Visit to Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon

On 7–13 April 2019, the staff team of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) visited Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Lebanon, under the ERASMUS+ programme. VMU team included assoc. prof. Rytis Skominas from the Faculty of Water and Land Management, assoc. prof. Bernardas Vaznonis from the Faculty of Bioeconomy Development, assoc. prof. Giedrius Janauskas and lecturer dr. Jurgita Macijauskaitė-Bonda from the Faculty of Humanities and head of Agriculture Academy Unit of International Cooperation Department Minvydas Liegus.

USEK is a private Catholic higher education institution founded by the Lebanese Maronite Order in 1938. Nowadays, USEK welcomes more than 8,000 students across its twelve faculties (Faculty Agricultural and Food Sciences; Business School; School of Engineering; Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts; School of Medicine and Medical Sciences; Faculty of Letters; School of Law and Political Sciences; Faculty of Music; Faculty of Sciences; Pontifical Faculty of Theology; Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities; Faculty of Religious and Oriental Sciences) and three institutes (Higher Institute of Political and Administrative Sciences; Institute of History; Higher Institute of Nursing Sciences). University has a modern infrastructure, advanced research laboratories and technique, modern library facilities.

The activities at USEK included meetings at International Affairs office, presenting lectures at different faculties, participation at International Education Days events and Study Abroad Fair. The collaboration possibilities between VMU and USEK also were discussed.

Rytis Skominas had open lectures At School of Engineering on durability, repair, inspection and maintenance of hydraulic structures for students from School of Engineering. In addition, Rytis Skominas had meeting with academic staff from this School. During the meeting, the possibilities for the collaboration in research and study fields were discussed.

Bernardas Vaznonis visited USEK Business School and gave lectures on Environmental Economics – externalities and their economic regulation, strategic decisions implementing environmental policy. He also discussed future education and research cooperation possibilities with associate dean prof. dr. Charbel El Khoury.

Giedrius Janauskas and Jurgita Macijauskaitė-Bonda presented lectures at the Faculty of Letters on multiculturalism and tendencies of development democracy and culture in Lithuania and Baltic region. They also met the dean of the Faculty of Letters and discussed about possibilities of cooperation within the faculties especially in the field of francophone studies. Encouraging scholars and students to use Erasmus+ Programme and focus on philosophy and language studies. Giedrius also have met the director of the Centre of Latin America Studies and Cultures Roberto Khatlab who presented USEK perspectives and plans of Latin America’s studies implementation at USEK. The main object of this meeting was cooperation of Lithuanian Emigration institute at VMU and Centre of Latin America Studies and Cultures at USEK in field of studies and research.

At the USEK International Education Days sessions, Minvydas Liegus introduced VDU and presented good practices of VDU in Erasmus+ KA2 Capacity building in higher Education projects. The discussions on expanding of further cooperation with USEK departments and faculties took place with Clemence Drouet, director of International Affairs office and the staff of the Office. It was agreed to facilitate cooperation in staff and student exchange, develop partnership in Erasmus project based activities.

All VMU team actively participated in Study Abroad Fair, were presented VMU programmes in English, and consulted interested USEK students on admission, study organization, living and other details.

Prepared by:

Rytis Skominas,

Bernardas Vaznonis,

Giedrius Janauskas,

Jurgita Macijauskaitė-Bonda,

Minvydas Liegus.

Visit to the Khmelnitsky National University

Professor Juozas Padgurskas (Institute of the Transport and Machinery Engineering) visited Khmelnitsky on 07 – 13 of April. Khmelnitsky National University (https://www.khnu.km.ua/root/page.aspx?l=1&r=3&p=3 ) – is the largest higher educational institution in Podolia region (west – central and south – western part of the country), which trains specialists from many fields of knowledge and conducts educational, methodological and scientific work. The University was founded in 1962. There are six faculties at the university: Faculty of Engineering Mechanics, Faculty of Economics and Management, Humanitarian and Pedagogical Faculty, Faculty of Technology and Design, Faculty of Programming, Computer and Telecommunication Systems and Faculty of International Relations.

The main aim of the visit is to provide a course of lectures on green tribology, engineering materials testing, to educate the students who can follow engineering testing developments and apply this principles in the research, discuss the inter-university cooperation within the framework of the Erasmus + program establish, strengthen the scientific cooperation with the Khmelnitsky National University scientists, who are working in the mechanical engineering and tribology fields. During the visit, a cooperation agreement was signed between Vytautas Magnus University and Khmelnitsky National University.

Our University is preparing to submit an application under the call H2020-MSCA-RISE 2019 Bio-Waste materials for green tribology: research and training. Khmelnitsky National University is our partner in this application.

Studies and practice opportunities under the ERASMUS program

You still have a chance to go for studies or traineeship to other European countries in frame of ERASMUS programme !

Not miss Your chance (deadline is 10 May)

Students will get ERASMUS grant
The studied subjects will be recognised at the return to our university
No sanction taken for removal from students will impend in case of fail of exams abroad
Applying here

International Cooperation Department

VMU-AA Central building R. 202

Phone: +370 37 752 398, local: 476

E-mail: erasmus.zua@vdu.lt

Erasmus+ project “Therapeutic effects of apitherapy in higher education” [Be(e) Therapy]

The 4^th meeting of Erasmus+ project “Therapeutic effects of apitherapy in higher education” [Be(e) Therapy] took place in Nitra (Slovakia) on 1-2 of April. The project is coordinated by Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (Turkey). Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy as well as Adnan Menderes University (Turkey), Balikesir University (Turkey), the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (Poland) are the project partners. Assoc prof. dr. Anželika Dautartė and lect. dr. Jolita Abraitienė represented our Academy at the meeting.

Presentation of all activities related to project management, intellectual outputs and dissemination during the first year of the project lifetime were done by partners institutions. The special focus was on the partners’ contribution to the training modules development and qualification framework related to EQF levels. Discussions on dissemination and exploitation – overview of partners’ activities and Project Quality assurance report interesting and fruitful.

Project activities are planned up to September 2019. The final conference will be arranged by Adnan Menderes University in Akbuk, Aydin (Turkey) in August 2019.

Information on participation in a scientific conference at Cambridge University

Linas Stabingis, Associate Professor of Bioeconomics Research Institute of the Faculty of Bioeconomics Development, from 24^th to 27^th of March 2019 participated in the 2nd International Scientific Conference on Computer Management and Management (“ICCMB 2019”) organized by Cambridge University and provided a scientific presentation entitled “Automated Impact of Accounting Data Processing on the Quality of Services for Farmers: The Case of the Lithuanian Agricultural Advisory Service.

Several sections worked at the same time at the conference, so it was not possible to listen to all of them. The section on which the presentation was made dominated results of research on the use of information in the public virtual space for investigation into the market for organic food products, the identification of the need for healthy food, and the quality of food ordered by electronic devices. Most intersted it was presentation of William Hurst’s entitled “Investigation into the Development of a Knowledge Transfer Platform for Business Productivity”. The author of this presentation, representing Liverpool John Moores University, has been contacted to discuss possible collaboration on investigation into the quality of information systems and platforms and the behavior of users using them.

ERASMUS + teaching visit in Cairo university

In March 17-21 Assoc.Prof. of VMU ŽŪA Engineering Faculty Audrius Žunda visited the Cairo University, Faculty of Engineering (Egypt). It is one of the oldest (founded in 1908) higher education institutions in Egypt.The purpose of the visit was an ERASMUS + teaching visit. The overall title of the lecture cycle was Materials and Tribology.Thanks to the mediation of colleagues from Cairo University (CU), it was possible to visit the German University of Cairo (GUC).VMU UAE study programs, major research trends, and most significant research results of VMU UAA Engineering Faculty in the field of machine reliability and tribology were presented in the lectures and meetings with CU faculty staff and students (senior courses undergraduate and graduate students).The link between the University of Cairo and the then scientists of the ASU Engineering Faculty was established in 2018, when Doc. Ahmed Shash had ERASMUS+ mobility training. During visit to the University of Cairo, the hosts introduced the study procedure at the university, showed study and research laboratories.Gradually we find common points of contact in science and studies. Cairo scientists are interested in research fields of material wear and tribological properties, the possibility to perform such research in VMU tribology laboratory. Colleagues from the GUC would see perspectives for cooperation in the use of biomass for alternative energy. Students from graduate studies were interested in opportunities and conditions to continue their studies in PhD studies in Lithuania. During the conversations and collaborative discussions, it was agreed to look for opportunities for joint projects, research, and student’s exchange.

Visit in the Agriculture University of Tirana

Prof. Vilija Aleknevičienė and assoc. prof. Daiva Makutėnienė from the Research Institute for Bioeconomy visited Agriculture University of Tirana on 8–12 of April 2019. The University is founded in 1951. The professors visited the Faculty of Economy and Agribusiness. This faculty was founded in 1971. It is a leader in the field of economics & management research in Farm and Agribusiness Economics, Sector/Value Chain Analysis, Agro Food Policy Analysis, Policy Evaluation, Economic Development, Rural Poverty Elevation, Natural Resource Management, Agriculture Microcredit, Financial Insurances in Agriculture, etc.

They came to this University for teaching visit. V. Aleknevičienė taught master students on the topics of management of company finance. Students from the host university were introduced with methodological problems and practical application of financial models used in strategic management of company finance. The teaching course included the methods of capital cost determination; capital structure management issues; company valuation using DCF method and relative model. D. Makutėnienė taught master students on the analysis of agricultural and food markets. The teaching course included the following issues: measuring demand for domestic consumption; measuring demands for storage, speculation and exports; measuring price spreads and derived demand for agricultural products and inputs; measuring farm supply.

During the visit the professors met with the researchers from the Faculty of Economy and Agribusiness. They invited the researchers to participate in the conference Rural Development 2019. Prof. V. Aleknevičienė introduced Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) and invited the students and professors to come under Erasmus to VMU.

Attendance international conference

Lecturer Otilija Miseckaite (Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, Faculty of Water and Land Management, Water Recourses Engineering Institute) participated in conference “Actual Scientific-Technical and Environmental Problems of Land Reclamation“ in Belarus State Agriculture Academy at 14th – 15th of March 2019. This conference was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Land Reclamation education in Gorki, Belarus. During the conference were discussing about Environmental Problems and Land Reclamation, Water Resources and Climate Change, Technologies and Technical approaches in agriculture land with scientists from different countries.

Education Fairs in Kazakhstan

In March 10–16 associated professor Rytis Skominas from the Faculty of Water and Land Management and professor Audrius Gargasas from the Faculty of Bioeconomy Development participated in Education fairs in Kazakhstan under the project „Increasing the Recognition and Prestige of Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions in Kazakhstan and Promotion of Studies in Lithuania” (09.3.1-ESFA-V-709-01-0001). The project is funded by the European Social Fund Agency.

The education fairs were organized in two cities of Kazakhstan: in Shymkent and Almaty. The education fair in Shymkent was well-attended with participants who had an interest to study in Lithuania. During the fair Rytis Skominas made a presentation about study possibilities in Vytautas Magnus University. The Education fair in Almaty where divided into two parts: in the morning participants were introduced about the studies in Lithuania and after the lunch was a meeting with Kazakhstan universities. During the meeting were discussed about student exchange possibilities and double diploma.

Education fair in Shymkent

After the Education fair in Shymkent were visited the Nazarbayev Intellectual School. The delegates from Lithuania had a possibility to meet the pupils and to introduce them with study programs in Vytautas Magnus University and in Kaunas Technology University.

Meeting with pupils in Nazarbayev Intellectual School

At the end of the visit Rytis Skominas and Andrius Gargasas also visited Kazakh National Agrarian University and Eurasian Technological University. During the meetings were discussed about the collaboration in study and research fields.

Meeting in Kazakh National Agrarian University

ERASMUS+ teaching visit in FAYOUM UNIVERSITY

Lecturer Otilija Miseckaite (Institute of the Water Resources Engineering, Faculty of Water and Land Management) with the support by Erasmus+ teaching programme visited Fayoim University, Egipt. She presented the lectures in the field of Modern environmental engineering management and the possibilities for exchanges studies at VDU Agronomy Academy. During the stay at the Fayom University the possible cooperation in research, the inter-university cooperation within the framework of the Erasmus + program establish and strengthen the scientific cooperation were discussed.

Otilija Miseckaite also attended the 9th International Agriculture Conference „Sustainable Agricultural Development 2019“ held on 4-6th March in Fayoum University. 365 scientists from 64 universities and 33 research centres discussed various agricultural fields through 8 axes of agricultural development, including agriculture, engineering and production of plants in various disciplines and animal production, poultry and food science and technology and microbiology and genetics at the Conference.

Fayoum University is one of the Egyptian universities established by the Republican Decree No. (84) for the year 2005 after being a branch of Cairo University in the past. Nowadays, the University have 20 faculties: Education, Agriculture, Engineering, Social Work, Dar Al-Uloum, Science, Tourism and Hotels, Specific Education, Archeology, Medicine, Arts, Computers and Information, Early Childhood Education, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law, and finally Physical Education as well as Technical Institute for Nursing, Institute of Research and Strategic Studies of the Nile Basin Countries, also three accredited colleges: Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Early Childhood Education.