The Commemoration of the Restoration of Lithuania’s Independence Day at VMU Agriculture Academy in 2025

On March 12th, the annual and increasingly traditional event organized by Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy will commemorate the Restoration of Lithuania’s Independence Day. During the event, members of VMU Agriculture Academy community will be honored with awards for their achievements in 2024, and live music performances will be presented.

Event date and time: March 12th at 13:00
Event location: the Hall of VMU Agriculture Academy central building (Studentų str. 11, Akademija, Kaunas distr.)
Expected event duration: ~2 hours.

REGISTRATION FOR EVENT PARTICIPANTS IS REQUIRED

During the event, awardees of the nominations and the winners of the Methodological Tools for Studies and Scientific Works competitions will be honored.

MORE INFORMATION

Please note that photographs will be taken during the event, and you may appear in event photos or videos that could be published in various media outlets.

Saliamonas Banaitis Scholarship Competition Announced

On the occasion of February 16th, the Restoration of the State of Lithuania, Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) announces the Saliamonas Banaitis Scholarship competition. S. Banaitis (1866–1933) was a public and state figure of Independent Lithuania, a member of the Council of Lithuania, a signatory of the Act of Independence of the Republic of Lithuania, and a former VMU student. Applications for the scholarship are open until another significant day for Lithuania—March 11th (inclusive), the Day of Restoration of Independence of Lithuania.

Saliamonas Banaitis scholarship was established at the University in 2016 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuanian statehood by his grandchildren living in Canada. The scholarship aims to support and encourage the most talented students at the University conducting research related to personalities, organizations, events, or processes of the First Independent Republic of Lithuania (1918-1940), which in one way or another are connected with the activities and environment of the signatory of the Act, S. Banaitis.

In this context, a thematic competition is being launched for students at all levels who are writing a thesis or carrying out research on one or more of the themes indicated by the founder of the scholarship:

History of Lithuania relating to the activities, professional interests, or achievements of Saliamonas Banaitis, his family, or relatives.
Lithuanian culture (art) related to the activities, professional interests, or achievements of S. Banaitis, his family, or relatives.
transportation of goods or people by land and water (priority is given if there is any connection with S. Banaitis, his family, or relatives).
communication, publishing, and dissemination (priority is given if there is any connection with S. Banaitis, his family, or relatives).
the family economy and its development (priority is given if there is any connection with S. Banaitis, his family, or relatives).
amateur, village (barn) theatre or folk music (priority is given if there is any connection with S. Banaitis, his family, or relatives).

The scholarship in the name of S. Banaitis, signatory of the Act of Independence of the Republic of Lithuania, with a preliminary amount of ~ 2,200 EUR (up to half of the amount of the scholarship, i.e. ~ 1,100 EUR if the scholarship is awarded to two persons), will be given to the student(s) who is/are most relevant to the field of study, and who is/are intending to have his/her/their research published.

The decision to award the scholarship is made by the Lithuanian Canadian Foundation (LCF), with which VMU has concluded a cooperation agreement, according to which the nominal S. Banaitis Scholarship is awarded to the best students at the University whose studies and/or research interest is related to the history, culture, and achievements of Lithuania. Priority is given to students who are interested in the activities, professional interests, or achievements of Saliamonas Banaitis, his family, or relatives, thus encouraging students to achieve professional and academic excellence.

Students who are willing to apply for S. Banaitis scholarship must complete an electronic application form in Student portal until March 11^th. How to do this?

log in to the VMU Student portal using your personal login provided by the University.
select the Applications in the menu box and click on the Requests.
select the application category Finances and Scholarships and other support, click Nominal scholarship (form F-005), complete the form, justifying the area of study or research interest in the priority list of topics above and indicating its relevance: identification of work in progress, etc. and submit it.

The candidate(s) selected by the Foundation’s founder will be personally informed by the end of May of the conditions and deadlines for awarding the scholarship.

For more information on the scholarship and its award, please contact:

FAO seeks to develop a dynamic talent network and invites collaboration through an internship programme

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Division of Human Resources is pleased to inform Members of the ongoing general Call for Expressions of Interest for Institutional Collaborations under the FAO Internship Programme and encourages Members to use this opportunity to strengthen collaboration between FAO and relevant academic and research institutions within their countries.

FAO is committed to fostering the professional development of global youth and experts with diverse backgrounds and talent and this Call aims in this respect to expand the reach and inclusivity of partner institutions across countries and regions.

By working with institutional partners, FAO seeks to cultivate a dynamic network of future talent equipped to drive positive change in achieving sustainable agriculture and food security for all, in line with FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-31 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Institutions selected through the Call will be recognized as official FAO collaborators under the FAO Internship Programme for three years. In this role, these institutions will have the opportunity to sponsor eligible candidates through a streamlined and transparent selection process, with ongoing support provided by the FAO Internship Programme team.

The Call was launched on 16 December 2024 and will remain open until 31 March 2025.

Members are encouraged to share the Call with relevant academic and research institutions from their countries to promote broad youth participation and engagement in the FAO Internship Programme.

Programme details, as well as the selection and eligibility criteria, can be found on the FAO Young Talent Programme website:

VMU Agriculture Academy Career Day 2025 “A Career That Changes the World is in Your Hands”

Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) Agriculture Academy invites students, high school seniors, graduates, and other interested parties to participate in the VMU Agriculture Academy Career Day 2025 “A Career That Changes the World is in Your Hands” on February 26, from 13:00 to 15:00.

Event participants will be invited to a fair/live meetings and discussions with leaders in the agro-sector about progress and innovation, challenges and opportunities, the competencies needed by professionals, and future perspectives.

Innovations drive progress and inspire the creation of an ecological, green, and sustainable future for our children. Smart technologies, innovations, robotics, artificial intelligence, and intelligent solutions in the agro-sector are no longer the future, but the present. The creation of advanced solutions and process management requires highly skilled professionals who are experts in their field. Leaders in the agricultural sector will share their experiences at the fair, discussing progress, innovation, challenges, opportunities, competencies for professionals, and future perspectives. Representatives from companies will attend the event in person to meet with VMU Agriculture Academy students.

During VDU ŽŪA Career Day’25, there will be a game called “Meetings That Pay Off,” where participants will have the opportunity to win exciting prizes.

Professionals from fields such as agribusiness, engineering, agronomy, forestry, food industry, finance, and smart technologies, who need representatives from various VMU Agriculture Academy study programs, will provide valuable advice and insights to students aiming to realize themselves professionally, high school students making decisions about their career paths, and other interested parties who wish to learn about the progress in the agro-sector and the unlimited opportunities it offers.

The event will be beneficial for students looking to understand which competencies are most important in today’s and the future job market, seeking internships or job offers, looking for new ideas for their final thesis topics, familiarizing themselves with the progress, innovations, and work culture of agro-sector companies and institutions, as well as high school students interested in future job market trends, the demand for specialists, promising VDU Agricultural Academy study programs and specialties, and career opportunities in the modern agro-sector, as well as other interested parties wanting to learn about the agro-sector’s progress, job market trends, and limitless career opportunities.

The event will take place at VMU Agriculture Academy Central Building, 5th floor (Studentų St. 11, Akademija, Kaunas District).

Please be informed that the event may be filmed and/or photographed, and you may be visible in event photos or videos that could be published in various media outlets.

Free Online Webinar “Customs Duties and Their Impact on Global Trade Dynamics”

VMU Agriculture Academy Faculty of Bioeconomy Development invites you to join a free webinar on 20 February 2025, at 15:00 (EET, Lithuania time zone) to explore the importance of customs duties in global trade and stay updated on the latest regulatory changes.

You will also find out why it is worth joining the MBA programme “Customs Process Management”. The application for foreign candidates is already open at vytautasmagnus.dreamapply.com. MBA “Customs Process Management” has received a positive decision for the EU Customs Recognition Certificate and is awaiting the official certificate. This means that you will be able to hold a Master’s degree from an EU-certified MBA programme, which will have a positive impact on your career.

What to expect in a webinar?

The MBA students Mantas Rimašauskas & Donatas Butrimas will share their insights on the situation of car imports in the EU.
Partnership assoc. prof. Anthony Buckley will discuss how the new US import tariffs pose a challenge to trading partners.
The Head of the Committee assoc. prof. dr. Erika Besusparienė will present the MBA “Customs Process Management“.
Live question and answer session with speakers.

Date: 20 February 2025

Time: 15:00 (EET, Lithuania time zone) The planned duration of the webinar will be approximately one hour.

Format: Online Webinar via TEAMS

Language: The webinar is held in English.

REGISTRATION

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

Join, explore, and become part of the MBA community!

Teaching aid, research paper competitions and awarding nominations of VMU AA employees are announced

We invite the employees of the VMU Agriculture Agriculture to participate in the competition of teaching aid and research papers, sharing with the community the significant work done and celebrating the achievements.

The winners will be awarded at the festive commemoration of the Day of the Restoration of Lithuania’s Independence, which will take place in the Hall of VMU Agriculture Academy central building (Studentų str. 11, Akademija, Kaunas distr.) on March 12. 1 p.m.

TEACHING AID COMPETITION REGULATIONS

Follow the approved regulations: REGULATIONS.

Teaching aid (TA) competition is organized to initiate the sharing of experience in the development and use of advanced teaching methods and TAs among the teachers among the teachers at the VMU Agriculture Academy; to accelerate the development and use of TAs and innovative teaching techniques; to encourage the teachers to develop and improve TAs and apply them effectively in their teaching activities.

The competition is open to employees at the VMU Agriculture Academy and their teams who have developed new TAs and applied them in teaching the students at the VMU Agriculture Academy.

Entries can be submitted under the following headings:

Teaching publications (textbooks, course books, lecture notes, descriptions of laboratory work and exercises, other teaching publications (> 50 pages), published in print or electronic form);
Visual aids (instruments, tools, laboratory and display benches, mockups, models,
collections of objects studied, videos, poster sets, and other tools);
Methods of organizing studies and other TAs (integrated provision of supporting teaching aids for the study subject, implementation of distance learning, implementation of other innovative study methods, etc.).

The application shall be accompanied by an extract of the minutes of the academic unit Council or a committee authorized by it, along with a recommendation, and a copy of the TA (or its location) and a description of it.

The TA description shall specify the following:

Name of TA;
Author(s)’ details (name, surname, faculty, institute, department, position, title, academic title and scientific degree, telephone number, email address);
Purpose of the TA (study programme, study subject, topics within the study subject structure);
Relevance (need, previous development of similar tools, etc.);
Methodological compatibility with independent studies (possibilities for active learning and innovative study methods using the TA);
Innovation (innovation in the presentation of course material) and scientific approach (use of the latest scientific information and tools, possibilities for student involvement in research);
Visual quality of the knowledge presented and quality of the publication design (intensity of use of visual elements, strong aspects of the publication design);
Other benefits.

Candidates’ documents for the competition shall be submitted to the coordinator for the administration of studies in the Administrative Group of the VMU Agriculture Academy dr. Rasa Čingienė (by email rasa.cingiene@vdu.lt or at VMU AA central building room 237) by 15 February.

A maximum of 3 prizes will be awarded per heading. Prizes are awarded to first-place winners, and certificates of appreciation are awarded to second and third-place winners. The prize fund shall be allocated by the Chancellor of the VMU Agriculture Academy.

Contact for more information: dr. Rasa Čingienė rasa.cingiene@vdu.lt, +370 682 22874, +370 37 752107, VMU AA central building room 237.

RESEARCH PAPER COMPETITION REGULATIONS

Follow the approved regulations: REGULATIONS.

Research paper (RP) competition is organized to encourage the teachers, researchers, and PhD students at the VMU Agriculture Academy to conduct research and disseminate the results thereof in the scientific journals of the international level or other publications, to contribute to a higher international competitiveness, enhancement of the scientific, social and economic environment of Vytautas Magnus University and of the whole country; to select, promote, and reward the best researchers and research groups at the VMU Agriculture Academy.

The competition is open to teachers, researchers, and PhD students of the VMU Agriculture Academy.

Entries can be submitted under the following headings:

research group category (the number of authors of a submitted research paper shall be between 2 to 4, and each publication shall be authored by at least two authors from the research group participating in the competition);
international researcher’s category (a researcher working on a research project in collaboration with researchers from other countries);
category of the young researcher (researchers with a doctoral degree, no older than 40 years old by the application deadline), doctoral student or their team.

The RP competition is open to collections of scientific output on a common topic for the last 2 calendar years, which may include:

scientific monographs, parts of scientific monographs, scientific studies;
patented scientific production, registered plant and animal varieties;
scientific articles;
oral presentations at plenary sessions of international scientific conferences (the conference program shall be presented).

The RP shall be submitted to the competition together with the following:

Extract from the minutes of the Council of the academic unit or a committee authorised by it, with a recommendation, which shall include the title of the submitted RP, the author(s) and the creative contribution that shall be assessed in proportion to the number of authors or on the basis of a joint declaration signed by the authors.
A brief description (up to 1 page) of the research paper or collection of the scientific production, indicating the title of the RP, the components of the submitted scientific paper or parts of the collection of the scientific output, the coefficient of contribution, and highlighting the most important aspects of the RP that are relevant to the competition.
Information about the author(s) of the RP (name, surname, position, scientific degree, scientific achievements).

The competition is not open to winners of the previous year’s RP competition.

Candidates’ documents for the competition shall be submitted to the Scientific Activity Coordinator dr. Algis Kvaraciejus (by email algis.kvaraciejus@vdu.lt or at VMU AA central building room 227) at the VMU Agriculture Academy by 15 February.

A maximum of 5 prizes will be awarded to the winners of the RP competition: a maximum of 3 prizes shall be awarded in the 1st category and 1 prize in the 2nd and 3rd categories each.

Contact for more information: dr. Algis Kvaraciejus, algis.kvaraciejus@vdu.lt, +370 37 752350, VMU AA central building room 227.

THE SUBMISSION OF NOMINATIONS

Follow the approved regulations: REGULATIONS.

The Nominations are an incentive tool to encourage the involvement of the employees and students of the VMU Agriculture Academy in further development of the quality of studies, research and scientific services, the creation of a motivating working environment, and fostering of culture and values.

Nominations are open to employees (or a group of employees) and students of the VMU Agriculture Academy who have an impeccable reputation. The employee or student who has violated the VMU Code of Academic Ethics and/or work discipline shall not be eligible for the Nomination.

Types of the VMU Agriculture Academy Nominations and the Nomination criteria:

Nomination “Scientific Recognition of the Year” is awarded to a member or group of members of the community of the VMU Agriculture Academy for receiving significant national and/or international awards for research and experimental development (R&D) activities. One candidate is submitted by each academic and non-academic division.
Nomination “Project of the Year” is awarded to a member or group of members of the community of the VMU Agriculture Academy for a study/research/science dissemination project that was successfully implemented in the previous calendar year and a significant impact on the region, country, or society on a national and/or international scale. One candidate is submitted by each academic and non-academic division.
Nomination “Starting Researcher of the Year” is awarded to students and other members of the academic community at all levels of the VMU Agriculture Academy, except those holding a doctoral degree, for their active scientific research activities and results of scientific achievements. The Nomination may be awarded to the same member of the academic community once every three calendar years. One candidate is submitted by each academic division.
Nomination “Employee of the Year” is awarded to an employee of the community of the VMU Agriculture Academy who is indirectly involved in activities related to studies and research, for significant initiatives for the development of the VMU Agriculture Academy, outstanding diligence and loyalty to the VMU Agriculture Academy. The Nomination may be awarded to the same member of the community of the VMU Agriculture Academy once every three calendar years. The candidates are submitted by the administration, academic, and non-academic divisions of the VMU Agriculture Academy.
Nomination “National Partnership of the Year” is awarded to a member of the community of the VMU Agriculture Academy for the establishment, development, and expansion of close and significant national cooperation with social and business partners, taking into account the importance of the cooperation, the support provided by the partner, or any other significant achievements at the VMU Agriculture Academy. The Nomination may be awarded to the same member of the community of the VMU Agriculture Academy once every three calendar years. The candidates are submitted by the administration, academic, and non-academic divisions of the VMU Agriculture Academy.
Nomination “International Partnership of the Year” is awarded to a member of the community of the VMU Agriculture Academy for the establishment, development, and expansion of close and significant international cooperation with social and business partners, taking into account the importance of the cooperation, the support provided by the partner, or any other significant achievements at the VMU Agriculture Academy. The Nomination may be awarded to the same member of the community of the VMU Agriculture Academy once every three calendar years. The candidates are submitted by the administration, academic, and non-academic divisions of the VMU Agriculture Academy.
Nomination “Teacher of the Year” is awarded to a member of the academic community of the VMU Agriculture Academy whose main job functions are related to the VMU Agriculture Academy, for the following results: students’ objective satisfaction with the taught subject, advanced pedagogical activity, work with the Erasmus+ students, resources used for the taught subjects, innovative approach in teaching, teacher’s activity and partnership with other study and research institutions, promotion of study programmes at the VMU Agriculture Academy among pupils and the public, and supervision of students’ research papers. The Nomination may be awarded to the same teacher once every three calendar years. The Nomination may be awarded to the same teacher once every three calendar years. One candidate is submitted by each Faculty.
Nomination “Student of the Year” is awarded to a first-, second- or third-cycle student at the VMU Agriculture Academy for significant achievements in learning, research, organizational or social activities. The same student may be nominated once during the entire study period. One candidate is submitted by each Faculty, taking into account the opinion of student representatives.

Divisions submit candidates for nominations to the head of the VMU Agriculture Academy Administrative Group dr. Laima Skauronė (by email at laima.skaurone@vdu.lt or at VMU AA central building room 237) by 15 February.

The number of nomination winners is fixed: Scientific Recognition of the Year, Project of the Year, Starting Researcher of the Year, Employee of the Year, National Partnership of the Year, International Partnership of the Year – one winner in each category. Teacher of the Year, Student of the Year – four winners in each category.

Contact for more information: dr. Laima Skauronė, laima.skaurone@vdu.lt, +370 615 21559, +370 37 752278.

The VMU Agriculture Academy Teaching aid competition is organized according to the regulations approved by the VMU Agriculture Academy Chancellor’s order on January 26, 2024.

The VMU Agriculture Academy Research paper competition and the VDU ŽŪA Nomination Submission and Awarding Process are organized according to the regulations approved by the VMU Agriculture Academy Chancellor’s order on January 30, 2025.

Announcement of ERASMUS+ contest for studies and traineeships for 2025-2026. Turn the adventure into an experience!

The ERASMUS+ study and traineeship competitions are open for the autumn and spring semesters of the academic year 2025-2026. There are as many as 4 different opportunities for international mobility.

Would you like to study in an EU/EEA country?

Take part in the competition by filling in the online selection form by 3rd of March 2025 (23:59).

The link to the questionnaire and more information about the ERASMUS+ contest for studies in EU/EEA countries.

Would you like to study in a non-EU/EEA country?

Take part in the competition by completing the online selection form by 3rd March 2025 (23:59).

The link to the questionnaire and more information about the ERASMUS+ competition for studying outside the EU/EEA.

Would you like to go on a traineeship in any country of the world?

Take part in the competition by filling in the online application form by 28 February 2025 (23:59): https://epasirasymas.vdu.lt -> Outgoing-Application for Erasmus Student Traineeship

More information on the ERASMUS+ Traineeship Call.

The selection process for the study exchange competitions is open to all VMU students, and for the international traineeship, also to future graduates.

Each student will be informed of the results of the selection process by email. The results of the selection process will also be published on the VMU website.

Find out more about study exchange and traineeship opportunities

More information:

VMU Agriculture Academy presents a new dual-degree program “Aquamatics”: a sustainable future – in the hands of highly knowledgeable specialists

How to address the challenges posed by climate change – this thought is relentlessly discussed in the minds of those shaping a sustainable future. To create harmony between resource use and the needs of humanity, highly educated specialists are required. In response to this need, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy (VMU AA) presents a new dual-degree Master’s program in English, “Aquamatics”, created in collaboration with the Silesian University in Katowice, Poland.

Knowledge delivered by professors from three universities

Raimundas Baublys, a lecturer at the Department of Water Engineering at VMU Agriculture Academy Faculty of Engineering, junior researcher, and one of the creators of the “Aquamatics” program, reveals that this program is unique in that it combines natural and engineering sciences, which provides greater opportunities for graduates to view current environmental protection issues and problems in a much broader and deeper way, addressing both theoretical and practical water management issues by linking environmental protection, engineering, and sustainability.

“This enables graduates of the program to be highly educated specialists. The program is structured so that VMU provides knowledge in engineering and the necessary skills, while Silesian University professors deliver knowledge in biology and natural sciences and develop practical skills through hands-on activities,” says Raimundas Baublys. He adds that the dual-degree program stands out in that students spend one semester studying at another university involved in the program’s creation.

“In our case, students in this program study their second semester at Silesian University, and students from Silesian University enrolled in the program come to Vytautas Magnus University to study engineering modules in the third semester. Finally, students prepare and defend their final theses at the university they enrolled in. It is also worth mentioning that some modules are taught by professors from the University of Trieste in Italy, which further enhances the program’s uniqueness. The program is taught in English, which might seem like an additional challenge to some, but given that students will gain knowledge and skills taught in English by professors from three universities, we view this as another aspect of the program’s distinctiveness and versatility. Graduates will be able to apply their skills in the international market,” says Raimundas Baublys.

Raimundas Baublys, a lecturer at the Department of Water Engineering at VMU Agriculture Academy Faculty of Engineering, junior researcher, and one of the creators of the “Aquamatics” program

Water protection and sustainable development challenges – in the hands of graduates

Students of this program will be able to contribute to scientific projects carried out at the universities during their studies by selecting a topic for their final thesis. “Most of the ongoing projects are international, so participating in these activities will allow students to familiarize themselves with the principles of implementing international projects, expand their connections with foreign scientists, and, most importantly, their final thesis will be directly focused on current and future challenges, which, through scientific research, students will be prepared to solve. Moreover, if students want to delve deeper into their chosen topic, they will have all the opportunities to extend their research in doctoral studies, which opens even greater opportunities for both the student’s personal development and contributing to global scientific progress,” says the researcher, adding that graduates of the “Aquamatics” program will be well-prepared to contribute to solving current water protection and sustainable development challenges.

Graduates will face an international job market

Graduates of the “Aquamatics” program will be able to work in institutions that form and implement environmental policies: government and municipal institutions (Ministry of Environment, Environmental Protection Department under the Ministry of Environment, Environmental Protection Agency under the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania, municipal administrations), as well as in the environmental and water management sectors as project planners and construction project managers, in the aquaculture sector, or, seeing new opportunities and niches in the market, they may even start their own businesses, applying their knowledge and implementing the latest technologies aimed at solving the newest challenges.

The group of creators of the international study program Aquamatics

“Of course, the education provided by this program will not only allow graduates to present themselves as specialists on the national market but also position them as highly knowledgeable specialists able to enter the international job market, presenting themselves as capable of solving challenges not only on a national but also an international level. With the changing climate and the increasing number of climate-related challenges, the demand for specialists in this field is rapidly growing, so graduates of this program will be well-prepared to contribute to solving these challenges,” says the researcher.

Looking for environmentally friendly solutions for a sustainable future

As creating a sustainable future becomes an increasingly common need and necessity, graduates of the “Aquamatics” program will not only be knowledgeable about the conservation of biodiversity and the responsible use of natural resources, but they will also contribute to the creation of a sustainable future. By studying modules such as Hydrology and Hydrogeology, Water Resource Management and Modeling, graduates of this program will be able to assess both surface and groundwater resources and their sustainable use in industry, production, and agriculture, where optimizing the use of water resources is becoming an increasingly urgent issue at both national and global levels.

“Focusing on these global changes, the “Aquamatics” program includes a module on Climate Change Crisis Management. Studying these and other issues, the anticipated modules such as Restoring Damaged Water Systems, Fish Resources, and Aquaculture, as well as delving into Hydraulic Structures and Hydropower, will be particularly beneficial. By applying remote sensing for environmental monitoring and agriculture, along with reliable data analysis, students will be equipped to make sustainable, eco-friendly decisions.This fosters the promotion of responsible consumption and production,” lists the researcher, highlighting the benefits provided by the “Aquamatics” program.

The exhibition “Postcards” by photographer S. Gečas at VMU Agriculture Academy library.

On February 1st, an exhibition of artistic photography titled “Postcards” by Severinas Gečas, a third-year student at the Kaunas Applied Arts School, winner of the “Living Earth Thoughts” competition, product photographer, and head of the company “35 Kadras,” will open at the Vytautas Magnus University Agricultural Academy (VDU ŽŪA) library (Studentų St. 11, Akademija, Kaunas district).

“Photography on film is not digital photography, because the photos have a soul, they speak, further emphasizing the spirit of Šilutė city and its history. My goal was to bring artistic photography to the Minor Lithuania region. With this exhibition, I aim to highlight the uniqueness of Šilutė’s architecture and show each viewer what they might otherwise overlook in their everyday life. The idea for the exhibition originated in the context of the centenary of the incorporation of the Klaipėda region into Lithuania. The aim was to commemorate the centenary and promote Šilutė as the capital of the ethnographic region of Minor Lithuania among other Lithuanian cities,” says photographer S. Gečas.

Visitors to the exhibition will have the chance to see the main architectural landmarks of Šilutė city, but from a completely different perspective, offering a fresh look at many of them.

The photographs on display at the exhibition will be available for purchase.

The Kick-off Meeting of the Erasmus+ project “Bumblebees for Natural Pollination” [BUMBLE-NAP]

The Kick-off Meeting of the Erasmus+ project “Bumblebees for Natural Pollination” [BUMBLE-NAP] (2024-1-TR01-KA220-VET-000254015) took place on January 29–30 in Serik, Türkiye.

The project is coordinated by Antalya Serik Kaymakamlığı (Türkiye) in collaboration with Aydın Adnan Menderes University (Türkiye), Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori Regionale Umbria (Italy), Stara Zagora Institute of Agriculture (Bulgaria), and Vytautas Magnus University (Agriculture Academy Department of Environment and Ecology). The project duration is two years, with an expected completion date of November 30, 2026.

The project aims to raise awareness of the harmful effects of pesticides on human health and the environment, train participants in bumblebee breeding and application technologies, promote sustainable agricultural practices and new business opportunities, and increase consumer awareness of bumblebee-assisted food production. By reducing chemical use in agriculture, the project seeks to encourage the production of healthier and more environmentally friendly crops while contributing to biodiversity conservation.

During the Kick-off Meeting, partners discussed key activities, including the development of an interactive online training and education platform, the creation of educational materials in five languages, hands-on training in greenhouses, and the dissemination of project results at various events.

The Serik district in Antalya province is a significant agricultural hub, particularly for greenhouse farming. With its favorable Mediterranean climate and fertile soils, the region produces a variety of vegetables and fruits, including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, avocados, bananas, turnips, and carambolas. During the meeting, participants had the opportunity to gain first-hand experience by visiting a bumblebee propagation facility and commercial greenhouses.

The project findings are expected to support the development of international training resources for farmers, technical personnel, and other stakeholders. This initiative aims to promote bumblebee pollination in greenhouses, reduce pesticide and hormone use, and enhance consumer awareness of natural production methods. Furthermore, the project aligns with the EU Green Deal objectives by promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, healthy food production, and biodiversity conservation.

The next international project meeting will take place in Perugia, Italy, in June 2025.