Vilnius University

Vilnius University

Vilniaus universitetas
Latin: universitas Vilnensis
Former names	Academia et Universitas Vilnensis Societatis Jesu (1579) Principal School of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1783) Principal School of Vilnius (1795) Imperial University of Vilnius (1803) Stephen Bathory University (1919) State University of Vilnius (1944) [1]
Motto	Hinc itur ad astra (in Latin)
Motto in English	From here the way leads to the stars
Type	Public
Established	1579 (1579)
Affiliation	St. John's Church
Rector	Artūras Žukauskas
Academic staff	1,370 (3,662 staff total)
Students	20,864
Undergraduates	11,418
Postgraduates	3,560
Doctoral students	860[2]
Other students	794 (MDs in residency) 1224 (international students)
Location	Vilnius , Lithuania Coordinates: 54°40′57″N 25°17′14″E / 54.68250°N 25.28722°E / 54.68250; 25.28722
Campus	Urban
Colors	Maroon
Affiliations	EUA, Santander Network, UNICA, Utrecht Network
Website	www.vu.lt

Vilnius University (Lithuanian: Vilniaus universitetas; former names exist) is the oldest university in the Baltic states and one of the oldest in Northern Europe. It is the largest university in Lithuania.

The university was founded in 1579 as the Jesuit Academy (College) of Vilnius by Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, Stephen Báthory. It was the third oldest university (after the Cracow Academy and the Albertina) in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In the aftermath of the Third Partition of Poland (1795) and the November Uprising (1830–1831), the university was closed down and suspended its operation until 1919. In the aftermath of World War I the university saw failed attempts to restart it by Lithuania (December 1918) and invading Soviet forces (March 1919). It finally resumed operations as Stefan Batory University in Poland (August 1919), a period followed by another Soviet occupation in 1920, and the less than two-years of the Republic of Central Lithuania, incorporated into Poland in 1922.

Following Soviet invasion of Poland in September 1939, the university was briefly administered by the Lithuanian authorities (from October 1939), and then after Soviet annexation of Lithuania (June 1940), punctuated by a period of German occupation after German invasion of the Soviet Union (1941–1944), administrated as Vilnius State University by the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1945 the Polish community of students and scholars of Stefan Batory University was transferred to Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.^[3] After Lithuania regained its independence in 1990, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it resumed its status as one of the prominent universities in Lithuania.

The wide-ranging Vilnius University ensemble represents all major architectural styles that predominated in Lithuania: Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism.

History[edit]

Changes of the name[edit]

The Grand Courtyard of Vilnius University and the Church of St. John, Jan Kazimierz Wilczyński, drawing, circa 1850

The university has been known by many names during its history. Due to its long history of Jewish, Polish and Russian influence or rule, the city portion of its name is rendered as Vilna (Latin), Wilna (German) or Wilno (Polish), in addition to Lithuanian Vilnius (see History of Vilnius).

• 1579–1782: Alma Academia et Universitas Vilnensis Societatis Iesu.^[4] The Latin name is rendered into English as Jesuit Academy, Jesuit College, or Academy of Vilnius (Vilna/Wilna/Wilno).^{[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]}
• 1782–1803: Schola Princeps Magni Ducatus Lithuaniae: Principal School of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania^[16]
• 1803–1832: Imperatoria Universitas Vilnensis. Rendered into English as Imperial University of Vilnius (Vilna/Wilna/Wilno)^{[17][18][19][20][21]}
• 1832–1919: Closed, originally by order of Tsar Nicholas I^[22]
• 1919–1939: Stefan Batory University^[23] (Uniwersytet Stefana Batorego in Poland)
• 1940–1943: Vilnius University^[23] (this period encompassed the first Soviet occupation and German occupation)
• 1944–1955: Vilnius State University^[18]
• 1955–1990: Vilnius State University of Vincas Kapsukas^[24]
  • 1971–1979: Vilnius Order of the Red Banner of Labour State University of Vincas Kapsukas (Vilniaus Darbo raudonosios vėliavos ordino valstybinis Vinco Kapsuko universitetas)
  • 1979–1990: Vilnius Orders of the Red Banner of Labour and Friendship of Peoples State University of Vincas Kapsukas (Vilniaus Darbo raudonosios vėliavos ir Tautų draugystės ordinų valstybinis V. Kapsuko universitetas)
• 1990–present: Vilnius University

History by period[edit]

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth[edit]

A bronze door at the Vilnius University Library commemorates the first Lithuanian book.

In 1568, the Lithuanian nobility^[25] asked the Jesuits to create an institution of higher learning either in Vilnius or Kaunas. The following year Walerian Protasewicz, the bishop of Vilnius, purchased several buildings in the city center and established the Vilnian Academy (Almae Academia et Universitas Vilnensis Societatis Jesu). Initially, the academy had three divisions: humanities, philosophy, and theology. The curriculum at the college and later at the academy was taught in Latin.^[26][27] At the beginning of the 17th century there are records about special groups that taught Lithuanian-speaking students Latin, most probably using Konstantinas Sirvydas' compiled dictionary.^[28] The first students were enrolled into the Academy in 1570. A library at the college was established in the same year, and Sigismund II Augustus donated 2500 books to the new college.^[25] In its first year of existence the college enrolled 160 students.^[25]

On April 1, 1579, Stefan Batory King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, upgraded the academy and granted it equal status with the Kraków Academy, creating the Alma Academia et Universitas Vilnensis Societatis Iesu. His edict was approved by Pope Gregory XIII's bull of October 30, 1579. The first rector of the Academy was Piotr Skarga. He invited many scientists from various parts of Europe and expanded the library, with the sponsorship of many notable persons: Sigismund II Augustus, Bishop Walerian Protasewicz, and Kazimierz Lew Sapieha. Lithuanians at the time comprised about one third of the students (in 1568 there were circa 700 students), others were Germans, Poles, Swedes, and even Hungarians.^[25]

The Grand Courtyard of Vilnius University and Church of St. Johns.

In 1575, Duke Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł and Elżbieta Ogińska sponsored a printing house for the academy, one of the first in the region. The printing house issued books in Latin and Polish and the first surviving book in Lithuanian printed in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was in 1595. It was Kathechismas, arba Mokslas kiekvienam krikščioniui privalus authored by Mikalojus Daukša.

The academy's growth continued until the 17th century. The following era, known as The Deluge, led to a dramatic drop in the number of students who matriculated and in the quality of its programs. In the middle of the 18th century, education authorities tried to restore the academy. This led to the foundation of the first observatory in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (the fourth such professional facility in Europe), in 1753, by Tomasz Żebrowski. The Commission of National Education (Polish: Komisja Edukacji Narodowej), the world's first ministry of education, took control of the academy in 1773, and transformed it into a modern University. The language of instruction (as everywhere in the commonwealth's higher education institutions) changed from Latin to Polish.^[29][30][31] Thanks to the rector of the academy, Marcin Poczobutt-Odlanicki, the academy was granted the status of "Principal School" (Polish: Szkoła Główna) in 1783. The commission, the secular authority governing the academy after the dissolution of the Jesuit order, drew up a new statute. The school was named Academia et Universitas Vilnensis.

Partitions[edit]

After the Partitions of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Vilnius was annexed by the Russian Empire. However, the Commission of National Education retained control over the academy until 1803, when Tsar Alexander I of Russia accepted the new statute and renamed it The Imperial University of Vilna (Императорскiй Виленскiй Университетъ). The institution was granted the rights to the administration of all education facilities in the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Among the notable personae were the curator (governor) Adam Jerzy Czartoryski and rector Jan Śniadecki.

Vilnius University Library Courtyard

The university flourished. It used Polish as the instructional language, although Russian was added to the curriculum.^[27][32] It became known for its studies of Belarusian and Lithuanian culture.^[32] By 1823, it was one of the largest in Europe; the student population exceeded that of the Oxford University. A number of students, among them poet Adam Mickiewicz, were arrested in 1823 for conspiracy against the tsar (membership in Filomaci). In 1832, after the November Uprising, the university was closed by Tsar Nicholas I of Russia.

Two of the faculties were turned into separate schools: the Medical and Surgical Academy (Akademia Medyko-Chirurgiczna) and the Roman Catholic Academy (Rzymsko-Katolicka Akademia Duchowna). But soon they were closed as well with Medical and Surgical Academy transformed into Medical faculty of University of Kiev (now Bogomolets National Medical University), and latter one being transformed into Saint Petersburg Roman Catholic Theological Academy (after the October Revolution of 1917 moved to Poland where it became Catholic University of Lublin). The repression that followed the failed uprising included banning the Polish and Lithuanian languages; all education in those languages was halted.

1918-1939[edit]

Lithuania declared its independence in February 1918. The university, with the rest of Vilnius and Lithuania, was opened three times between 1918 and 1919. The Lithuanian National Council re-established it in December 1918, with classes to start on January 1, 1919. An invasion by the Red Army interrupted this plan. A Lithuanian communist, Vincas Kapsukas-Mickevičius, then sponsored a plan to re-open it as "Labor University" in March 1919 in the short-lived Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (later, Lithuanian–Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic), but the city was taken by Poland in April 1919. Marshall Józef Piłsudski reopened it as Stefan Batory University (Uniwersytet Stefana Batorego) on August 28, 1919. The city would fall to the Soviets again in 1920, who transferred it to the Lithuanian state after their defeat in the battle of Warsaw. Finally, in the aftermath of the Żeligowski's Mutiny and Republic of Central Lithuania general election, 1922, the Vilnius Region was subsequently annexed by Poland. In response to the dispute over the region, many Lithuanian scholars moved to Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, the interwar capital.^[33]

P. Smuglevičius hall in the Vilnius University Library.

The university quickly recovered and gained international prestige, largely because of the presence of notable scientists such as Władysław Tatarkiewicz, Marian Zdziechowski, and Henryk Niewodniczański. Among the students of the university at that time was future Nobel prize winner Czesław Miłosz. The university grew quickly, thanks to government grants and private donations. Its library contained 600,000 volumes, including historic and cartographic items which are still in its possession.^[33]

In 1938 the university had:

• 7 institutes
• 123 professors
• 104 scientific units (including two hospitals)
• 3110 students

The university's international students included 212 Russians, 94 Belarusians, 85 Lithuanians, 28 Ukrainians and 13 Germans. Anti-Semitism increased during the 1930s and a system of ghetto benches, in which Jewish students were required to sit in separate areas, was instituted at the university.^[34] Violence erupted; the university was closed for two weeks during January 1937.^[34] In February Jewish students were denied entrance to its grounds.^[34] The faculty was then authorized to decide on an individual basis whether the segregation should be observed in their classrooms and expel those students who would not comply.^[34] 54 Jewish students were expelled but were allowed to return the next day under a compromise in which in addition to Jewish students, Lithuanian, Belarusian, and "Polish democratic" students were to be seated separately.^[34] Rector of the university, Władysław Marian Jakowicki, resigned his position in protest over the introduction of the ghetto benches.^[35]

World War II[edit]

Following the invasion of Poland the university continued its operations. The city was soon occupied by the Soviet Union. Most of the professors returned after the hostilities ended, and the faculties reopened on October 1, 1939. On October 28, Vilnius was transferred to Lithuania which considered the previous eighteen years as an occupation by Poland of its capital.^[36] The university was closed on December 15, 1939 by the authorities of the Republic of Lithuania.^[23] All the faculty, staff, and its approximately 3,000 students dismissed.^[37] Students were ordered to leave the dormitories; 600 ended in a refugee camp.^[23] Professors had to leave their university flats. Following the Lithuanization policies, in its place a new university, named Vilniaus universitetas, was created. Its faculty came from the Kaunas University.^[23] The new charter specified that Vilnius University was to be governed according to the statute of the Vytautas Magnus University of Kaunas, and that Lithuanian language programs and faculties would be established. Lithuanian was named as the official language of the university.^[23] A new academic term started on 22 January; only 13 of the new students had former Polish citizenship.^[23]

Polish Law and Social Sciences, Humanities, Medical, Theological, Mathematical-Life sciences faculties continued to work underground with lectures and exams held in private flats until 1944.^[38] Polish professors who took part in the underground courses included Iwo Jaworski, Kazimierz Petrusewicz and Bronisław Wróblewski.^[38] The diplomas of the underground universities were accepted by many Polish universities after the war. Soon after the annexation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union, while some Polish professors were allowed to resume teaching, many others (along with some Lithuanian professors) who were deemed "reactionary" were arrested and sent to prisons and gulags in Russia and Kazakhstan. Between September 1939 and July 1941, the Soviets arrested and deported nineteen Polish faculty and ex-faculty of the University of Stefan Batory, of who nine perished: Professors Stanisław Cywinski, Władysław Marian Jakowicki, Jan Kempisty, Józef Marcinkiewicz, Tadeusz Kolaczyński, Piotr Oficjalski, Włodzimierz Godłowski, Konstanty Pietkiewicz, and Konstanty Sokol-Sokolowski, the last five victims of the Katyn massacre.^[37]

The city was occupied by Germany in 1941, and all institutions of higher education for Poles were closed. From 1940 until September 1944, under Lithuanian professor and activist Mykolas Biržiška, the University of Vilnius was open for Lithuanian students under supervision of the German occupation authorities.^[39] In 1944, many of Polish students took part in Operation Ostra Brama. The majority of them were later arrested by the NKVD and suffered repressions from their participation in the Armia Krajowa resistance.

Soviet period (1945-1990)[edit]

Petras Repšys’ fresco "The Seasons of the Year" (painted in 1976-1984) with motifs from Baltic mythology at the Centre of Lithuanian Studies.

Educated Poles were transferred to People's Republic of Poland after World War II under the guidance of State Repatriation Office. As the result many of former students and professors of Stefan Batory joined universities in Poland. To keep contact with each other, the professors decided to transfer whole faculties. After 1945, most of the mathematicians, humanists and biologists joined the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, while a number of the medical faculty formed the core of the newly founded Medical University of Gdańsk. The Toruń university is often considered to be the successor to the Polish traditions of the Stefan Batory University.

In 1955^[40] the University was named after Vincas Kapsukas. After it had been awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour in 1971 and the Order of Friendship of Peoples in 1979, its full name until 1990 was Vilnius Order of the Red Banner of Labour and Order of Friendship of Peoples V. Kapsukas State University.^[40] Though restrained by the Soviet system, Vilnius University grew and gained significance and developed its own, Lithuanian identity. Vilnius University began to free itself from Soviet ideology in 1988, thanks to the policy of glasnost.

After 1990[edit]

On March 11, 1990, Lithuania declared independence, and the university regained autonomy. Since 1991, Vilnius University has been a signatory to the Magna Charta of the European Universities. It is a member of the European University Association (EUA) and the Conference of Baltic University Rectors.

Status today[edit]

The Senate of Vilnius University during the celebration of the beginning of the study year

In modern times, the university still offers studies with an internationally recognized content. There are 3 Bachelor and 16 Master study programs in English.

As of 10 October 2017, there were 19768 students attending Vilnius University.^[41]

The current rector is Professor Artūras Žukauskas.^[42]

The university, specifically the courtyard, was featured in the American TV series The Amazing Race 12.^[43]

Structure[edit]

Faculties[edit]

• Business School
• Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences
• Faculty of Communication
• Faculty of Economics and Business Administration
• Faculty of History
• Kaunas Faculty
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Philology
• Faculty of Philosophy
• Faculty of Physics
• Institute of International Relations and Political Science
• Life Sciences Center ^[44]

• 

  Faculty of Philology

• 

  Faculty of Philosophy

• 

  Faculty of Physics

• 

  Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences

• 

  Faculty of Economics and Business Administration

• 

  Kaunas Faculty

• 

  Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics

• 

  Faculty of Medicine

• 

  Faculties of Law and Communication

• 

  Institute of International Relations and Political Science

Other Divisions[edit]

National Open Access Scientific Communication and Information Center in Saulėtekis Valley, Vilnius

• Botanical garden
• Centre of Information Technology Development
• Centre of Property Management and Services
• Cultural Centre
• E-learning and Examination Centre
• Library
• Museum
• Publishing House
• Conference, seminar and leisure centre Romuva
• Health and Sport Centre

Campus[edit]

Observatory Courtyard

The old campus of Vilnius University consists of 13 buildings and 13 courtyards.^[45] At present the Rector's Office, the Library, the Faculties of Philology, Philosophy, and History are situated there. The largest courtyards are:

• P. Skargos (The main) courtyard;
• M. K. Sarbievijaus courtyard;
• Library courtyard;
• Observatory courtyard.

Faculties of Physics, Economy, Law, and Communication, as well as Business School, Life Sciences Center, and Scholarly Communication and Information Centre are located in Saulėtekis district.

Ranking[edit]

Vilnius University is ranked 401-410 among World top universities by 2018 QS World University Rankings. In 2017 QS WU Rankings by Subject, Vilnius University is ranked 201-250 in Linguistics and 251-300 in Physics and Astronomy. In QS rankings of Emerging Europe and Central Asia, Vilnius University is ranked 21.^[51]

Vilnius University is ranked 601-800 in the world and 291 in Europe by Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Projects[edit]

Recent and ongoing projects at Vilnius University include:

• "Laser Spectrometer for Testing of Coatings of Crystals and Optical Components in Wide Spectral and Angle Range".^[52] NATO Science for Peace programme project. NATO SfP-972534. 1999-2002.
• "Cell biology and lasers: towards new technologies". Vilnius University - UNESCO Associated Centre of Excellence.^[53]
• "Science and Society: Genomics and Benefit Sharing with Developing Countries - From Biodiversity to Human Genomics (GenBenefit)". Doc. E. Gefenas (Faculty of Medicine). 2006-2009.
• "Citizens and governance in a knowledge-based society: Social Inequality and Why It Matters for the Economic and Democratic Development of Europe and Its Citizens. Post-Communist Central and Eastern Europe in Comparative Perspective (EUREQUAL)." Doc. A. Poviliūnas (Faculty of Philosophy). 2006-2009.
• "Marie Curie Chairs: Centre for Studies and Training Experiments with Lasers and Laser Applications (STELLA)". A. Dubietis (Faculty of Physics). 2006-2009.
• "Research Infrastructure Action: Integrated European Laser Laboratories (LaserLab-Europe)". Prof. A. Piskarskas (Faculty of Physics). 2004-2007.
• "Nanotechnology and nanoscieces, knowledge-based multifunctional materials, new production processes and devices: Cell Programming by Nanoscaled Devices (CellPROM)". Prof. A. Kareiva (Faculty of Chemistry). 2004-2009.
• Advanced European Infrastructures for Detectors at Accelerators - AIDA-2020 (Institute of Applied Research, Faculty of Physics). J.V.Vaitkus, G. Tamulaitis. 2015-2019.
• EU-STRAT - The EU and Eastern Partnership Countries: An Inside-Out Analysis and Strategic Assessment (EU-STRAT) (Institute of International Relations and Political Science). R.Vilpišauskas. 2016-2019.
• European Network of Research Ethics and Research Integrity. European Ethics and Research Integrity Network. E. Gefenas (Faculty of Medicine). 2016-2019.

International relations[edit]

Vilnius University has signed more than 130 bilateral cooperation agreements with universities in 41 countries. Under Erasmus+ programme the university has over 800 agreements with 430 European and 55 agreements with partner country universities for the academic exchanges.

University students actively participate in such exchange programmes as ERASMUS+, ERASMUS MUNDUS, ISEP, AEN-MAUI and CREPUQ

The University is a signatory of the Magna Charta of European universities and a member of the International Association of Universities, European University Association, the Conference of Baltic University Rectors, the Utrecht Network, UNICA Network, and the Baltic Sea Region University Network. In addition, Vilnius University has been invited to join the Coimbra Group, a network of prestigious European universities, from 1 January 2016.

Institute of International Relations and Political Science[edit]

Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science

Type	Public
Established	1992
Director	prof. dr. Ramūnas Vilpišauskas
Academic staff	66
Students	Around 750
Location	Vilnius , Lithuania
Website	IIRPS

Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University or IIRPS, VU (Lithuanian: Vilniaus universiteto Tarptautinių santykių ir politikos mokslų institutas) (54°40′43″N 25°17′3.6″E / 54.67861°N 25.284333°E / 54.67861; 25.284333) is a branch of the university which prepares political science and international relations specialists and carries out policy research. This is one of the most prominent social science institutions in Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic sea region.

IIRPS prepares three degree programs: Bachelor of Political Science, six graduate (master's degree) programs - European Studies, Comparative Politics, International Relations and Diplomacy, Public Policy Analysis, Politics and Media and Eastern European and Russian Studies (the latter is taught in English),^[54] and also postgraduate studies. Currently there are more than 750 students studying in IIRPS. As of 2015, 1830 students have defended BA and 1072 masters students have defended their MAs as well, while 51 students defended political science PhD dissertations.

The director of the Institute since June 10, 2009 has been professor Ramūnas Vilpišauskas.

Institute of International Relationas and Political Science

History[edit]

The Institute of International Relations and Political Science (IIRPS) of Vilnius University was established on 7 February 1992 by the agreement between Vilnius University and the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania. It became the first political science research institution in independent Lithuania. Having commenced its activities with a two-year programme in international relations, at present IIRPS VU is a faculty-level core academic unit of Vilnius University, wherein studies in political science on all three levels (bachelor, master and PhD) and scientific research are conducted.^[55]

While first focusing mostly on educating the future members of the Lithuanian diplomatic corps, the Institute has gradually enlarged its program to include subjects relevant to public administration, non-governmental and private institutions.

Directors[edit]

The first director of the Institute was lawyer, former judge of the Constitutional Court of Lithuania, professor Egidijus Kūris. Kūris held this position from 1992 to 1999.^[56]

From 1999 to June 2009, professor Raimundas Lopata served as the director of the Institute. Lopata is the member of European Humanities University International Relations Master's program advisory council, the Association President of Republic of Lithuania and the Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation, the editor of magazine Political Science, a board member of the journal Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review, Deputy Editor of Lithuanian Political Science Association Board.

Current director of the IIRPS is professor Ramūnas Vilpišauskas, who was reelected in 2014. Ramūnas was formerly a President of the Lithuanian Political Science Association (2003-2004), a member of the Board of the Open Society Foundation (2002-2004), a member of the European Union Studies Association (EUSA, USA). For several years he has consulted the Lithuanian Government on the process of accession into the EU, worked as a consultant with the authorities of Georgia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Azerbaijan on the issues of European integration. A member of the Lithuanian Progress Council (since 2010) and the „Sunset“ Commission (since 2009).

Director of the IIRPS, VU Ramūnas Vilpišauskas

Studies[edit]

Undergraduate studies

Institute of International Relations and Political Science offers a bachelor's program, which aims to provide general knowledge in political sciences. Political science - broad social science discipline that combines sociology, economics, philosophy and other disciplines elements that deals with society, the state and its domestic and foreign policy. Here the wide variety of methods are applied.

Master^[57]

Eastern European and Russian (EERS) Studies

At the Institute of International Relations and Political Studies six master programs are being taught. The Eastern European and Russian studies are being taught in English.

Eastern and Central Europe (EERS) is one of the most dynamic regions in the world having undergone significant transformation. It is not uncommon for developments in the region to influence behavior of some global actors, such as EU, US and Russia, which on their behalf have a significant role in shaping reality throughout most of the Eastern and Central Europe. EERS Studies include a 1.5-year long programme which provides knowledge and skills enabling to conduct independent analysis and evaluation of developments in EERS countries and in the region as a whole.^[58] Students acquire knowledge about domestic policies of the Eastern European states and Russia: their historic development, political and economic systems, and decision making mechanisms. Furthermore, students analyse foreign policies of above-mentioned states: the processes of interstate cooperation and the specifics of foreign policy. They choose the elective courses on the relevant problems in the regions.^[59]

Doctoral Studies Political Science PhD program. This is the highest political science study cycle which prepared doctors in political science, developing the political science in Lithuania. Political Science doctoral include: doctoral studies, baseline studies and preparation of the dissertation. Since 1992, 51 students were awarded the PhD degree at the Institute (June 2015).

Departments and centres[edit]

The structure of the institute is composed of 3 departments and 3 centres, namely:

• Department of European Studies.^[60] Head of the department is prof. dr. Gediminas Vitkus.
• Department of International Relations. Head of the department is prof. dr. Tomas Janeliūnas.
• Department of Political Theory. Head of the Department is prof. dr. Alvydas Jokubaitis.
• Centre of Public Administration and Policy Analysis. Head of the Center is prof. Vitalis Nakrošis.
• Centre of Russian and Central Eastern European Studies Centre.^[61] Members: prof. Dovile Jakniunaite (head of the centre); prof. Natalija Arlauskaitė; Dr. Nerijus Maliukevičius; Assoc. prof. Vladas Sirutavičius; Assoc. prof. Inga Vinogradnaitė; prof. Ramūnas Vilpišauskas.
• Centre of Nordic Europe Studies. The head of the centre is Assoc. prof. Liutauras Gudžinskas.

Research[edit]

In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Military Academy and other partners, IIRPS conducts research in the area of domestic policy, governance, international relations, foreign policy and diplomacy of both Lithuania and other countries. The Institute organizes international annual conferences and guest lectures. Recently, IIRPS has taken part in co-hosting Baltic Development Forum, which included such prominent guests as President of EC Jose Manuel Barroso, Deputy Director of WTO Rufus H. Yerxa. Institute's guests included such figures as NATO General Secretary A. F. Rasmussen and OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut.

Projects[edit]

Some of the projects the Institute has successfully participated in:

• Russia and the Wider East Central Europe: A Fundamentally Transformed Relationship. The overall goal of the project is to facilitate dialogue and mutual understanding between Russia and East Central European (ECE) countries in addressing bilateral and regional issues of common interest and concern. The project applies an extended rather than a narrow definition of the region and seeks to address relations of Russia with the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. IIRPS was given a grant by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
• Russia's search for identity and political practice, 1990-2010. The goal of the project is to analyse the variety and rivalry of identity discourses in the new Russian state in 1990–2010 and to reveal how this constant conceptualization is manifesting itself through political practices and contributes to the formation of the contemporary politics. Instead of unitary depiction of Russia (e.g. as “new empire”, “post-totalitarian state”) the project seeks to demonstrate how different actors participate in the process of Russia's identity representation and how different ways and means are used in creating these representations, thus showing the inconsistencies, breaks and variety of the newly created and modified identity discourses.The discourses of the government (power) and specialised/expert discourses which have certain relationship to power or are cooperating with it (media, the community of historians, cinema, academic, legal discourses) are analysed.

Publications[edit]

Apart from scientific papers prepared by IIRPS VU scientists the Institute issues periodicals wherein results of scientific research are published.

• “Politologija”. The quarterly journal devoted to political science published since 1999.
• Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review. Published in cooperation with the Lithuanian Military Academy of General Jonas Žemaitis. The goal of the paper is a complex and permanent analysis and summation of the essential changes taking place on the international, systemic, regional and national planes, which are important to the Lithuanian national security.
• Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review. Published in English in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania in English since 1998.
• Lithuanian Political Science Yearbook. IIRPS VU issues the yearbook of Lithuanian political science wherein articles of Lithuanian politologists devoted to the policy theory, public administration, international policy and other topics are published.
• Post Scriptum. Newspaper “Post Scriptum” issued by the IIRPS VU student corporation “RePublica” twice a year wherein students make an attempt to go deeper into important public phenomena, try to assess various social processes in an analytical way, seek the meeting grounds for the attitude towards the underlying problems shaped by different academic subjects.

People[edit]

The Institute's scientists are known to the public as experts. To name a few, the list would include:

• assoc. prof. Alvidas Lukošaitis
• prof. Dr. Vitalis Nakrošis^[62]
• prof. dr. Natalia Arlauskaite,
• prof emeritus Evaldas Nekrašas, member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
• prof. dr. Ainė Ramonaitė
• prof. dr. Alvydas Jokubaitis
• assoc. prof. Nerija Putinaitė, former vice-minister of the Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science

Notable alumni include:

• Colonel to the Military Academy of Lithuania Gintaras Bagdonas
• the Lithuanian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Spain Audra Plepytė
• the Lithuanian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for the United States and Mexico dr. Žygimantas Pavilionis

In 2015 the Alumni Association was established at the IIRPS, VU with an aim to assist students and help them to adequately prepare to enter the professional life and the career.

Student organizations[edit]

IIRPS student corporation "RePublica"[edit]

Corporation RePublica is an independent, non-political, public organisation uniting present IIRPS students and its graduates. Founded in 2011, RePublica is the oldest in the institute among the students' organisations. The colors of the corporation are gold, black, red, and the slogan is "Loyalty! Knowledge! Nobility!" The corporation consists of junior, seniors, and philistines.

RePublica publishes a thematic newspaper Post Scriptum, organizes conferences, seminars, meetings and public events.^[63] Established in 2002, Post Scriptum is published twice a year and distributed free of charge.

Scientific Students' Society[edit]

Students' Scientific Society (SSS) was established in 2003. This organization brings together IIRPS students interested in science. Members of the Society organise research projects, meetings with politicians and scientists, lectures of guest speakers, student and international conferences, discussions and seminars, summer expeditions and other events.

Student's Representation[edit]

IIRPS SR represents the interests of the students, consolidates student community, and develops closer links with the administration of the Institute. The Student Representative organizes student events, carries out a mentoring program, liaises with other faculties of Student Councils, organizes summer camps for future freshmen. founded in 20003, the Student Representative of IIRPS is one of the youngest in Vilnius University. Along with 13 other agencies, it is part of the Vilnius University Students' Council (VU SC).

People[edit]

Nobel Prize winners[edit]

• Czesław Miłosz, poet, The Nobel Prize in Literature 1980

Notable professors and alumni of Vilnius University[edit]

Adam Mickiewicz, considered one of the greatest Polish and European poets

in alphabetical order

See also[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vilnius University.

• List of early modern universities in Europe
• List of Universities in Lithuania
• Utrecht Network
• Protmušis
• Start FM
• Vilnius University Folklore Ensemble "Ratilio"
• History of Vilnius

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Studia z dziejów Uniwersytetu Wileńskiego 1579–1979, K. Mrozowska, Kraków 1979
• Uniwersytet Wileński 1579–1979, M. Kosman, Wrocław 1981
• Vilniaus Universiteto istorija 1579–1803, Mokslas, Vilnius, 1976, 316 p.
• Vilniaus Universiteto istorija 1803–1940, Mokslas, Vilnius, 1977, 341 p.
• Vilniaus Universiteto istorija 1940–1979, Mokslas, Vilnius, 1979, 431 p.
• Łossowski, Piotr (1991). Likwidacja Uniwersytetu Stefana Batorego przez władze litweskie w grudniu 1939 roku (in Polish). Warszawa: Interlibro. ISBN 83-85161-26-0.

External links[edit]

• Vilnius University homepage
• Institute of International Relations and Political Science
• Universitas Vilnensis 1579-2004, well written and illustrated book (92 pages)
• History of Vilnius University by Tomas Venclova
• (in Lithuanian) Vilniaus universitetas (reprezentacinis leidinys)
• (in Polish) Uniwersytet Wileński 1579-2004
• Vilnius University Students' Representation
• The official website for tourism in Lithuania