In early March, 2015 Lithuanian Science Awards Commission announced the winners of the Lithuanian Science Awards 2014. Three awards out of six will go to VU scientists.

With the support of the European Research Council (ERC) "Proof of Concept" grants, 59 researchers in Europe will now get the chance to turn their inventions into viable products. Among these mould-breaking ideas are such innovations as a simple blood test to diagnose breast cancer, a timber wood tracking device to help prevent illegal deforestation, and artificial veins modelled on marine sponges. Worth up to €150,000, these grants will allow selected ERC grantees to build start-ups, establish intellectual property rights for their inventions or explore other ways to test their ideas on the market.

Every year thousands of graduates and young people are making plans for the future in search of the best decision where to study. The international exhibition of knowledge and education STUDIES is the best place to them. It aims at giving information on studies in Lithuania and abroad, career and business posibillities, traineeship and volunteer programmes.

Take part in our new guest photographer contest, inspired by 2015 being the European Year for Development. Every month until September we will be announcing a different topic linked to development. Send us your photo inspired by the theme of that month, along with the submission form and you could be invited to Strasbourg to make a photo reportage.

VMU International Office has announced competition for Erasmus+ programme studies in the 2015/2016 academic year. Applications can be filled-in online until 28 February 2015.

At the beginning of February, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) presents the first in Lithuania remote computer science courses for school students. The school students of eleven and twelve study year will have access to course materials and submitted assignments, interacting with teachers virtually. The courses will help the school students to prepare for their exams as well as for future studies, and will popularize sciences, technologies, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

On 5–7 February Vilnius University will participate in the 13th international exhibition of knowledge and education STUDIES 2015 at the Lithuanian Exhibition Centre LITEXPO in Vilnius.

Lithuanian director Alante Kavaite has won World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award at Sundance Film Festival for her film The Summer of Sangaile. The film had its World Premiere at Sundance and was screened as the day one film, reports LETA/ELTA, referring to the Lithuanian Film Centre.

International group of experts visits LUES and reviews scientific activity in the area of natural sciences. Among the experts there are Dr. Alvar Soesoo (Tallinn university of Technology), Mathias Senge (Trinity College Dublin) and representatives from the Research and Higher Education Monitoring and Analysis Centre (MOSTA).

The EU on 30 January announced new grants that will help bridge the research excellence gap between Member States and strengthen competitiveness and growth across Europe. The new Teaming instrument, under which these grants are awarded, will help improve research performance and increase investment in countries with lower research excellence rankings. With funding from Horizon 2020, 31 projects from such countries have now been selected to prepare operational plans for new Centres of Excellence by teaming up with high-calibre institutions from all over Europe.