Visit In The Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University

Prof. Astrida Miceikienė from the Research Institute for Bioeconomy (Faculty of Bioeconomy development) visited Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University. She came to this University for teaching visit and to participate in the International week.

Astrida Miceikienė taught master students on the topics of tax and taxation of Lithuania. This university hosts the “BSU third International Week” in the frame of the Erasmus+academic and administrative staff exchange programme. The event aims to support internationalization of the higher educational institutions. In the frame of the week, the representatives of foreign International Relation Offices will be delivering trainings in the effective management of the exchange programmes. The International Week is being organized by the Strategic Development and International Relations Department of BSU (https://www.bsu.edu.ge/main/page/2199/index.html)

During the visit the professor met with the researchers from the Faculty of Economics and Business and discussed opportunities for cooperation.

Astrida Miceikienė participated in the Europe day. This event was also organized by the Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University. Professor introduced Vytautas Magnus university, study programmes and research areas.

Visit In The Bialystok University Of Technology under the ERASMUS programme

Lecturers from the Bioeconomy Development Faculty of Business and Rural Development Research Institute doc. dr. Lina Marcinkeviciute and lector Jolanta Vilkeviciute visited BIALYSTOK UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY under the ERASMUS programme during 6 – 10 of May 2019 .

Bialystok University of Technology (BUT) was established in 1949 and has a long tradition of educating engineers and young scientists. Now in the university are studding 8,500 students and working 660 teachers – experts in their fields. Bialystok University of Technology has 7 Faculties (Departments).

Lecturers L. Marcinkeviciute and J. Vilkeviciute visited Department of Finance and Accounting of Faculty of Engineering Management, university library.

During the visit was been presented faculty of Bioeconomy Development, main research fields and were given lectures for bachelors in area of Law and Management

Also lecturers have discussions about the possibilities for cooperation in projects, common scientific articles, student’s and lecturer’s exchange opportunities between institutions with the head of department dr.hab. prof. Zbigniew Korzeb and dr.hab. Zofia Kołoszko-Chomentowska

The main purpose of the visit was collection of data for research, to strengthen the cooperation within Erasmus+ programme and contacts with the staff of the host institution, establish new contacts that can lead to joint implementation of new research projects in future.

BSR Counsil Workshop On Bioeconomy

VMU Academy of Agriculture assoc proc. dr. Jolita Greblikaite was participating at BSR Counsil Workshop on Bioeconomy organised on 9-10 May in Copenhagen, Denmark. At the meeting representatives from The Ministry of Agiculture were participating as well. It just emphasizes the importance of bioeconomy in Lithuania development. At the event the discussion about future of bioeconomy research and projects was held. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jolita GReblikaite invited to participate in the 19th International Sceintific Conference „Rural Development 2019: Bioeconomy Challenges“, organised at September 26-28 at VDU Academy of Agriculture.

Visit Of Teachers Of Agriculture Academy To Polytechnic Institute Of Beja (Portugal)

The teachers of Agriculture Academy of Vytautas Magnus University prof. dr. Laima Česonienė (Institute of Environment and Ecology, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology) and assoc. prof. Midona Dapkienė (Institute of Hydraulic Engineering, Faculty of Water and Land Management) visited Polytechnic Institute of Beja (Portugal) according to Erasmus+ Mobility agreement on May 6th to 10th 2019.

The Polytechnic Institute of Beja is a professional and research oriented public higher education institution, located in the south of Portugal, in the region of Alentejo. The Institute has about 2500 students, enrolled in both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and other professional oriented post-graduate programmes. The students are served by 188 members of academic and research staff. Regarding its academic and research structure, the Polytechnic Insitute of Beja comprises 4 high schools: Agriculture, Education, Health and Technology and Management.

The representatives of Agriculture Academy of VMU gave the lectures for bachelor and master students and presented the oral communications on Environmental Engineering Seminar in Agrarian School of IPBeja. Prof. dr. Laima Česonienė presented an analysis of the impact of agriculture activity on the quality of surface water bodies in Lithuania. Assoc. prof. dr. Midona Dapkienė shared experiences on wastewater treatment in rural areas of Baltic Sea Region and wastewater management in Lithuania.

The teachers had an opportunity to get to know the study process and reasearch at IPBeja as well as to discuss the Erasmus+ project ,,Eco-Innovation: Sustainable Management of Water Resources in Agriculture“ that had been recently submitted.

Secondment to Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies

In May 1-3, associate professor of the Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences Jurgita Kulaitienė, lecturer Nijole Vaitkevičienė and Dovilė Levickienė, pHd students Dalė Televičiūtė and Aloyzas Velička from Vytautas Magnus University (VDU) Agriculture Academy, Faculty of Agronomy, visited Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies.

During the visit the International Baltic Conference “FoodBalt 2019 and NEEFood 2019” was attended. The aim of the Conference: to bring together scientists interested in food, quality and innovation in this area. It was possible to meet with scientists from different countries (Turkey, Portugal, Russia, Estonia, etc.) and to discuss various issues about food science opportunities, visions, and carried out studies. It was also a unique event in which leading food scientists and young scientists such as doctoral students or MSc students was able to exchange the latest research results in their areas of the research, and acquire additional knowledge in other research areas.

In the conference we presented 2 posters (The changes of bioactive compounds in different genotypes of rosehips flesh; Total phenols, phenolic acids and flavonoids content of different mint species) and one oral presentation (The effect of plant extracts on the synthesis of biologically active compounds in germinated leguminous). An award for the best oral presentation was given to PhD student – Dalė Televičiūtė.

Visit in the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technology

Professor Danutė Zinkevičienė and assoc. prof. Aurelija Kustienė from the Research Institute for Bioeconomy visited the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technology in Jelgava on May 6–10, 2019 within the frame of Erasmus+ program (Staff mobility for teaching).The Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technology (till March 2018 year was named Latvia University of Agriculture) is a long-term partner of the Vytautas Magnus University Academy of Agriculture. The visit in the Faculty of Economics and Social Development, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technology was serve as the continuation of long-term cooperation between the faculties of the host and home universities.

The main aim of the visit was to provide the lecturing courses in field accounting and auditing. During the visit bachelor students of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technology faculty of Economics and Social Development got the understanding and knowledge about problems in field of accounting and auditing.

During the visit the professors had a possibility to participate in the international scientific conference “Economic Science for Rural Development 2019”. During the conference also were made new contacts and the teachers had meetings and scientific discussions with professors from Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Belarus, Ukraina.

During the meeting with the Dean of Faculty of Economics and Social Development, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technology professor Andra Zvirbule was exchanged of ideas on future academic and scientific cooperation’s will improve the academic relations between relevant institutions of both universities and establish the background for future collaboration.

During the visit the professors met with the researchers from the Institute of Finance and Accounting Faculty of Economics and Social Development. It was a good possibility to receive and exchange the specific and new information in the development of research projects. The visit has given an opportunity for exchanging the ideas on future education and research cooperation’s, improving the academic relations between institutes and enhancing the studies direction towards the research results utilization to business. The gained experience will be useful for enhancing the quality of studies at our university.

ERASMUS teaching visits to partners at South-Eastern Asia

ERASMUS credit mobility visits of assoc. prof. dr. Raimundas Rukuiža at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Thailand on 18-22/02/2019 and at Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Indonesia on 22-26/04/2019 were important intensifying the ERASMUS exchange of Agriculture Academy of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU-AA) with South-Eastern Asia countries. The partners of those teaching visits were dr. Sutatch Ratanaphan from the KMUTT Faculty of Engineering and dr. Edy Hartulistiyoso from IPB Faculty of Agricultural Technology. The teacher assoc. prof. dr. R.Rukuiža of VMU-AA Faculty of Agricultural Engineering presented for KMUTT and IPB students the lectures in the field of tribology. The presentation of VMU-AA and the possibilities for exchanges studies at VMU-AA were made. In the lesson were made introduction to the tribology subject, its perception, trends and importance. For materials science engineering speciality were presented basic principles of tribology: interaction of surfaces, friction and wear of joints, lubrication and lubricants. In following lessons were presented the specialised part of tribology – Methodology and equipment of tribological testing.

Visit in the Cadi Ayyad University at Marakesh, Morocco

On April 29- May 3 Vytautas Mahnus University Academy of Agriculture lecturers assoc. Prof. Jolita Greblikaite and Rolandas Rakstys were visiting Cadi Ayyad University at Marakesh, Morocco. During the visit under Erasmus+ programme lecturers provided knowledge to students in the themes of SMEs and social business as ell as risk management in agriculture. During the visit lecturers were paticipating in the International scientific conference in the field of macroeconomics. The visit was productive in the field of cooperation and further scientific research.

Visit for short teaching assignment to Pristina University, Republic of Kosovo

Professor Petras Punys (Institute of Water Resources Engineering) on 22^nd – 27^th April, 2019 within the frame of Erasmus + program (Staff mobility for teaching) visited the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture University of Pristina “Hasan Prishtina”, Republic of Kosovo.

This university is the institution that emerged after the disestablishment of the University of Pristina (1969–1999) as a result of the Kosovo War. Now the University of Prishtina has 17 faculties, of which 14 are academic faculties, and 3 are faculties of applied sciences.

The Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture has two departments: 1) Department of Civil Engineering and 2) Architecture https://fna.uni-pr.edu/. In the Department of Civil Engineering, the studies take place in the following study programs: 1) Construction; 2) Hydraulic Engineering; 3) Geodesy (BA) and 4) Road Infrastructure, while in the Department of Architecture studies are conducted in general direction.

Prof Punys gave a series of lectures in English (8h) on Multicriteria Analysis for Water Management, Hydrology and Hydropower Software and Hydrologic Modelling System for 1^st year master students and a few of 1^st cycle students. Each lecture was attended by some 20 students.

There were also discussions with colleagues of this department on the opportunities for the exchange of teachers, initiation of joint projects and accreditation of study programs.

Information on study and research activities taking place at our Academy and Water and Land Management faculty was presented, promotional materials disseminated for the students.

ALTERFOR project meeting in Padova, Italy

On April 3-6 professor Gintautas Mozgeris from the Institute of Forest Management and Wood Science and lecturer Ekaterina Makrickiene from the Institute of Forest Biology and Silviculture attended the annual meeting of the „ALTERFOR“ project consortium, which took place in Padova, Italy.

ALTERFOR is a HORIZON 2020 project with ten case study areas, situated in nine European countries: Germany, Italy, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, and Turkey. The consortium of scientists and practitioners (non-academic project partners) are aiming to provide deep knowledge regarding alternative forest management models (FMMs) and how they can affect the provision of ecosystem services; to involve relevant actors from different fields (such as forestry, nature conservation, renewable energy, and water management) and to facilitate efficient knowledge transfer to adopt alternative FMMs.

The attendants of the consortium meeting discussed the achieved milestones of the project. Big attention was paid to the results of stakeholder meetings, which took place in all participating countries. In most cases the project participants stated, that the participation of stakeholders helped to formulate and/or evaluate the alternative FMMs. Also the participants discussed the results of modelling of the possible impact of alternative FMMs on the future provision of ecosystem services. The project members agreed on the future upscaling of the results to the European level and the methodological part of the future scientific paper.

During the visit to Padova, the participants of the meeting took part in two visits. The first one was the excursion to the botanical garden of Padova university, which is the oldest university botanical garden in the World. The second field visit was performed in frames of Travellab. Travellab is an innovative format of cross-regional knowledge transfer, and combines the field excursion with the further round-table discussion. The Travellab was arranged in the forests of Veneto and Udine regions surrounding city Venice, which, of course, associates with water and tourism. Nevertheless, forests along the shorline are playing an important role for recreation.

The participants of the meeting visited the recreational forest of San Dona di Piave, the oak-hornbeam stand in Carlino and Italian pine plantation in Bibione. Several stakeholders, such as city mayor of San Dona di Piave, forest planting sponsors, afforestation agents, forest owners and specialists in non-wood forest products joined the excursion and explained their views and expectations from the visited forest areas. The excursion was followed up by the round table, during which the stakeholders and project participants could discuss various relevant issues of Italian forest management.

The next meeting of the project participants will take place in Dresden during the 69 Annual meeting of the German Forest Association, which is one of the non-academic ALTERFOR partners. The ALTERFOR project results will be presented to the attendants of the meeting, and the project participants will continue the discussion of the results from ALTERFOR case studies.