Vilnius University follows Vilnius University Diversity and Equal Opportunities Strategy 2020–2025. The aim of the strategy is to create a study and work environment at the University that promotes individual, social and cultural diversity and ensures equal opportunities for members of the University’s community. The University seeks to promote diversity and ensure equal opportunities for all regardless of gender, race, nationality, citizenship, language, origin, social status, faith, beliefs, convictions, age, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, religion, family status, intention to have a child (children) or any other grounds of discrimination.
The Community Development Department of the Central Administration is responsible for the formulation of measures of the equal opportunities policy at the University. One of the goals of the unit is to ensure equal opportunities for the University’s community members.
Vilnius University diversity and equal opportunities
The aim of the strategy is to create a study and work environment at the University that promotes individual, social and cultural diversity and ensures equal opportunities for members of the University’s community.
Particular attention shall be paid to ensuring equal opportunities in the areas of disability, gender equality, different cultures and social status through the implementation of the following objectives:
Strive for dignified, need-oriented and high-quality study and work conditions at the University for people with disability;
Strive for genderequality in individual areas of science and studies at the University through implementing gender equality plans with respect to students and staff and through pursuing gender balance in the University’s governing bodies;
Promote culturaldiversity in the University and seek equal inclusion of foreign students and staff in the University’s community;
Search for ways to enable people experiencing social exclusion due to financial or other social circumstances to pursue higher education at the University;
Develop measures that help members of the University’s community better balance study and (or) work commitments with personal commitments (maternity, paternity, caretaking of relatives, etc.);
Develop anti-discrimination measures at the University to reduce direct and indirect discrimination on all the prohibited grounds of discrimination, enshrined in the legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania, and to foster an organisational culture that values diversity and respects each member of the University's community.
You can find the document of Vilnius University Diversity and Equal Opportunities Strategy 2020–2025 here.
The VU Diversity and Equal Opportunities Strategy is implemented according to implementation plans approved by the VU Senate:
You can find the document of Vilnius University Diversity and Equal Opportunities Strategy 2020–2025 Implementation Plan for the Period of 2020-2022 here.
You can find the document of Vilnius University Diversity and Equal Opportunities Strategy 2020–2025 Implementation Plan for the Period of 2023-2025 here.
Monitoring of Diversity and Equal Opportunities Situation in Vilnius University
Data monitoring at Vilnius University is a tool included in the VU Diversity and Equal Opportunities Strategy 2020-2025, therefore a regular provision of quantitative and qualitative data on the different grounds of discrimination is becoming a routine activity in the field of equal opportunities. The monitoring aims to capture the diversity of the University as it already exists, to reflect on how it can be deliberately increased and expanded, and to ensure the implementation of equal opportunities.
The monitoring of the diversity and equal opportunities situation at Vilnius University has been carried out every two years since 2018:
To access the study “Analysis of Diversity and Equal Opportunities in Vilnius University in 2018–2019”, please click here.
To access the study “Monitoring of Diversity and Equal Opportunities Situation in Vilnius University in 2020”, please click here.
To access the study “Monitoring of Diversity and Equal Opportunities Situation in Vilnius University in 2021-2022”, please click here
Vilnius university Gender Equality Plan 2021-2025 has been approved in the Senate on 14 of December, 2021. Gender Equality Plan is an institutional policy instrument designed to promote cultural, systemic and structural change within the organisation in order to achieve favourable learning and working conditions for women and men. VU Gender Equality Plan commits to a consistent and systemic approach to gender equality principles implementation in the following areas: organisational governance and decision-making, staff management, research, experimental development and studies, organisational communication.
VU Gender Equality Plan has been developed in a project “Supporting and Implementing Plans for Gender Equality in Academia and Research 2019-2022” (SPEAR) funded by Horizon 2020. Also, it is one the activities in gender equality field of VU Diversity and Equal Opportunities Strategy 2020-2025, approved by Senate Decision No SPN-6 as of 18 February 2020. Gender equality is considered as one of priority areas when implementing the Strategic Objective to “Strive for gender equality in individual areas of science and studies at the University through drafting and implementing gender equality plans with respect to students and staff and through pursuing gender balance in the University’s governing bodies”
Vilnius University systematically strives to create equal opportunities for its community members with disabilities to work and study at the University.
For students: if you have a disability, including mental disability, autism spectrum disorder, attention or learning difficulties, or other health issues that may cause individual needs during your studies, please fill in this form, which is also available on vu.lt studies and disability page, VU IS or contact the Disability Coordinator at your convenience, by phone at (8 5) 219 3161 or by email .
For staff and guests: if you have any questions about disability at the University, or if you need to make adjustments due to disability or other health issues, please contact us by phone at (8 5) 219 3161 or by email .
The Prevention of Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Violence and Persecution at Vilnius University
The University seeks to develop and ensure an organisational culture that enables everyone to feel safe and accepted, to foster his/her individuality and to realise his/her potential. Each of us has a responsibility not to, through actions and words, contribute to creating a hostile environment for an individual person or a group.
If you have experienced, noticed or learned about cases of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, violence or persecution at Vilnius University, you may:
Seek help - upon providing the initial information, you will be contacted to discuss the situation, to identify possible ways of helping, and to find the most appropriate solutions. During the process of seeking help, confidentiality is ensured. Please contact:
the immediate superior or the head of the unit where you, the targeted person, or the complainee works or studies;
the employee responsible for the prevention of discrimination at the unit where you, the targeted person, or the complainee works. The contact information of the responsible employee can be found here;
the Trust Line by email:
Submit an official report on an incident(s) to the Commission for the Prevention and Investigation of Cases of Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Violence, and Persecution at Vilnius University (its composition can be found here). The Commission aims to ascertain the circumstances of the case and draft a conclusion (decision) to be submitted to the established responsible employees (e.g. the head of the unit, the head of the Human Resources Division of VU, etc.). Please submit the report via email . Anonymous reports are not investigated.
The following flowchart illustrates the process of providing assistance and reporting in more detail:
Main documents
The University’s provisions, the submission of the report, and the investigation process are detailed here:
