Academician Juozas Augutis Re-Elected as VMU Rector for Second Term

On 15 September, the Council of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) elected the new head of the university. Academician Juozas Augutis has been re-elected as the rector of VMU, which is the broadest range and second-largest university in Lithuania. VMU rector is elected for a term of five years. The new term begins on 1 October.

Two candidates participated in the VMU rector’s election: professor Milda Ališauskienė and academician Juozas Augutis. The third official candidate, Dr. Vytas Jankauskas, withdrew his candidacy after a meeting of VMU Senate.

Academician Juozas Augutis is Professor of Vytautas Magnus University, mathematician, former head of the Energy Security Research Center under the Lithuanian Energy Institute, member of the international association ESRA, full member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, expert of the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme, member of the Lithuanian Mathematical Society and the Lithuanian Union of Statisticians. The professor received the Lithuanian Science Prize in 2005 and an honorary award from the World Energy Council for his achievements in the field of energy in 2012.  In 2019, the professor was awarded the insignia of the Knight in the Order of Academic Palms by the French Republic.

“I am certain that Vytautas Magnus University has great potential and all possibilities to achieve more than it has achieved today. I am committed to ensure that the University’s next five years become the years of opportunities that it creates and seizes”, the newly elected rector said.

The program for 2020-2025 prepared by the rector provides a sustainable development strategy for the university, which focuses on five main areas: the university community, the path towards an international research university, the quality of studies and studying, the harmony of autonomy and responsibility, and the social responsibility. Moreover, integration processes of the Education and Agriculture academies will continue, as well as efforts to further enlarge the university’s academic subdivisions and provide the students with even better access to interdisciplinary studies.

A separate section of the rector’s strategy is dedicated to the university’s role in the development of society. The main direction of activities here will be toward strengthening of the university’s autonomy.

Team of vice-rectors has been approved

The Council has also approved the team of vice-rectors. Prof. Dr. Julija Kiršienė will continue to serve as the Vice-Rector for Research, like in the first term. Dr. Simona Pilkienė will serve as Vice-Rector for Studies, while Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vilma Bijeikienė is the new Vice-Rector for Communication.

VMU Vice-Rector for Research Prof. Dr. Julija Kiršienė

In the field of research, the primary goals are to strengthen the internationalism of science by establishing scientific research institutes dedicated to priority areas of research, increase the funding for research (in Lithuania, it receives just 0.9 percent of the GDP, which is significantly less than the EU average of 2.5), and establish international doctoral studies. The agenda of the Vice-Rector for Research will also include increasing of the university’s influence and visibility as well as continued consolidation of cooperation with the structures of government and business.

VMU Vice-Rector for Studies Dr. Simona Pilkienė

The main aim of the Vice-Rector for Studies will be to improve the quality of studies and studying. Study programmes will be reviewed and further improved, and the less popular ones will be integrated as specializations within the more general programmes. The quality of studies will also be raised by maintaining continuous dialogue between community members and by supporting the tradition of informal discussions. The internationalism of studies as well as distance studies will also be among the priorities.

The studies at the university will continue to uphold the principles of liberal arts, and an Artes Liberales study programme will be created. There are plans to improve cooperation with the city’s other universities by creating a Free University Space of Kaunas, where all universities of Kaunas could announce individual subjects available for students of any university in the city.

VMU Vice-Rector for Communication Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vilma Bijeikienė

The Vice-Rector for Communication will focus on creation of international partnerships, consolidation of the international university network, and bringing together of the university’s community. Support of the community spirit involves principles of academic ethics, equal opportunity, and social responsibility, intercultural diversity, career and development opportunities for academic and non-academic staff, improvement of working conditions for young families, review of young researchers’ working conditions, and consolidation of the university’s community.