Vilnius University has been invited to join the Development of the State Progress Strategy

Vilnius University was officially invited to participate in the development of the State Progress Strategy at the inaugural event held at the MO Museum of Modern Art on Monday. This strategy will seek to provide guidelines for Lithuania's development until 2050.

During the event of the commencement of the State Progress Strategy "Lithuania 2050", it was discussed and debated why it is necessary to think about the future of the state, how to understand progress and what the vision of Lithuania's future could be.

The Rector of the University, Professor Rimvydas Petrauskas, was pleased that this is one of the signs that the state is responding to the call to involve the academic community more widely in the adoption of processes that are extremely important for the future of Lithuania.

"If we understand the University as an institution that educates the country's social, political, cultural elite, develops top-level research and influences public opinion and decision-making with its academic competence, then such role is essential. Science has a major societal impact, and scientists naturally have the authority attributed to them. So where, if not at the University, should we look for the best ideas for the state development program?”, the Rector of VU asked rhetorically in his inaugural speech.

Vilnius University will contribute not only by organising the discussions necessary for the preparation of the strategy, but also by providing academic criticism and remarks, monitoring and evaluating the work of developing the future plan for Lithuania.

Speaking at the inaugural event about the concept of progress, VU Faculty of Philosophy lecturer, Associate Professor Jonas Dagys emphasised that change without preconceived notions will be just a coincidence.

“Change with a temporal dimension provides an opportunity to evaluate change from different perspectives. It is always easier to assess progress retrospectively, looking to the past instead of the future. After all, the criteria for progress can also change over time. Probably the most famous Lithuanian logic thinker, prof. Roman Plečkaitis used to say that "the future is always only probable". What looks like progress in planning may look completely different in a week or even a year,” Dagys emphasised.

Involving its indifferent citizens, the academic community and various associated groups in the design of Lithuania's future, as well as in cooperation with the Seimas, the Government intends to prepare and submit to the Parliament a long-term strategy document "Lithuania 2050" by the beginning of the 2023 spring session.

"On this path to the future Lithuanian project, the Government expects serious methodological, organisational and creative support from the Seimas Committee for the Future, the Government Strategic Analysis Centre (STRATA) and Vilnius University, as well as from the newly formed Government Advisory Commission – the State Progress Council,” stated the announcement published by the Government.