VMU World Lithuanian University (WLU) is dedicated to fostering the scholarly works, creations and intellectual discussions of world Lithuanians. It is a platform whose projects, initiatives and ideas aim both to continue the work started in 1989 by Prof. Algirdas Avižienis, Prof. Bronius Vaškelis, Valdas Adamkus, Prof. Kęstutis Skrupskelis and other world Lithuanians who contributed to the re-establishment of the university, and to foster the ideas proposed at that time.
The VMU World Lithuanian University is a space for developing the practical imagination and intellectual capacity of Lithuanians around the world, stimulating their thinking, and fostering their Lithuanian identity. WLU activities are also deeply rooted in Lithuanian diaspora history, sociological and anthropological study of Lithuanian migration and Lithuanian diaspora identity.
A collection of lectures, interviews, documentaries, discussions, concerning Lithuanian diaspora and VMU World Lithuanian University activities. Find our more. On March 1st, a reception for the journal took place at the President Valdas Adamkus Library-Museum, attended by the journal’s editors Ingrida Dačiolienė and Gerda Pilipaitytė. Professor Egidijus Aleksandravičius spoke about the significance of the activities of the World Lithuanian University, while Lithuanian from Argentina Martinas Parselis recalled the experiences of V. Kavolis’ teaching visit. Additionally, the cover hero of the journal, Lithuanian-American Ramutis Kiparskis, shared his family’s migration history. The event was moderated by Professor Dalia Kuizinienė. You can read the journal in Lithuanian libraries, and we invite you to acquire it at Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaičio str. 52-313. For the possibility of receiving the journal by mail, please contact gerda.pilipaityte@vdu.lt. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the University of Lithuania, Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) hosted the World Lithuanian University (WLU) Symposium that took place on October 27–29, 2022. Inspired by this tradition born in the Lithuanian American community in 1969, to commemorate the centennial of the University of Lithuania, in 2022 VMU invited representatives of Lithuanian and world Lithuanian scientific and creative communities to gather at the premises of Vytautas Magnus University, this time at the VMU World Lithuanian University Symposium. The symposium was held at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas. There was also a possibility to participate in the event on the Zoom platform or watch it online on VMU’s YouTube channel. The participants shared insights and discussed in both Lithuanian and English languages... read more. Vytautas Magnus University has created a Vytautas Kavolis Interdisciplinary Professorship, which invites Lithuanian diaspora lecturers for short-term teaching visits. Kavolis Interdisciplinary Professorship is a cooperation program dedicated to the visits of Lithuanian diaspora lecturers at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). It aims to strengthen both the interdisciplinary approach in the study programs and the ties with the Lithuanian diaspora academic community... read more Declaring October to be the month of Lithuanian Diaspora, Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) invites every year to attend a series of events organized together with its partners. VMU has maintained a close relationship with the scientific and artistic community of world Lithuanians for over three decades. Together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Lithuanian World Community (LWC), and Association for Getting to Know World Lithuanians (AGKWL), VMU invites everyone to draw attention to the Lithuanian Diaspora: its history, the activities of its communities and Lithuanian schools, and studies offered at Vytautas Magnus University that are relevant to the youths of the Lithuanian diaspora. A series of events that combines the initiatives of VMU and its partners who are related to the topic of Lithuanian diaspora... read more. In 2021 Vytautas Magnus University hosted an online study fair for Lithuanian diaspora – about study opportunities for world Lithuanians at Vytautas Magnus University. At this fair students from Lithuanian diaspora where introduced to the formal and non-formal study opportunities offered by Vytautas Magnus University... read more. Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), which has maintained a close relationship with the Lithuanian Diaspora for more than three decades, invited members of world Lithuanian communities, academics, politicians, teachers and pupils of Lithuanian schools, representatives of Lithuanian organizations that unite world Lithuanians and everyone interested in getting to know the Lithuanian Diaspora better, for a discussion. The forum, organized by the Lithuanian World Community (LWC) together with Vytautas Magnus University and the Association for Getting to Know World Lithuanians (AGKWL), took place on October 21, 2021... read more. Vytautas Magnus University together with the Lithuanian World Community, Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and Lithuanian Foundation organised the XVI World Lithuanian Symposium on Arts and Sciences which took place on the 14–16 of November in Vytautas Magnus University. This was a celebratory event, as it continued the tradition that has started 50 years ago (in 1969, Chicago, USA). Organisers invited to participate consolidating the collective wisdom for Lithuania and Lithuanians... read more. “Kaunas 18 + 18. Axis of Resurrection” is devoted to acclaim the meaningfulness of the Centennial of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania. In 2017 in Solidarity Square of Kaunas the construction of an underground parking garage was commenced and thus the soil became “free”. Several architects from Kaunas came up with an idea to give pieces of this “free soil” as a present to Lithuanians. The liberated land is a multi-layered metaphor connecting several symbolically significant meanings through artistic associations. Yes, it is a handful of earth from the most important centennial square at the foot of the Christs’s Resurrection Church. Once the emigrants of our ancestors’ generation used to carry a lump of native soil to the infinity from which they were not likely to return. Now the free world can make connections; let the feelings and memories of all World Lithuanians not hinder our communication. A handful of earth from Solidarity Square has now become part of an artistic didactic project; however, we can easily imagine it sprinkled over South or North America or the centres of Lithuanian communities on other continents. The new seedlings of memory may well start rooting in it, the most beautiful flowers of the World Lithuanian coexistence may be blooming, and the fruits of obligating solidarity may get ripe. In the world where everything becomes possible this artistic initiative is like an invitation on the occasion of the Centennial of the February 16th Republic to open our hearts to each other and to feel the other Lithuanian like the mirror of our motherland. Prof. Egidijus Aleksandravičius Media library
The World Lithuanian University Journal “Jungtys” released
Ten years ago, when the World Lithuanian University (WLU) began its activities, the WLU journal edited by Mykolas Drungas was released. This year, commemorating the tenth anniversary of PLU’s activities, we present the second WLU journal “Jungtys”. VMU World Lithuanian University Symposium 2022
Vytautas Kavolis Interdisciplinary Professorship
October – Lithuanian diaspora month
Study fair for Lithuanian diaspora at Vytautas Magnus University
World Lithuanian Communities’ Forum
XVI World Lithuanian Symposium on Arts and Sciences
Liberated land
