VU Attracts Attention of Prospective Business: Special Scholarships for Students, a New Laboratory for Researchers

On 5 May, Vilnius University (VU) and UAB TELTONIKA IoT GROUP signed a cooperation agreement to develop research and business and to improve VU study programmes in areas that align with the company’s activities. The company looking for modern solutions will cooperate with several VU faculties, students will be awarded special scholarships and it is also planned to establish a research laboratory at the VU Faculty of Physics.

Establishment of a new laboratory

The areas of cooperation between VU and the Teltonika group will include the fields of smart technologies and modern solutions. Work will be conducted in areas such as the internet of things, artificial intelligence solutions, cloud computing, robotics, fast-paced modern embedded systems, mobile ecosystems, telematics, network equipment, telemedicine and other relevant areas of electronics, digital communication and telecommunications.
While Teltonika will cooperate with several VU academic departments, the main cooperation will be mainly with the Faculty of Physics. In order to combine science and business and to pursue the objectives of training highly qualified specialists and improving the quality of studies, it is planned to establish a joint VU and Teltonika laboratory at the Faculty of Physics. The laboratory will not only contribute to the improvement of the conditions for studies, but will also become one of the best places for VU research.

“Evaluation of an institution is not just reflected in its ratings. Sometimes the real evaluation is the focus and willingness of viable businesses to cooperate, to help prospective students and to invest in research. We are happy to cooperate with the Teltonika group of companies and especially welcome the fact that the scholarships will be available not only to talented students studying in Vilnius, but also to students in departments in Kaunas and Šiauliai, while the laboratory at the VU Faculty of Physics will contribute even more to improving the quality of research. This is another step forward and proof of Vilnius University being open to cooperation,” Prof Rimvydas Petrauskas, Rector of Vilnius University, said.

According to Prof. Robertas Grigalaitis of the Applied Electrodynamics and Telecommunications Institute of the VU Faculty of Physics, this joint laboratory venture will be a bridge between the competencies of VU researchers / student enthusiasm and the practical opportunities offered by Teltonika.

It is planned that the laboratory will initially operate as a virtual entity. On the one hand it will provide opportunities for VU students and employees who wish to realize their engineering ideas using the modern infrastructure and experience of the Teltonika group. On the other hand, VU scientists will be able to contribute to solving practical problems for Teltonika by developing innovative devices and technologies or by improving the existing technologies using their knowledge, original research and unique equipment available at Saulėtekis Valley, which might otherwise not be reasonable for a private company to acquire and use. Subsequently, following the clarification of research priorities, the Teltonika group could also contribute financially by purchasing the necessary equipment for the laboratory, licenses, etc.

Aim to motivate young talents

The company, which promotes technological progress and science development, will also grant special scholarships to the best performing students of Lithuanian higher education institutions. Young talents interested in engineering will receive EUR 3,000 in the first 10 months of their studies, i.e. EUR 300 per month. First-year students of VU Faculty of Physics, Kaunas Faculty, Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, and Šiauliai Academy will be able to take advantage of this opportunity.

“For many years, Teltonika has been guided by a clear vision – to create the best conditions for creative talent who wish to study and to help them follow a path in high-tech. We are pleased that the collaboration between the Teltonika group and VU will help create even better conditions for researchers to seek new discoveries. We believe that research with the VU community will contribute to the promotion of the name of Lithuania as a high-tech state in the world. In order for engineering and technology freshmen to get involved in the path of discovery as soon as possible, we will be award 24 scholarships for Vilnius University this year,” Julius Švagždys, head of corporate marketing at UAB TELTONIKA IoT GROUP, said.

According to Julius Švagždys, Vilnius University as the largest institution of higher education in the country, which annually attracts a large number of school leavers, is a particularly suitable partner in projects promoting business and science cooperation. The scholarships are not only seen as an aspect of cooperation, but also as motivation for students to pursue further goals in the field of science.

“Seeking business and science cooperation, encouraging young people to take an interest in the field of future technologies, we see great value in our cooperation with Vilnius University. We all strive to create a better and more attractive environment for studies and invest in the best future specialists,” Švagždys added.

The partnership between VU and the Teltonika group will allow to better respond to market needs and improve the quality of study programmes, it will also allow students to follow more targeted internships with employment opportunities in the future. Cooperation will provide an opportunity to share good practices and participate in joint seminars for skills development and training of specialists, scientific conferences, and courses where not only VU students and researchers, but also company employees will be able to improve their knowledge and skills.