International Cooperation and Conferences
ARQUS
Participated in permanent working groups, such as those focused on faculty competencies, the development and implementation of joint programs, and student services and well-being. A VU SR representative joined the activities of the TEA (Teaching Excellence Award) Jury, which reviewed the best lecturer examples among partner universities and selected the best lecturers. VU SR provided a list of priority topics for the development of joint study programs. Together with VU SACO (Student Affairs and Career Office) and KRS (Communications and Marketing Department), it participated in the selection and integration process for ARQUS ambassadors.
On July 2–3, VU SR, together with representatives from Vilnius University’s ARQUS, hosted students from all “Arqus Alliance” universities for the first “Transversal Arqus Student Lab” — a two-day event aimed at giving students the opportunity to actively shape academic life. A total of 18 students from partner universities participated. Three student teams were formed, which collaborated to address key challenges relevant to academic life: connection to the job market, mental health and well-being, sustainability, student empowerment, inclusion, and digital transformation. Each group developed a solution and presented their project idea to the wider ARQUS student community. There was also an exchange of best practices among the student councils.
On November 19–21st, a meeting of the ARQUS Alliance co-leads took place in Venice. During the meeting, VU SR participated in a working session aimed at reviewing the alliance’s application for the European Commission’s call for funding under the Erasmus+ program, using the ERASMUS-LS (Erasmus Lump Sum) funding model.
Partnerships with Foreign Universities
During the reporting period, partnerships were established with University of Amsterdam and University of Copenhagen on the topic of individualized studies, as well as with Nottingham Trent University and Wageningen University & Research on the topics of sustainability and sustainable development. During meetings and correspondence, best practices and relevant materials were shared, which could serve as a basis for implementing initiatives at the level of Vilnius University or the Vilnius University Students’ Representation (VU SR).
During discussions with representatives of Nottingham Trent University and Wageningen University & Research, VU SR shared its activities related to sustainability, both from the perspective of events and initiatives as well as the integration of sustainability topics into the study process. University representatives introduced the tools and initiatives implemented at their institutions, including specialized university websites dedicated to sustainability, opportunities for community members to learn about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and ways these topics are integrated into the study process. Good practices related to CO₂ footprint calculation methods used at universities were also shared.
The Sustainability and Integration Student Council Party at Wageningen University & Research presented several of its initiatives, one of the most notable being the “Student Kitchen.” In cooperation with local farms, this initiative enables students to receive natural products that are collectively used for food preparation and sales within the university community. The initiative promotes healthy eating, creates employment opportunities for students, and contributes to strengthening the sense of community. Representatives also introduced the “Green Course” concept, aimed at encouraging the integration of sustainability topics into research activities through collaboration with lecturers and researchers.
Representatives of University of Amsterdam shared their experience in the field of study personalization. They presented proposals for the development of interdisciplinarity in order to better address students’ needs, as well as discussed the use of various communication tools and mentorship practices aimed at simplifying the study personalization process for students. The university also shared its experience in implementing infrastructural changes across different faculties in response to the growing interdisciplinarity and increasing diversity of students.
Visits by Foreign Universities to Lithuania
From September 21–26, representatives of the Ukrainian–Lithuanian youth exchange project “Youth Camp-Forum ‘YOUTH EUROPEACE’” visited Lithuania. The purpose of the meeting with VU SR representatives was to encourage international cooperation among journalism students. During the visit, a cultural programme was organized, and the role of Ukraine and Lithuania in the international media landscape was discussed. Representatives of the VU SR Faculty of Communication shared their experiences and opportunities for student involvement in the improvement of the study process within the Creative Communication and Journalism study programmes.
From March 30 to April 1, representatives of the University of Latvia Student Council visited VU SR. During the visit, VU SR representatives shared best practices related to the organization of VU SR structural units and the implementation of various initiatives. Discussions also focused on methods of study quality assurance and student representation. In addition, opportunities for further cooperation with University of Tartu were discussed.
Conferences
We participated in EYE2025 (European Youth Event), held on June 13–14 in Strasbourg at the European Parliament, where 8,000 young people aged 16–30 had the opportunity to interact directly with Members of the European Parliament, policymakers, experts, and representatives of civil society. During the event, the VU SR representative participated in various lectures and workshops on soft skills, internship compensation, and the relationship between students and higher education institutions with the European Parliament.