Rector's Speech on Occasion of the End of Calendar Year

Dear colleagues and students, dear members of the Vilnius University community,

We are concluding the 445th year of the University. As always, the end of the year is the time to take stock of everything, reflect on the results, and develop new plans and ideas. Despite the turbulent geopolitical environment, various emerging technological challenges, and the relentlessly accelerating pace of life, the University continues to maintain its firm stance as a reliable haven for deeper, more critical thinking. In preserving our essence and traditions, it is also vital that we know how to mobilise ourselves, react, and make our voices heard when needed.

From a distance, the passing years at the University may appear very similar since they are guided by the rhythm of academic life. Yet, we know from our experience how unique each year is through each article or experiment, each academic session or research project – each one leads to a fresh stage of self-realisation and new cognition.

This year was especially rich in international projects, including winning as many as three European Research Council grants and multiple prestigious grants from the Horizon Europe programme. Currently, 46 Horizon Europe projects are being implemented at VU, whose combined value is approx. EUR 15 million (compared to EUR 8 million during the same period in 2023). Funding to eight postdoctoral trainees was allocated under the prestigious Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie programme.

This year, around 20 articles have been published by VU researchers in "Nature" and other journals within the "Nature" group, as well as a number of monographs in international publishing houses (CRC Press, Springer Nature, De Gruyter, etc.). To increase the scope of international scientific communication, we initiated and published 15 articles in the global academic media this year. These interview-based articles allowed our researchers to share their insights and present their research results to a broader audience.

A significant milestone in the development of the University’s science and innovation infrastructure was also reached in 2024, when we opened the Medical Science Centre, enabling breakthroughs in the health sciences and providing new opportunities for interdisciplinary cooperation. The Missions Programme project to establish the Translational Gene Technology Centre has commenced.

VU researchers were the recipients of five out of seven Lithuanian Science Prizes. Gražina Tautvaišienė (FF) was elected Vice-President of the International Astronomical Union, while Evaldas Kazlauskas (FsF) was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Margarita Šešelgytė (TSPMI) was awarded the Constance Council Prize for promoting European cooperation and dialogue, Vilius Bartninkas (FlF) was presented with the Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise, Irmantas Mogila (GMC) was granted the Birnstiel Award for Doctoral Research in Molecular Life Sciences. Viltė Janušauskaitė (IF) was the winner of the UNESCO "For Women in Science" Young Talents Programme. Three VU researchers became members of the Young Academy of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences: Akvilė Naudžiūnienė (IF), Justina Gaidukevič (ChGF), and Augustinas Baušys (MF).

As for studies, more than four thousand first-year students were admitted this year, including 850 international students who joined the University community – more than ever before. The increasing number of such students inevitably leads to expanding the portfolio of international study programmes offered; thus, every year, we continue to introduce new high-quality study programmes conducted in English. The joint Master study programme "International Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence" of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics (implemented together with the Universities of Granada, Padua, and Minho) was successfully launched during this year's admissions.

As part of implementing the University’s Language Policy, we enabled lecturers to improve their English skills. We also offered Lithuanian courses to accommodate the smooth integration of international students in Lithuania. Our hope is that this continuous initiative will serve as additional encouragement to settle into our community.

The establishment of the Didactics Centre of the Faculty of Physics completed the process of creating STEM teaching units at faculties. The much-anticipated Methodological STEAM Education Centre will soon be opened, meaning that we will have the largest network-based education infrastructure in Lithuania. Besides that, we have opened a Teacher Training Centre at the VU Šiauliai Academy.

I would also take this opportunity to praise the continuously evolving teaching culture at the University and the efforts of the lecturers in actively improving their teaching. In a year, more than 500 staff members participated in courses and programmes that strengthen teaching competencies, and more than 200 of them updated or created digital learning content for the course units they teach as part of the EdTech project. At the beginning of December, the Day of Educational Innovations took place for the second year in a row, once again confirming the need and the significance of sharing best teaching practices.

In the area of international cooperation, we opened the Lithuanian season in France with the conference ‘Lithuania and France: a Distant Neighbourhood – a Shared Experience’ organised together with Sorbonne University and signed an institutional cooperation agreement with this esteemed institution as an opportunity to establish a long-term partnership. We also continue to develop other strategic partnerships, whether via dialogues with universities in Taiwan and Chicago, a visit by the delegation of POSTECH (one of the strongest universities in South Korea), or our involvement in the activities of large consortia such as CERN or EMBL. During a solemn ceremony, we inaugurated Hans Kjeldsen (Astrophysics, Denmark), Daniel Petit (Baltic Studies, France), and Anna Pikulska-Radomska (Law, Poland) as Honorary Doctors of Vilnius University. The University was visited by Mark Rutte – former Prime Minister of the Netherlands and current NATO Secretary General; George Vella – former President of Malta; Szymon Hołownia – the Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland; Aleksander Kwaśniewski – former President of the Republic of Poland; Robert Huber – Director Emeritus of the Max Planck Institute and Nobel Laureate; and Billie Jean King – icon of women’s tennis.

An exceptional occasion for the VU Foundation received wide media coverage. The Lithuanian-Canadian dentists and philanthropists Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas bequeathed EUR 4.7 million to the VU Endowment Fund. This not only doubled the value of the Fund but also contributed to the formation of new traditions of philanthropy in Lithuania. Of no less importance was the decision of the Juozapavičius family to donate EUR 1.3 million to the Fund and Rūta Grušnienė’s donation of EUR 200 thousand for research on the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

At the end of September, we organised the VU Alumni Festival, which attracted more than 2,300 participants. Such an event allows us to expand our community and make the University a place to return to. Another similar place to frequent is the Merchandise Shop of Vilnius University, which was opened on Pilies Street for the community, alumni, and everyone interested.

For the first time, a charity auction was organised to mark the University’s birthday. Members of the community established valuable prizes, and EUR 73 thousand was accumulated to finance the VU450 scholarship, which provides social support for first-year students. A pilot project, VU Academy, was implemented in the Vilnius district in cooperation with Vilnius District Municipality. New lifelong learning options were offered on the ‘Kursuok’ platform. As many as 200 pupils graduated from the updated Children’s University.

The remuneration of all employees significantly increased this year. We are the first Lithuanian academic institution to offer supplementary health insurance to our employees. Launched in autumn, the scheme is already being used extensively. We also carried out an employee survey, the results of which will soon be presented to the community.

Regarding infrastructure, we acquired a new building on Islandijos Street to develop research and studies in pedagogy as well as the humanities and the social sciences. A works contract regarding the Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences was signed, and construction is due to start next year. A design contest for a new building of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics and updating the complex of Sauletėkis was announced.

We live in a time of political change. It is essential that the new Seimas and Government continue the commitments undertaken in the agreement of the parties on education regarding a consistent increase in funding for science and the remuneration of lecturers and researchers. Our job is to monitor and act to retain education as a priority on the political agenda.

Alongside the national political shifts, we also have changes in the governance of the University. Congratulations to the newly elected Council; may your work be successful and benefit the University. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the outgoing Council who dedicated five or more years to the matters of our Alma Mater.

Next year, the development of a new VU strategy awaits us. Since a significant anniversary of the University is approaching, we would like to invite you all to a broad discussion: "VU 450: What Kind of University Would I Like to Work and Study At?"

The University is a centre for free thought, critical thinking, and expert knowledge that is open to projects, initiatives, and discussions. Following this path, we will draw closer to the University’s 450th Jubilee.

I thank you all for your work, achievements, ideas, and activities. I would like to extend my greetings during the most wonderful time of the year and wish you all to find time for quiet contemplation as well as meetings and conversations with your nearest and dearest, friends, and colleagues. Let us share our energy and optimism for it to last throughout the upcoming year.

Happy holidays and a successful new year!