Opportunity to Apply for an Internship in Lithuania

VMU Department of International Relations invites foreign students and graduates of full-time studies to apply for internships in Lithuanian market. The main aim of the internship is to provide an opportunity for foreign VMU students and graduates to acquire practical skills in Lithuanian companies and organisations. The internship will contribute to the development of professional knowledge and skills, help to improve Lithuanian language, provide an opportunity to gain valuable work experience and help to establish professional contacts, thus increasing the chances of employment and successful integration into the Lithuanian labour market.

VMU full-time international students requirements:

The duration of the students’ traineeships – min 2 months, max 4 months.
Estimated total number of hours of internship – minimum 20 hours per week.
Traineeship scholarship – EUR 650/month.

VMU full-time international graduates requirements:

The duration of the graduates’ traineeships – 6 months.
Estimated total number of hours of internship – minimum 30 hours per week.
Traineeship scholarship – EUR 650/month.

The competition is open to full-time students in the first to third study cycle (except first-year students). The internship is not part of the study programme, it is complimentary. Also, please note that the internship can’t be performed at the company at which the applicant is currently employed.

The list of available traineeships can be found here.

Required application documents:

Completed online application form “Application International Students Traineeships in Lithuanian Companies/organisations”;”
Confirmation (standard VMU form) from the hosting company/organisation.

Candidates are evaluated according to the following criteria:

Good academic performance without academic debts.
Motivation: motivation letter and interview, indicating relevance of the traineeship to personal career design;
Additional points: experience in academic, professional or social activities abroad and in Lithuania; pre-arranged and agreed internship place; knowledge of Lithuanian language.

The decision on the candidacy is made by the special UPinLT selection committee approved by the Rector of VMU. The selection process will respect the basic principles of transparency, equality and non-discrimination. The final selection results will be communicated to the participants personally by e-mail and via the VMU student portal, not later than 2 weeks after the application deadline.

Application deadline is 16 June 2024

More information about contest

Erasmus+ Teaching Visits for VMU Academic Staff

Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) International Cooperation Department invites all VMU academic staff members to participate in the contest for Erasmus+ teaching visits in EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA countries.

Please find announcements for the competitions:

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via email erasmus[eta]vdu.lt.

VMU to Hold Graduation Ceremony

On 18-22 June, Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) invites everyone to participate in festive graduation events.

On 18 June, a graduation ceremony will be held for graduates of the Faculty of Law.

On 19 June, diplomas will be awarded to graduates of the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Informatics, the Music Academy and for the graduates of VMU Agriculture Academy (Faculty of Agronomy, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Bioeconomy Development).

On 20 June, a graduation ceremony will be held for graduates of the Faculty of Economics and Management.

On 21 June, diplomas will be awarded to graduates of the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Catholic Theology and for the graduates of first-cycle and second-cycle studies and vocational studies in Pedagogy, as well as, awarding of certificates of teacher retraining modular studies at the VMU Education Academy in Vilnius.

On 22 June a graduation ceremony will be held for second-cycle graduates of VMU Education Academy in Kaunas and awarding of certificates of teacher retraining modular studies of VMU Education Academy in Kaunas, as well as, for graduates of first-cycle studies and vocational studies in Pedagogy of VMU Education Academy in Kaunas.

Vytautas Magnus University’s diplomas will be solemnly awarded to the graduates in the premises of VMU.

FESTIVE HALL OF VMU AGRICULTURE ACADEMY | STUDENTŲ G. 11, AKADEMIJA, KAUNAS DISTRICT

10 a.m. Graduation ceremony of the AA Faculty of Agronomy

12 p.m. Graduation ceremony of the AA Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology

2 p.m. Graduation ceremony of the AA Faculty of Engineering

4 p.m. Graduation ceremony of the AA Faculty of Bioeconomy Development

The event will be photographed and/or filmed; therefore, please note that you might be featured in photos or videos which can be published in various media outlets.

The Student Survey “Teaching and Learning Evaluation” is Underway

At the end of each semester, all students of bachelor, master, integrated and professional studies as well as free movers are invited to share their opinion about teachers’ and their own work during the study courses. The Spring semester survey has started at University, and it will be open until the 11^th of June.

The link to the survey Teaching and learning evaluation can be found on the main window of the Student Portal, the survey is anonymous. Students have a possibility to follow the data on the participation in the survey as they can see the number and percentage of questionnaires received for each study course on the Student Portal.

The survey is of a summative nature, so teachers will be able to respond to students’ suggestions while preparing for the study courses of the next semesters. While the survey is ongoing, teachers can monitorthe information about student participation on the Teacher Portal, and they will be able to get acquainted with students’ responses from the middle of June.

We kindly ask teachers to encourage students to take part in the survey Teaching and learning evaluation.

More information:

Scholarships Awarded to Students for Academic or Artistic Achievements

For the second time Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) announced a competition for scholarships for scientific or artistic achievements for VMU students, which aims to encourage students to pursue scientific or artistic activities.

Following the public announcement of the competition, 42 students in total have submitted their applications to present their scientific and/or artistic activities for the previous calendar year (2023). Candidates with at least one scientific publication, a conference presentation, or a public presentation of their work were eligible for the scholarship. Following an evaluation of the applications by a panel of experts, scholarships of 500 EUR (five hundred euros) were awarded to 25 students from different fields of study, who had the highest and most significant achievements, as assessed by the corresponding points of scientific (artistic) production and activities.

Scholarships were awarded:

Engineering and Technology: to a student of the Faculty of Engineering of the VMU Agriculture Academy Bachelor’s degree program Agricultural Mechanical Engineering.
Mathematical Sciences, Computer Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences: to a student of the Faculty of Informatics Bachelor’s study program Informatics Systems; to a student of the Faculty of Natural Sciences Master’s study program Applied Biotechnology; to a student of the Faculty of Natural Sciences Master’s study program Molecular Biology and Biotechnology; to two students of the Faculty of Natural Sciences Master’s study program Biochemical Analysis; to two students of the Faculty of Informatics Master’s study program Applied Informatics; to a student of the Faculty of Informatics Master’s study program Applied Mathematics;
Arts: to three students of the Music Academy Bachelor’s degree program Performing Arts; to a student of the Faculty of Arts Master‘s study program Theatre Studies and Performing Arts Management; to a Doctoral student in education of the VMU Education Academy.
Social Sciences, Law, Business, and Public Management: to a student of the Faculty of Economics and Management Bachelor‘s study program Economics; to a student of the Faculty of Arts Bachelor‘s study program Creative Industries; to three students of the Faculty of Social Sciences Master‘s study program Social Work.
Agricultural Sciences: to two students of the Faculty of Agronomy of the VMU Agriculture Academy Bachelor’s study program Agronomy; to a student of the Faculty of Agronomy of the VMU Agriculture Academy Master’s study program Agronomy.
Humanities: to a student of Faculty of Arts Master’s study program program Art Curatorship; to a student of Faculty of Humanities Master’s study program Comparative Cultural Studies; to a student of Faculty of Arts Master’s study program Cultural Heritage and Tourism.

The results of the scholarship competition for academic or artistic achievements were announced by sending a personal email to each student, who participated in the competition (email send to VMU Outlook Mailbox).

The scholarships were awarded during the student conference “Freedom to Create”, which this year was dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the restoration of VMU and the concept of artes liberales, and which took place on 3 May.

Registration for Elective Study Courses at Kaunas universities

Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) and Lithuanian Sports University (LSU) continue cooperation for three years now and invite students to choose and study inter-university study courses (modules) free of charge in the academic year 2024-2025.

Since 2022, students from the four universities have had the opportunity to study inter-university courses of first and second-cycle studies at other universities in Kaunas. This initiative has attracted much interest, with students choosing additional subjects to broaden their skills. The results of the student survey revealed that students very much appreciated this kind of initiative, enjoyed learning in a new environment and felt more motivated.

If you want to enrich your studies with new experiences and are interested in subjects that are not directly related to your chosen study programme, you are invited to take advantage of the opportunity to study additionally at another Kaunas university. We offer to acquire the following additional competencies: foreign and sign languages, psychology, three-dimensional graphics modelling, machine learning, politics, innovation and research projects, physical activity, healthy lifestyle, massage, and others. The newly obtained knowledge will help you broaden your personal and professional competencies and provide additional career prospects.

Registration form. The registration deadline is 25 June 2024. The number of positions is limited.

List of courses. Before selecting a course, please read its description and consider in which semester (autumn or spring) it is taught. You can choose one course that corresponds to the cycle of your studies and is taught at another university.

You can study the elective course (module) as an unclassified student and submit it for the recognition of learning outcomes according to your university’s internal procedures. The unclassified student’s contract is made, and the study course is studied free of charge.

More information:

VMU Study Department

Email: sd[eta]vdu.lt

New Catalogue of Internship and Volunteering Offers Released

Right here in front of you is the twentieth Catalogue of Internship and Volunteering Offers, which was issued by the Career Centre of Vytautas Magnus university. In this catalogue students will find internship and volunteering offers of enterprises, public institutions, non-governmental organizations. We are hoping that each of you will find something useful in the pages that follow!

Catalogue on Internship and Volunteering Offers No. 20 / April, 2024

The catalogue provides a standardized presentation of enterprise, institution or organization which is offering internship or volunteering opportunities, indicates the name and conditions of the offered internship / volunteering position. Each publication of an offer includes information about ability to combine activities with your studies, about the period of internship / volunteering, specifies which of offered positions are adapted for students with disabilities and which activities are organized in foreign languages.

We hope that this catalogue will help you to find a place of internship or you will use an opportunity to test yourself in volunteering, which will be useful in finding your path to labor market!

VMU Career Centre is not responsible for the content of the offers published in the Catalogue. Companies and organizations decide themselves about the conditions of internship and/or volunteering.

Postdoctoral internships at VMU AA. Extended application deadline

The Lithuanian Research Council, promoting the development of the system of internships for young scientists after doctoral studies and raising the scientific qualifications of interns, announces a call for proposals for the projects of posdoctoral studies.

Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy (VMU AA) invites applications for postdoctoral internships and do an internship at VMU AA in the fields of agriculture, life sciences, business and public management or engineering sciences. Applications for postdoctoral internships are submitted to the Research Council of Lithuanian. Applications for postdoctoral internships are submitted until June 16, 16.00 p.m. (Lithianian time).

The purpose of postdoctoral fellowships is to promote the development of the system of postdoctoral internships for young scientists and to raise the scientific qualifications of interns (these projects must not aim to create specific products for the market and increase the scale of commercial and technology transfer).

According to this activity, a postdoctoral trainee is understood as a researcher who has a PhD degree awarded by a Lithuanian or foreign research and study institution, and for whom no more than 5 years have passed from the date of the award of the PhD degree to the date of submission of applications specified in the invitation (this period does not include pregnancy and maternity leave, paternity leave or leave to take care of the child until the child turns 3 years old) and carrying out scientific research work provided for in the project. The intern must go to a foreign science and study institution or research center, laboratory, company, institution, library, archive, expedition, etc. for internship.

Contact at VMU Agriculture Academy:

Ingrida Ignotaitė
Tel. (8 37) 752 377
E-mail ingrida.ignotaite@vdu.lt
Universiteto str. 8A, Akademija, LT-53341, Kaunas distr.

We invite YOU to online webinar. Future of Customs: Reform and Efficient Duties Administration

Join us for a webinar that explores the future of customs reform and efficient customs administration. We’ll explore the regulatory changes, technological advances and best practices that are shaping customs processes.

This webinar will provide an exclusive insight into the benefits of an MBA in Customs Process Management. Listeners will gain valuable insights into how advanced study can enhance their career prospects and prepare them for the challenges of navigating international trade regulations.

Applications for foreign students to study the MBA Customs Process are open by 1 July 2024 via vytautasmagnus.dreamapply.com

Applications for Lithuanian students to study the MBA Customs Process for main competition are open until 26 June 2024 via https://epasirasymas.vdu.lt/

Webinar Topics:

Customs Reform 2040: Shaping the Future of Cross-Border Trade

Dr. Ilona Mishchenko, Member of programme committee and lecturer of MBA study programme

The Vital Role of Customs Duties and its Efficient Administration

Dr. Karlis Ketners, Lecturer of MBA study programme and Director of Budget Policy Development Department at Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia

MBA Studies: Innovating Customs Process Management for Future Trade

Dr. Erika Besusparienė, Head of programme commitee and lecturer of programme

Time:

12 June 2024 3 p.m. (EEST)

The planned duration of the webinar will be approximately one hour.

Registration:

https://forms.office.com/e/X6cQ37MVE9?origin=lprLink

The link to join the TEAMS platform before the webinar will be sent to the email address provided during registration.

Exploring the Bioeconomy Landscape: Insights from the Conference “Sustainable Bioeconomy Development 2024: Theory and Practice”

On May 8, the fourth online conference “Sustainable Bioeconomy Development 2024: Theory and Practice” took place at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). It was the 4th conference, held biannually by the VMU Faculty of Bioeconomy Development. This time, it was organized in cooperation with the Bioeconomy Research Institute of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy. This year’s conference brought together experts in social sciences from a number of different countries: Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, Norway, India, Greece, Israel, Finland, Estonia, and Belgium. In their welcome address to the participants of the conference, Prof. Dr. Astrida Miceikienė, Chancellor of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, and Prof. Dr. Bernardas Vaznonis, Dean of the Faculty of Bioeconomy Development, highlighted the importance of research for Sustainable Bioeconomy Development.

Prof. Dr. Lene Lange from the LL-BioEconomy in Denmark, who is the expert in Bioeconomy, underscored the importance of knowledge and skill sharing to preserve recourses and boost transition to a circular economy. ” By conducting research in the field of bioeconomy, researchers can accelerate the transition from the linear to circular bioeconomy. So far, these processes are niche processes, with many experiments being conducted in practice, but they are rarely described and analyzed”. Prof. Dr. Lene Lange called for a more rapid implementation of alternative supply chains, forms of farming, and management systems, greater attention to social innovations, integration and amendment of political documents for them to turn into decisions at the regional, local, and organizational levels.

Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Jaszczak, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (Poland), who also holds a position at Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, spoke about the R(evolution) of Sustainable Design and highlighted that today’s education is the key vector guiding us towards greening the economy.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sandija Zeverte-Rivza from Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies presented the results of research on transformative digitalisation in the bioeconomy: Unleashing Innovation and Sustainability. She focused on the integration of digital technologies in production, new business models, education, etc. She explained the risk related to energy demand, use and recycling of resources, and security aspects for sustainability.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Patrik Rovný, a researcher from Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (Slovakia) delivered the plenary presentation on the Alternative Agricultural Systems and Their Impact on Consumers. The researcher shared insights into today’s issue of fruit, vegetables, and other foods having lower content of protein, minerals, and vitamins. He presented the research results on sustainable agriculture and customer opinions on alternative farming systems. Regrettably, the results show that only 33% of respondents disagree with the idea that the benefits of pesticide use in the EU outweigh its risks.

Wim Haentjens, representative of the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation – ‘Bioeconomy & Food Systems’ Unit, European Commission (Belgium), discussed the EU bioeconomy strategy as a key policy. He presented the timeline of the bioeconomy strategy in the EU and the support to change markers.

Plenary Session

Keynote Speaker Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Jaszczak

Keynote Speaker Prof. Dr. Lene Lange

Keynote Speaker Assoc. Prof. Dr. Patrik Rovný

Keynote Speaker Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sandija Zeverte-Rivza

Keynote Speaker Wim Haentjens

The Theory and Practice Synergy Session on “Territorial Circular Systemic Solutions for Sustainable Bioeconomy Development”, hosted by the Agro2Circular and funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, brought together experts to discuss innovative approaches to residue upcycling into high-value products. This special session was organised by the VMU Agriculture Academy Bioeconomy Research Institute and moderated by Virginija Kargytė. Presentations from Spain, Italy, Finland and Lithuania explored the implementation and replication of solutions, alongside the discussions on circularity impact assessment and business model development. Led by organisations such as CETEC Research Centre, Tecnoalimenti, Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and GREEN – Bocconi University, the session aimed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange to advance sustainable bioeconomy initiatives in Europe.

Discussions on the Theory and Practice Synergy Session

The conference featured around 30 oral presentations and 35 poster presentations by researchers from countries including Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Norway, Kazakhstan, Romania, Latvia, Poland, and Lithuania.

The first session of the most recent conference on “Bioeconomy Contribution to the European Green Deal” offered a rich tapestry of insights and discussions, shedding light on various facets of this critical issue. Led by moderators Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jurgita Baranauskienė and PhD student Kristina Gesevičienė, the session brought together experts and researchers to explore the challenges and opportunities in the field of bioeconomy. The first session drew attention to society’s growing concern for environmental safety and sustainability, highlighted by Assoc. Prof. Dr. A. Novikova from Lithuania. The need for increased awareness of environmental threats and ways to achieve a greener future was eloquently articulated by researcher Steliana Rodino from Romania. While showing promising progress in its bio-economy efforts, Romania still lags behind the EU’s average and has been encountering significant hurdles along the way. A key point underlined by Lect. Dr Joanna Storie from Estonia was the need to promote bioeconomy products without compromising biodiversity, emphasising principles such as avoidance, minimisation, restoration, and compensation.

Moments of the first session

Moving to the second session “Role of Innovative, Sustainable and Inclusive Bioeconomy in Development of Rural Areas”, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anne Poder and lect. Dr. Algirdas Justinas Staugaitis, the focus shifted to the key role of an innovative, sustainable, and inclusive bioeconomy in rural development. Presentations revolved around the promotion of bioeconomy-centred entrepreneurship, strategic planning, and the infusion of innovation for circular transitions. Notable discussions included the integration of culinary tourism in rural landscapes and the facilitation of bioeconomy entrepreneurship through collaborative models such as hackathons involving industry stakeholders. The interactive nature of the session allowed presenters to explain their ideas, synthesise observations, and engage in robust discussions with participants.

After a break, the second session continued with contributions by moderators Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gintarė Vaznonienė and lect. Dr. Ingrida Kazlauskienė, which were characterised by a scientific perspective, focusing on empirical research results rather than theoretical reflections. This session provided a platform for the speakers to share their findings and raise scientific and practical questions. Moreover, the session served as a fertile ground for fostering international collaborations, as researchers found resonance with peers from different backgrounds, paving the way for potential joint ventures and collaborations in the future.

Moments of the second session

The third session, “Logistics and Marketing of Biological Resources and Bioproducts”, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Milita Vienažindienė and Dr. Elena Plotnikova, focused on the logistics and marketing intricacies surrounding biological resources and bioproducts. Drawing on the global pool of expertise, presentations by researchers from Romania, Lithuania, Slovakia and beyond addressed pertinent issues such as green marketing, sustainable logistics, and the need to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial application. The discussion on sustainable consumption patterns and the imperative of aligning academic knowledge with tangible market needs was particularly important.

Moments of the third session

The fourth session was dedicated to research on “Innovative Business Solutions in the Bioeconomy”. It was moderated by Dr. Lina Lauraitienė and PhD student Silva Katutytė. Researchers from five countries (Greece, India, Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania) shared their insights, focusing on innovations in the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly products. The session also covered the topic of the assessment of the challenges faced by companies and governments in implementing policies that lead to sustainable business and economy. Finally, the possibilities of using artificial intelligence and taxation methods to promote green innovation were discussed.

Moments of the fourth session

The conference essentially served as a platform for the exchange of ideas, fostering interdisciplinary dialogues, and exploring pathways towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and robust bioeconomy—a testament to the collective commitment towards realizing the goals outlined in the European Green Deal.