Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas Presented His Candidacy for the Position of Vilnius University Rector

On 17 January, members of the Vilnius University (VU) community gathered in the Theatre Hall to hear Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas, the candidate for the position of VU Rector, present his vision.

He answered questions from both the live audience and online participants. Such presentations are an important part of the Rector’s election process. This year, no other candidates were nominated for the position. As the sole candidate, Prof. Petrauskas was officially registered by the VU Central Electoral Commission.

When asked how he feels about being the only candidate, the Professor remarked: "I see this as a sign of trust from the community, and I hope not to disappoint."

The debate, moderated by Dr Rūta Kupetytė from the Faculty of Communication, began with a quote from the Professor’s electoral programme stating that "the use of artificial intelligence does not contradict, but rather expand, the University’s intrinsic idea." This was followed by AI-generated questions related to the Professor’s favourite sport – football. One of them was: "What is your game plan for the University – is it more focused on long and cautious gameplay or a strategy of fast-paced attack?"

Prof. Petrauskas replied that, as in sports, the University sometimes needs both deliberate and thoughtful "gameplay", as well as fast and decisive actions. However, what matters most is having a clear strategy and purpose.

The Professor also highlighted the importance of the balance between research and studies: "At Vilnius University, research and studies complement each other. Teaching stems from research, and research enhances the quality of teaching. While we have not yet fully achieved our goal of broader student engagement, we have taken steps to promote it at various levels – both administratively and in the study process."

Reflecting on his accomplishments during the five-year tenure, the Professor noted substantial progress in building meaningful connections with government institutions. One of these key achievements was VU’s involvement in the national vision initiative "Lithuania 2050". Moreover, the University was also entrusted with hosting major international events, such as the conference preceding the NATO Summit and the international conference at Sorbonne University, marking the opening of the Lithuanian Season in France.

"What is even more meaningful is that, early in the parliamentary cycle, we successfully secured increased funding for all fields of study – a goal we now need to pursue once again with the new government. Additionally, through certain decisions, we ensured that interdisciplinary centres of excellence received additional funding, which had been discussed for years. The Agreement on National Education Policy is also worth mentioning. While this is a political decision, it would not have been possible without the active involvement and input of universities," said Prof. Petrauskas.

Speaking about one of the University’s key priorities – internationalisation – the VU Rector emphasised two critical aspects: investing in incentives for researchers and implementing the plan for the admission of international students.

The presentation was open to the VU community and the wider public. A live stream allowed anyone interested in the University’s life and processes to participate and ask questions.

To explore the electoral programme of Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas, visit this link.