector N. Ramanauskė and PhD student E. Besusparienė participated in the 29^thEurasia Business and Economics Society (EBES) international scientific conference, which was held on 10–12 October, 2019 in Portugal, Lisbon. It was attended by scientists from 52 countries (Bulgaria, Denmark, India, Indonesia, Poland, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, etc.), who presented their research results in the fields of Accounting, Audit, Banking, Investment, Marketing, Growth and Development, Political Economy, Public Economics, etc.

Scholarsof the Research Institute for Bioeconomy made presentations on bioeconomy development issues. The presentation by prof. V. Vitunskienė was ,,Spatial Concentration of Biomass Production Activities in the European Union“, assoc. prof. D. Makutėnienė presented ,,The Impact of Agriculture on the Natural Environment in Terms of Resource Use and GHG Emissions“, lect. N. Ramanauskė presented the paper prepared together with prof. V. Vitunskienė ,,Spatio-Temporal Assessment of Biomass Self-Sufficiency in the European Union“. PhD student E. Besusparienė presented the results of the empirical research from the part of the dissertation devoted to the modelling of fertilizer tax and made presentation ,,The Assessment of Factors Affecting Fertilizer Use on Family Farms in Lithuania”.

Participation in the conference was financed by the Research Council of Lithuania from European Social Fund under the Operational Programme for EU Structural Funds Investments for 2014–2020, by the Faculty of Bioeconomy Development and by EU Erasmus+ Programme. PhD student participation in the conference funded by the Research Council of Lithuania under the support for PhD student academic travel.

Teaching visit in the Palermo University by “Erasmus+” teaching mobility program

Professor Eglė Jotautienė and assoc. professor Antanas Juostas from Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Safety visited the University of Palermo (UNIPA) the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF) by “Erasmus+” teaching mobility program (Staff Mobility for Teaching). Universities has close collaboration in ERASMUS+ visits exchange and participation at International Conferences. We are very thankfull to Erasmus+ Department coordinator Dr. Antonio Comparetti from Palermo University for a smooth and fruitfull organization of the visit.

The University of Palermo (UNIPA) is an acknowledged public academic institution in Central-Western Sicily. Its 5 Schools (Medicine and Surgery; Polytechnic; Law, Social and Economic Sciences; Base and Applied Sciences; Humanities and Cultural Heritage) and 20 Departments cover the most important domains of scientific and technological knowledge. The University offers about 122 (1st and 2nd cycle) degree study programs, 44 Specialisation Schools and 23 PhD programs.

Eglė Jotautienė presented the study programs and mobility of ERASMUS+ possibilities in Vytautas Magnus University of Agriculture Academy and lectures on topic „Innovative technologies in agrimachinery”. Antanas Juostas presented the lectures on topic “Automatic steering and telemetry systems in agriculture: GPS fundamentals, correction signals, driving modes, Telemetry systems in agriculture and yield mapping handling and data management”. Bachelor and master degree students paid big interest on the topics presented during the lectures.

During Palermo University visiting time were taken a possibility to participate in seminars and lectures held by Palermo University lectors. Such a lectures has given an opportunity to think about new organization style of the studies, various teaching methods, communication culture and altitude between teachers and students. The visit has given an opportunity for exchanging the ideas

on future education and research cooperation’s, improving the academic relations between departments and establishing the background for future collaboration in the area of the research, common projects, student’s mobility and enhancing the studies direction towards the research results utilization to business.

Eglė Jotautienė, Antanas Juostas

Visit to University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, AUSTRIA

Kęstutis Navickas professor of the Institute of Energy and Biotechnology Engineering institute (faculty of Agricultural Engineering) visited Institute for Environmental Biotechnology of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Austria) in the period of 07-11.10.2019.

During this visit K. Navickas participated on a joint IEA Bioenergy Task 43 and BioEast Initiative Workshop „Bio-hubs as keys to successful biomass supply integration for bioenergy within the bioeconomy“. Discussions with bioenergy experts about sustainable and reliable biomass supply in a form of bio-hubs for bioenergy within the broader scope of bioeconomy and mobilizing sustainable biomass supply and increased value added along the value chain. BioEast Initiative foresee that the gathered knowledge and shared experience will contribute to the improvement of sustainable biomass mobilisation for energy purposes, notably in the BioEast macro-region.

ERASMUS+ teaching visit in East Sarajevo University and attendance in Symposium

Lecturer Otilija Miseckaite (Institute of the Water Resources Engineering, Faculty of Water and Land Management) with the support by Erasmus+ teaching programme visited East Sarajevo University, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Hercegovina. She presented the lectures and the possibilities for exchanges studies at Vytautas Magnus University. During the stay at the East Sarajevo University the possible cooperation in research, the inter-university cooperation within the framework of the Erasmus + program established and strengthen the scientific cooperation were discussed with Vice-Dean Marko Gutalj, Pof. Dr. Vesna Milic and etc.

The University of East Sarajevo was established on 14 September 1992. In accordance with the Bologna process, which implementation started in 2006, the University was renamed into the University of East Sarajevo and since the academic 2007/08 it has become the integrated university, legal body consisting of 17 organizational units – 15 faculties and 2 academies, have approximately 13,000 students.

After visit at East Sarajevo University, Otilija Miseckaite attended the 10th International Agriculture Symposium „Agrosym 2019“ held on 3-6th October 2019. “Agrosym 2019” – the most important scientific event dealing with agriculture and rural development in the Balkan area. It is also a great scientific platform for the exchange of knowledge and good practices related to agriculture, food, rural development, environment and forestry. The 10th edition of the International Agriculture Symposium “Agrosym 2019” received more than 900 abstracts from around 80 countries across the world.

Researchers Erasmus visit at University of East Sarajevo

Assoc. prof. dr. Anastasija Novikova from the Research Institute for Bioeconomy and assoc. prof. dr. Daiva Šileikienė from the Institute of Environment and Ecology visited the University of East Sarajevo during the 30 of September – 4 of October. They met the main representatives from the International Department and Faculty of Agriculture. Researchers shared their experience in preparation of research projects and discussed the possibilities of future scientific collaboration during the meetings. Assoc. prof. dr. Anastasija Novikova and assoc. prof. dr. Daiva Šileikienė visited the main laboratories of the Faculty of Agriculture on soil, water quality research, which works with different analysis methods. We also were acquainted with the new laboratory equipment received by the Science Foundation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There was possibilities to the visit and stay at the Faculty of Agriculture of University of East Sarajevo will serve as the continuation of cooperation between the faculties of the host and home universities.

Visit to Slovakian Agriculture University in Nitra

Prof. Astrida Miceikienė from the Research Institute for Bioeconomy (Faculty of Bioeconomy development) visited Slovakian agriculture university in Nitra on 30/09/2019 – 04/10/2019. She came to this University for teaching visit and participated in the celebration of 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Faculty of Economic and Management. This events attended 480 guests from 16 countries, 30 partner faculties and university and 27 business partners http://www.fem.uniag.sk/en/news-reader/items/celebration-of-the-60th-anniversary-of-the-foundation-of-the-fem-sua-nitra/

Astrida Miceikienė taught master students on the topics of tax and taxation of Lithuania and EU. During the visit the professor met with the researchers from the Faculty of Economics and Management, guests of the Faculty and discussed opportunities for cooperation. She presented study programs of the Faculty of Bioeconomy development and the possibilities for exchanges studies at Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy. During the stay at the Faculty the possible cooperation in research, the inter-university cooperation within the framework of the Erasmus + program establish and strengthen the scientific cooperation were discussed with Dean of the Faculty prof. Elena Horska. Astrida Miceikiene was presented research fields at Faculty of Bioeconomy development, projects and research journals.