On November 5, five students at Vilnius University’s Kaunas Faculty were awarded the Ambassador's Scholarship for their efforts to promote the faculty’s reputation.

The Ambassador’s Scholarship is awarded twice a year—during the fall and spring semesters. It is available to first- and second-cycle students in all study programs offered by the faculty, provided they have no outstanding academic obligations. The scholarships are funded from the investment returns of the Vilnius University Kaunas Faculty’s endowment subfund. This subfund was established in 2023 by the “Acme Group,” founded by faculty alumni.

The scholarships are awarded to students who actively promote the faculty’s reputation, contribute to strengthening its community, and represent Vilnius University in Lithuania and abroad. This year’s recipients volunteered at various events, led workshops for high school students, presented the faculty and its degree programs at college fairs, helped organise faculty events, participated in club activities, and contributed to initiatives such as Integration Week and International Translation Day. They also worked with the Public Relations Group to create video content and helped publicise the faculty’s activities.

In his address to the students, the dean of the faculty, Assoc. Prof. Dr Giedrius Romeika, expressed his delight at their achievements: “You have shown that university life is not just about lectures and independent study, but also about a multitude of other activities that add value to our faculty. We are very pleased that Acme Group contributed to the establishment of this scholarship. This financial support is a token of appreciation for your efforts, initiative, and contribution to the life of the faculty community. It is my great pleasure to congratulate you!”

The students were also greeted by Rima Kubiliūtė, head of the Public Relations Group at the Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University. She emphasised that even small initiatives can have a significant impact on the faculty community: “Perhaps it sometimes seems that your contribution is small, but every minute you devote, every seed of an idea you plant, can grow into big and meaningful changes.”

Read more about the scholarship here. 

Read more about the endowment subfund of the Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University here. 

Dr. Sara Pinto-Bastos will work for two years at the Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions postdoctoral fellowship program.
The researcher will lead the “Aurora” project, which focuses on the application of artificial intelligence in cultural organizations to increase audience engagement, resilience, and accessibility. The project will explore how small and medium-sized cultural organizations can responsibly use artificial intelligence while preserving artistic authenticity, promoting inclusion, and fostering cultural diversity. Professor Edmundas Jasinskas is overseeing the project at the Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University.

“I’m delighted to be in Kaunas and to begin my fellowship at Vilnius University. Over the next two years, I’m looking forward to discovering the city’s cultural life, meeting the people who shape it, and becoming part of the academic community at Kaunas Faculty,” says S. Pinto-Bastos.

The researcher will investigate in which areas of the daily activities of cultural organizations artificial intelligence could be useful and how its application is perceived by staff, artists, and audiences. The project team will organize seminars and collaborate with cultural organizations in Kaunas and Porto (Portugal). Prototypes will be developed and tested to meet the needs of the organizations’ staff and the artists who collaborate with them.

The project is expected to yield three main outcomes: evaluation criteria to help determine how artificial intelligence affects audience engagement in the cultural sector; prototypes demonstrating how cultural professionals and audiences could collaborate using artificial intelligence; practical guidelines to help cultural organizations decide when and how to responsibly implement these tools. The study’s findings will inform discussions on the application of artificial intelligence in the cultural sector.

In today’s world, humanity’s relationship with nature is changing, and rituals are becoming one way to forge a connection with the environment and care for ourselves, others, and the life around us. These topics were explored on October 24–27 in Nice (France), at the University of the Côte d’Azur (French: Université Côte d’Azur), during the international academic conference “RI-NA-RI-CA: Ritualizing Nature, Ritualizing Care.” Dalia Senvaitytė, a researcher at the Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University, also participated in the conference.

The conference brought together researchers from 25 countries representing three international academic networks: the European Network for Ethnology and Historiography “Eurethno,” the Francophonie Working Group, and the Ritual Year Working Group.

At the conference, D. Senvaitytė presented a paper titled “From Hillforts to Sacred Groves: Contemporary Pagan Place-Making and Seasonal Rituals in Lithuania.” The researcher discussed studies on the creation and interpretation of contemporary sacred sites in Lithuania, revealing how ritual practices, community activities, and cultural interpretations shape sacred spaces.

On 13 November 2026, from 3:30 to 5:00 PM, a lecture on Creative Europe funding opportunities will take place at the Vaizdo konferencijų studijoje (Muitinės St. 14, Building IV). The lecture will be delivered by Kamilė Čelutkaitė, Head of the Creative Europe Desk Lithuania and Coordinator of the CULTURE sub-programme. The lecture will be held in English.

The guest speaker, K. Čelutkaitė, explains which target groups may find the lecture particularly relevant:

“Students of art history, cultural policy and cultural management in Lithuania are considered one of the key target groups of the Creative Europe Desk, as they may play an important role in developing Lithuanian cultural organisations’ participation in international projects in the future. Therefore, knowledge of one of the most significant sources of public funding for their projects could be particularly valuable.”

Although the lecture is primarily intended for Master's students of the Art Management study programme, K. Čelutkaitė emphasises that ALL members of the Vilnius University Kaunas Faculty community are welcome to attend.

According to the Head of the Creative Europe Desk Lithuania, the lecture will provide a general overview of EU cultural policy, funding opportunities under the EU Creative Europe programme, the Culture Moves Europe mobility scheme for artists and cultural professionals, and culture-related calls for proposals under the Horizon Europe programme.

The speaker will also present examples of successful projects implemented by Lithuanian applicants and share practical advice on what to consider when planning to participate in funding calls and preparing project applications.

The Creative Europe Desk Lithuania serves as the national information and consultation center for the EU Creative Europe program. Creative Europe 2021–2027 is a European Union programme designed to support European cinema, television, media, architecture, music, visual arts, literature, performing arts, cultural heritage and other cultural sectors.

The main functions of the Desk are to disseminate information about the EU Creative Europe programme, assist Lithuanian cultural organisations in preparing and submitting funding applications, and help them find international partners.

For more information about the programme, please visit: Creative Europe.

If you have any questions, please contact .

Kyrylo Kolesnichenko, a fourth-year student in the Information Systems and Cyber Security bachelor's study program at the VU Kaunas Faculty, is applying his academic knowledge in an international research environment. He wanted to broaden his knowledge and take advantage of the international mobility opportunities offered by the Kaunas Faculty, so he spent part of his studies at universities abroad: the University of Tampere (Finland), the University of Vermont (U.S.), and Kent State University (U.S.). This experience allowed the student to gain a deeper understanding of robotics and to enhance his scientific expertise.

New Opportunities and the Discovery of Robotics

One of Kyrylo’s most significant academic experiences in the U.S. was a lecture titled “Software Development for Robotics” at Kent State University, led by Dr Jong-Hoon Kim, an associate professor of computer science and director of the Advanced Telerobotics Research Laboratory (“ATR Lab”). Intrigued by robotics, Kyrylo discussed with the professor the possibility of joining the lab he leads. Initially, he was offered the opportunity to collaborate with one of the lab’s doctoral students, and this successful experience encouraged him to continue this work. After the exchange semester ended, the student began a research internship at “ATR Lab,” which focuses on applying artificial intelligence to robotics, human-robot interaction, autonomous systems, and remote robot control. The laboratory’s interdisciplinary environment provided an opportunity to combine knowledge of software development, systems integration, and machine learning with practical work using robotic platforms. At the laboratory, the student contributed to various projects—ranging from human-robot interaction to research on robotic fashion and humanoid locomotion.

The academic singing studio of the Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University, “Veni Gaudere”, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. To mark this special occasion, the studio invites everyone to a jubilee concert series, “Skambanti draugystė” (EN: “A Friendship That Echoes Wide”), bringing together music, friendship, and journeys across Lithuania.

The concert series began on October 24 in Birštonas, where the opening performance delighted the audience with memorable musical moments.

The next concert in the “Skambanti draugystė” series will take place on Sunday, November 8, at 11:30 AM at St. Matthew’s Church in Anykščiai (Vilniaus St. 8, Anykščiai). This time, the singers of “Veni Gaudere” will be accompanied by the Anykščiai Mixed Choir “Šilelis”.

A free-of-charge bus trip from Kaunas will be organised for those wishing to attend the concert. This is a wonderful opportunity not only to enjoy choral music and support the Faculty’s singers, but also to explore Anykščiai – a town renowned for its rich cultural heritage, attractions, and picturesque natural surroundings.

Travel information:

• Departure from Kaunas – November 8 at 8:00 AM.
• Departure point – the car park of the “Maxima XX” shopping centre (Jonavos St. 60, Kaunas).
• Both the concert and bus transportation are free of charge.
• Registration is open until November 5 via email:

Please note that the usual bus departure location has changed!

Program of the Jubilee Concert Series “Skambanti draugystė”

• October 24, 5:00 PM – St. Anthony of Padua Church in Birštonas (Birutės St. 14, Birštonas). Featuring the Birštonas Cultural Centre Mixed Adult Choir “Birštonas”. This concert has already taken place.
• November 8, 11:30 AM – St. Matthew’s Church in Anykščiai (Vilniaus St. 8, Anykščiai). Featuring the Anykščiai Mixed Choir “Šilelis”.
• November 28, 4:00 PM – European Hall of Užutrakis Manor (Užutrakio St. 1, Trakai). Featuring the Women’s Choir “Trakai” of the Trakai Culture and Arts Centre.

Join us on this musical journey, support our Faculty’s singers, and celebrate music, autumn, and the spirit of friendship through song!

Lukas Atstupėnas and Benjamin Dieckmann, third-year students studying Finance Analytics at Vilnius University’s Kaunas Faculty, founded the student business club “KAPITALAS.” The idea for the club arose during a discussion among classmates after class. Both students had already carried out their own projects, so they wanted to share their experiences, analyse business decisions, and learn from one another. This is how they brought together a community where students can present their ideas, receive feedback, and work together to find solutions.

Research, international publications, a thesis recognized as the best in his master’s program, and the opportunity to present his research findings to the international scientific community—these are the experiences gained by Aristidas Lukas Končius, a graduate of the Master’s program in Financial Technologies at Vilnius University’s Kaunas Faculty. The opportunities that opened up during his studies and his growing interest in the latest technologies motivated him to continue his academic pursuits. This past October, he began his doctoral studies at Vilnius University, where he will delve into the security of artificial intelligence agents.