Research News
What Are Innovative Teaching Principles In Modern Universities?
On May 31 – June 1, VMU Professional Competence Development Center organized an innovative training – „Trends in Hybrid Education“, which was attended by teachers and non-academic staff of Vytautas Magnus University. The training was conducted by two experienced international trainers and innovative teaching experts – Drs. Roelien Wierda and Ron Barendsen (MEd), who are lecturers at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and have extensive experience in Innovative Pedagogies, Universal Design for Learning, CompetencyBased Learning, STEAM education, ICT tools, Blended and Hybrid Learning and Design Thinking.
Launching Horizon Europe project DIACOMET
Is it possible to ensure societal and media ethics standards in communication? How to reduce the spread of hate speech and disinformation on the internet? These and other questions will be addressed by the new EU-funded project called DIACOMET, which will be implemented by Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) in collaboration with partners from 8 European countries. Journalists and the public will be able to learn more about the project at the kick-off event in Kaunas on June 13-14. Among the event participants is Aidan White, the founder of the Ethical Journalism Network and former General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists.
Hundreds of Scientists to Discuss Baltic Affairs at Conference
As the war continues in Ukraine, what role has been played by the Baltic region countries, which have experienced "vicarious identification" with Ukrainians and their pain? How can we help museums quickly respond to emergency situations, when artwork is being destroyed? In today's Europe, what role is played by the Baltic region, which is located on the continent's edge and constantly experiences turmoil? These and other questions will be discussed by scientists from all over Europe in the international conference Turning Points: Values and Conflicting Futures in the Baltics, which will be held on 15–17 June at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) in Kaunas.
Physical and Mental Well-being at the Focus of Sport and Health Week
“A physically active and healthy lifestyle leads to good health, while a passive lifestyle leads to a higher risk of noncommunicable diseases, a lower quality of life, and a shorter life expectancy. Physical inactivity is one of the main health risk factors, alongside an unbalanced diet and harmful habits. While the link between physical activity and good health is becoming better understood, the number of people who are physically active remains low. The Lancet, a popular medical journal, has reported that one in three adults and 80% of adolescents worldwide are not physically active enough. According to WHO (World Health Organization), 3.2 million people worldwide die each year as a result of insufficient physical activity”, says Assoc. Prof. Asta Mockienė, a coach at the VMU Sports Centre.
FOREST 4.0 Project to Digitalise Forest Operations
To establish a Centre of Excellence to transform the forest environment monitoring, data acquisition, and analysis, and capture value from the collected data – this was the goal set by the FOREST 4.0 project partners at the project kick-off event held at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) on 10–11 May.
Ambassador of Netherlands Held Lecture on Human Rights and Security
“Human rights and security are not opposites, they complement each other. You can have no true human dignity and consideration of human rights without security. [But] you can’t have your cake and eat it too – something needs to go. The legal framework may be extremely solid, but in real life, events happen where you have to make choices and compromises that do not adhere to human rights standards. In some situations, human rights treaties are not aligned with certain security interests,” says the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Lithuania, Jack Robert Twiss Quarles Van Ufford, who gave a lecture at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) on the challenges of ensuring human rights and security.
