Report 2026

English

Lietuvių

English

Lietuvių

Appearance

Representation in National Space and City Government ​

Seimas (Lithuanian Parliament) ​

  • We met with Jurgita Šukevičienė, Chair of the Education and Science Committee of the Lithuanian Parliament, to discuss potential agenda items for the committee’s spring session. During the meeting, we expressed our concerns regarding amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners aimed at limiting the number of working hours for international students. We discussed the issue of reducing the number of residency positions and the matter of residents working in regional areas. We also discussed other issues outlined in the Government’s Action Plan or other priorities, such as the expansion and renovation of dormitories and the development of the social dimension.

  • We also met with Liutauras Kazlavickas, a member of the Seimas Committee on Education and Science, and the committee’s vice-chair. During the meeting, we discussed changes to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners, the challenges of integrating international students, and the necessary solutions.

  • We organized a protest at Seimas against the proposed amendments to the Law on Medical Practice regarding the assignment of medical residents to the country’s regions.

  • During the reporting period, we participated in meetings of the Seimas Committee on Education and Science as guests.

Ministry of Education, Science and Sport ​

  • We participated in a working group convened by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania to develop a strategy for attracting and integrating international students. We submitted proposals for a potential integration model aimed at meeting students’ expectations and increasing internationalization in higher education institutions. Our proposals were based on best practices from other countries. The main proposals focused on the period required for post-study work; in this case, it was suggested to reduce it to 2 years, encouraging a greater focus on soft incentives for students to remain in Lithuania. We also highlighted the need for higher education institutions to provide international students with the opportunity to learn the Lithuanian language at no additional cost and to ensure more consistent dissemination of information about internships and employment opportunities not only in priority sectors, but also to expand communication to other sectors requiring skilled labor. Additionally, as part of the action plan implementation, we submitted proposals for measures—one of the main ones being the creation of a mandatory civic orientation program. This measure would facilitate the establishment of a standardized approach to social integration.

  • Representatives of VU SR were delegated to the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport’s working group on the development of teacher training measures and recommendations, where we primarily submitted proposals regarding the update of the scholarship model for pedagogy students, with a focus on differentiating scholarships by course level. We also discussed other measures such as mentoring at educational institutions, student employment during internships, a one-stop-shop platform, and quality assurance in the field of pedagogy.

  • VU SR representatives participate in the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport’s coordination and expert working groups, aiming to develop guidelines for the improvement, assessment, and recognition of lecturers’ pedagogical competencies that meet international higher education quality standards and ensure the continuous professional development of lecturers. Student representatives participate in weekly working group meetings, contribute to drafting the guidelines, and take part in public consultations and workshops where various interested parties share their views on the need for the system, the structure of the system for teaching competencies, and discuss other relevant issues regarding the development and implementation of the guidelines within the Lithuanian higher education system.

  • We participated in a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania and the State Studies Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the SSF) regarding improvements to the student loan model. We expressed our expectations for changes to the loan model aimed at increasing the attractiveness of loans and enhancing students’ financial security: by linking student loan repayment to graduates’ income and by improving loan repayment terms. Upon receiving the official document for review, we submitted written proposals for improving the model.

  • We have submitted proposals to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport regarding improvements to the funding of priority-themed student projects administered by the SSF. The proposals included amendments to the current procedure manual aimed at increasing the attractiveness of the funding measure for student self-governments, as well as possible future adjustments to the measure. We also submitted additional topics proposed by the Vilnius University Students' Representation for next year’s priority themes.

  • We presented the Organization’s position to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport regarding amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners, which aim to restrict international students’ ability to work.

  • We held a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the Lithuanian Student Union regarding the priority indicators for the social dimension of higher education. During the meeting, we emphasized the urgent need for these indicators; we approved the description of the indicators presented by the ministry, noting that the indicators could be expanded in the future.

  • We also participated in other inter-institutional meetings regarding amendments to the Law on Science and Studies, addressing the situation regarding admission to higher education institutions, and the addition of an extra 10 points to the state matriculation exams.

Office of the Ombudsman for Academic Ethics ​

  • We participated in a discussion organized by the Office of the Ombudsman for Academic Ethics at the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania titled “On the Provision of Services for the Preparation of Non-Independent Academic and Research Papers in Lithuania.” During the discussion, we shared our views that it is necessary to impose administrative responsibility on service providers and to seek to limit the promotion of such services. At the same time, it is necessary to foster an academic culture in higher education institutions, implement preventive measures, and change assessment methods.

  • We signed a memorandum of understanding with the Office of the Ombudsman for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Student Union (hereinafter—LSU) to raise students’ awareness of academic integrity issues and further commit to promoting academic ethics.

  • We participated in the annual international conference organized by the Office of the Ombudsman for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania to commemorate World Ethics Day. During the conference, VU SR representative Povilas Virbašius delivered a presentation and led a workshop for conference participants, sharing the results of a survey conducted by VU SR.

  • We invited students to participate in an online training session organized by the Office of the Ombudsman for Academic Ethics of the Republic of Lithuania for first-year students and other members of the community. During the session, participants were introduced to the fundamental principles of academic ethics, the specifics of using artificial intelligence, and more.

  • A representative of the Office of the Ombudsman for Academic Ethics participated in the VU SR Summer Training program, an activity designed to familiarize the organization’s members with fostering a culture of academic ethics, and topics relevant to students regarding the use of artificial intelligence in studies and academic ethics, predatory journals, and more were discussed.

Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Security and Labour ​

  • We participated in meetings of the Expert Council established by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania, which provides insights on the need for specialists and admission to study programs.

  • Together with representatives of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania, we collaborated on the integration of international students, the accessibility of support services, and the option to pay for mandatory health insurance out of pocket.

Ministry of National Defence ​

  • We participated in a meeting with other non-governmental youth organizations and Tomas Godliauskas, Vice-minister of National Defence, regarding youth civic engagement and potential measures in higher education institutions to promote students’ preparedness for civil resistance.

Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education ​

  • We have completed our work in the working group convened by the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education (SKVC) to draft the description of the interdisciplinary field of study. The working group prepared the program description, considering suggestions provided by students, which has been approved by order of the Minister of Education, Science, and Sports of the Republic of Lithuania.

  • We participated in discussions and consultations organized by SKVC regarding the development of a micro-credential system in Lithuania and at higher education institutions. We focused on ensuring the quality, accessibility, and recognition of micro-credentials.

  • We participated in a consultation organized by the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education regarding the newly developed quality assessment model, together with the LSU. During and after the event, we submitted written proposals on how to improve the future higher education institution evaluation model and how students could participate more actively in external evaluation processes.

  • A representative of VU SR participated in the SKVC 30-year anniversary conference “Quality and Internationalization of Higher Education: Management, Improvement, Partnerships,” panel discussion dedicated to discussing the new study quality evaluation model currently under development, which will replace the current study quality assurance mechanism.

Lithuanian University Rectors’ Conference ​

During the reporting period, we participated in meetings of the Lithuanian University Rectors’ Conference to address current issues. The Conference established a permanent working group on student affairs, which includes Vilnius University Students' Representation. During the permanent working group’s meetings, we submitted proposals for topics for the annual activity plan and expressed our hope to discuss issues related to civic resilience, the development of students’ civic and intercultural competencies, the adaptability of higher education institutions, and the promotion of a culture of academic ethics. We discussed the desired outcomes for the topics outlined in the annual activity plan.

At one of the permanent working group meetings, we presented the results of a study conducted with VU doc. Dr. Vita Mikuličiūtė and doc. Dr. Arūnas Žiedelis regarding the health behaviors and academic burnout of VU students.

Research Council of Lithuania ​

  • We submitted proposals to the Research Council of Lithuania regarding changes to the programs implemented by the Council to promote students’ research activities. The proposals submitted concern improvements to the description of funding conditions for student research projects carried out during the semester; improvements to the description of funding conditions for student summer internships; and improvements to the description of the procedure for selecting students and allocating funding for participation in summer school programs abroad.

  • We have submitted proposals to the Research Council of Lithuania regarding the selection of students and the allocation of funding for participation in summer school programs abroad.

Vilnius City Municipality ​

We submitted a letter to the Vilnius City Municipality regarding the development of bicycle infrastructure in Vilnius, proposing the installation of bicycle parking facilities near student dormitories, with priority given to well-lit, secure, and enclosed storage areas, along with repair stations. We also expressed our hope that the Antakalnio St. bike path from M.K. Oginskio St. to Saulėtekio Ave., as well as other projects ensuring the installation of well-lit and standard-compliant bike paths were implemented faster so that students can more easily reach other active recreation spots from the campus.

We received a response from Vilnius City Mayor Valdas Benkunskas regarding the planned installation of storage facilities near student dormitories.

International House Vilnius ​

We strengthened our ties with International House Vilnius by organizing a discussion in the “BŪTENT Discussion Festival” – “Cultural Exchange in University: Facilitated or Assumed?”. The topic of the discussion invited the audience to examine the role of universities, as leading institutions, in promoting intercultural understanding in today’s Lithuania. During the discussion, current integration strategies for incoming international students were discussed, as well as how universities have adapted to support and promote intercultural dialogue in the auditoriums, and what processes are planned for the future.

Further collaboration—International House Vilnius’ participation in VU’s international student integration activities—through the now-traditional initiative “VUnity,” during which International House Vilnius connected students of University with targeted foreigner communities in Lithuania, who shared their success stories of integration in the country. The organizations supported by the initiative were also presented.