News 

The traditional, annual event “The River of Souls”

The traditional, annual event “The River of Souls” organized by the Vilnius University Students’ Representation in Kaunas Faculty (VU SR KnF) returns to the heart of Kaunas!

On November 1st, All Saints’ Day, we humbly invite you to visit the heart of Kaunas and to take part in “The River of Souls” organized by VU SR KnF.

The organizers of this now 20-year-old event are proud to announce that this year they won’t be using paraffin wax candles and, in their place, will be using sustainable and more environmentally friendly elements.

We humbly invite everyone to join VU SR KnF on the 1st of November, 5 PM and illuminate the path from the Laisvės alėja fountain to the St. Michael the Archangel's church.

Let us come together to not only light a candle for our dearly departed but to also remember what it means to share light and warmth with each other.

We inform you that the light-emitting diode (LED) candles will be used in the event. As such, it is not necessary to bring your own candles.

Face masks are recommended during the event.

The even is FREE.

For more information about the event please contact us via e-mail or cellular phone +370 620 26 013.

Photo by Rokas Suklevičius

VU Kaunas faculty researchers participated in a training on future thinking skills

Assoc. Prof. Ilona Kiaušienė and Assoc. Prof. Ingrida Šarkiūnaitė, researchers at the Institute of Social Sciences and Applied Informatics of Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University, are participating in the project “Transnational cooperation initiative fostering developing forward thinking skills of students, teachers and workforce in sustainability-relevant sectors posed by Business 4.0 trends through innovation in Business & Engineering education and training (SMART skills 4.0)”. The project is coordinated by the Polytechnic University of Bucharest (Romania) and implemented with partners from Italy, Slovenia, Lithuania and Greece. The aim of the project is to support the development of forward thinking skills of students, teachers and workforce by designing, deploying and scaling-up the Educational Initiative (future-oriented curricula) facilitating innovation in business & engineering education and training, intercultural knowledge exchanges in various sustainability-relevant sectors of Business 4.0 and enhancing civic and responsible behavior. Unlocking the transformative potential of education and training through the development of modern learning, teaching and training resources in line with Business 4.0 trends and the exchange of good practices, focused on the concept of forward-thinking development, through the involvement of HE learners in intercultural knowledge exchanges. Added value is provided by the opportunities for cross-border cooperation, channeling positive changes at the institutional level, adoption of new curricula approaches for better alignment to current technological advancement and Business 4.0 trends.

In order to achieve the objectives of the project, a training course was organised in Italy from 20 to 24 September 2021 at S.C. Infor Elea (San Secondo di Pinerolo and Turin). During the training, the participants listened to lectures and presentations related to Business 4.0 trends, visited an exhibition and a local business incubator in Turin. The seminars focused on the role of innovation (Internet of Things, navigation services, artificial intelligence and data science, communication technologies, etc.), the implications of new technologies for work, the next era of man-machine partnership, industrial robotics VS service robotics (presented by the Smart Business Academy (S.C. Infor Elea)), the debate on new technologies in manufacturing and skills training for skills development and job creation (Prof. Ettore Maraschi, Politecnico di Torino). There was also a discussion on the skills strategy for the digital economy: why information processing skills and digital literacy are important, what are the distinctive modern thinking competences, social and emotional skills to respond to increased levels of uncertainty (Matteo Pacini, Guilds42). Educational approaches for teaching and learning future skills for digital progress were discussed (Mihai Pascadi, S.C. Avantera, Romania).

Participants had the opportunity not only to listen to presentations or take part in engaging discussions. They also visited the Olimac Factory (Piedmont region), which develops and manufactures harvesting machines for maize and sunflower, and thus had the opportunity to appreciate the synergy between modern thinking and robotics. The The Olimac Factory is a fully robotic industrial and technological complex focused on research and continuous technological innovation in both production and management. A visit to the Italian TECH WEEK 2021, which took place on 24 September, and to a local business incubator in Turin was also memorable. These were thematic study visits to learn about the implementation of the latest technologies in business and to understand the importance of future thinking skills in the education and training process.

More about project SMART skills 4.0: https://www.smartskills4.com/ 

Grant Agreement: 2020-1-RO01-KA203-080019

Ilona Kiaušienė and Ingrida Šarkiūnaitė

Institute of Social Sciences and Applied Informatics

Changes regarding the wearing of face masks 

According to the decision of the Government of  The Republic of Lithuania, from 1st October 2021 wearing of protective face masks in the premises of Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University is obligatory, regardless of whether the activities  are carried out with or without the National Certificate.

16 th prof. Vladas Gronskas international scientific conference

The 16 th prof. Vladas Gronskas international scientific conference will be held on December 2, 2021. The aim of the Conference is to contribute to a reliable, secure, efficient and sustainable economy, economic and business development.

We invite master students, PhD students and researches to Prof. Vladas Gronskas International Scientific Conference. The Conference organizers also invite students to deepen their knowledge in the fields of economics, finance, management, business administration and marketing.

16-th prof. Vladas Gronskas International Scientific Conference invites master's, doctoral and other researchers working in the field of social sciences and applied informatics to share their discoveries, disseminate scientific ideas and establish academic contacts at the most important classical (comprehensive) university of science in Lithuania!

Students who want to deepen their knowledge in the fields of economics, finance, management, business administration, marketing and get acquainted with the subtleties of these studies and science as early as possible are also invited to participate in the conference.

Take a chance to publish your article in the ISI Web of Science journal Transformations in Business & Economics

The conference will be held remotely using MS Teams program. More information about login options is available only to registered participants.

Invitation

 Important: about Classes In-Person in Kaunas Faculty

Dear Students,
Access to the university premises is allowed only for persons who have one of the following documents:

• a Valid National Certificate 
• EU Digital Covid Certificate 
• a Valid negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result 

IMPORTANT! In order to ensure a smooth study process and to avoid queues at the entrance of the Kaunas Faculty, please have your ID card or passport and one of the documents listed above ready when you arrive.

If you have not been vaccinated and have not contracted the illness before, you need to be tested. Under the existing decision of the Head of Operations, students who have been vaccinated with a single dose will not be required to pay for a PCR test during the transitional period (until 15 October).

Those who do not have an EU digital COVID Certificate or other document mentioned above: please ask the course tutor before the lecture for the possibility to listen the audio broadcast of the lectures in real time. Recordings of the lectures will not be performed.

You can get the National Certificate at https://gpasas.lt/.

Dear first-year students and community members of Kaunas faculty,

Welcome to the opening of the new academic year! I would like to share my thoughts with the first-year students, which is why we have gathered here. I am sure you are familiar with the idea that learning is for life. Learning for life enables you to gain experience, learn more about yourself and the world, and share the acquired knowledge with others.
The idea that you can contribute to a better world is probably appealing and motivating for everyone. However, valuable knowledge is not acquired in one day; it is necessary to make an effort. But anything is possible if you know what you are aiming for.
 
You are like travellers now: you know the final destination, you have a map and a backpack, which is knowledge that you have already acquired. However, you may still be unsure what else you may have to learn, or which path to take; how your daily routine will change, and whom you will meet along the way.
 
It’s good to know that you will not travel alone on this learning journey, although some challenges will need to be overcome by everyone individually. Either way, everyone will gain experience and follow a unique path. Kaunas faculty community will be there to support you: we will provide knowledge, encourage you, observe how your best qualities are revealed and new skills are formed, how you reach your destination.
 
Wishing you success on this journey, I would like to quote the state figure and writer Benjamin Disraeli who said that "The secret of success is constancy to purpose". I wish you to be persistent with your goals so that we can enjoy the results together later.
 
Once again, congratulations on becoming part of the best university in the country, and welcome to the community of Kaunas faculty!
 
 
Dean of Kaunas Faculty Associate Professor Doctor Kęstutis Driaunys

 Record-High VU Position: University Makes it to the Top 400 World Universities

In the latest QS World University Rankings 2022, Vilnius University (VU) took a record high position and for the first time, ranked 400th in this ranking.
This is also the highest rating ever achieved by Lithuanian universities in the global ranking of QS universities; therefore, this position is significant not only for the history of higher education at VU but also for the whole of Lithuanian higher education.
“Being among the 400 best universities in the world is a significant achievement for all Lithuanian higher education, testifying to the fact that our country has all the prerequisites for the highest level of international science and studies.
I am certain that we are strong enough to establish ourselves among the best universities in the world and to adhere to the highest standards as they are understood in the international scientific community. However, this requires constant constructive dialogue with the public authorities so that the funding of science and studies allows for the planning of a long-term perspective.
We prove that we can achieve and exceed the set goals, the state must prove that it considers education a priority,” VU Rector Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas said.
VU has been ranked in the global QS rankings among more than one and a half thousand other higher education institutions for almost a decade, and this time has risen by more than 200 positions in total. First evaluated in 2014, VU ranked 601-650. Currently, being in the 400th position, VU represents Lithuania by shaping high scientific standards, which increasingly contribute to attracting international researchers and becomes a serious competitor to prestigious European universities.
“We are proud of the academic community of Vilnius University. Its efforts strengthen not only the global image of the university but also the image of the city. This time, by being among the top 400, VU has once again proved that it has the energy to grow and create breakthrough ideas,” Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Šimašius said. This year, VU ranked especially high - 135 position - in terms of teaching quality. According to the criterion of academic reputation, rising by 27 positions compared to last year, this year VU ranks 400th, and 434th in terms of employee evaluation.
When compiling QS world university rankings, higher education institutions are evaluated according to a total of six criteria: Academic Reputation, rating of the best institutions in terms of research, Employer Reputation, rating of the best professional training institutions, Citations per Faculty, the ratio of the number of students and lecturers in the departments (Faculty Student), the share of foreign lecturers (International Faculty) and the number of foreign students (International Students). 

Number of cyber attacks increased by 1.5 times during the lockdown in 2020

According to the Association of Lithuanian Banks, phishers caused damage of more than EUR 4.5 million to the Lithuanian population during the past year. This was done by using fraudulent e-mails and messages to tempt people to invest in financial schemes. Meanwhile, a report issued by Risk Based Security revealed that there were over 37 billion records compromised in 2020, representing a 141% increase compared to the number in 2019.

According to Dr Renata Danielienė, lecturer and IT expert at the Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University and the Cyberthon 2021 competition, the number of cyber attacks is growing every year. This year, their number was further increased by the quarantine, when most companies moved their activities into the virtual space and employees began working from home, meaning that less-protected personal computers were used for professional activities.

Click here to read full article: https://www.15min.lt/en/article/tribune/number-of-cyber-attacks-increased-by-1-5-times-during-the-lockdown-in-2020-1240-1465166?fbclid=IwAR244ou5Ojr3QFaFNUBh3QZFaOx2XQBww7rtb707DvD8IRJA-TATdHQk6L8&copied

Vilnius University mobile app for students

This is Vilnius University (VU) app designed for every VU student.

At the moment, owners of smart devices with Android and iOS operating systems can download VU mobile app from the following app stores:
Having downloaded and logged in to the app using the official VU student identification data (username and password), you will have the possibility:

• To access timetables;
  
• To be the first to find out major and most relevant news;
  
• To easily access the contacts of people who can help you with the study process.
  

In short, everything that is important — in one place.
Consequently, if you are a VU student, download the app and give it a go!

*The app is free of charge.

Applications for 2021/22 admission are now open

Check Study programmes 2021