Vilnius University (VU) and the National Taipei University of Education have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance their inter-institutional cooperation. Prof. Aivaras Kareiva, Dean of the VU Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences and authorised representative for collaboration with the National Taipei University of Education, states that Lithuanian chemists have already been cooperating with scientists from the National Taipei University of Technology for over 15 years, while this agreement will now help establish and deepen VU’s partnership with another Taiwanese institution.

This year, on April 8, Vilnius University (VU) will celebrate its 445th birthday. On this occasion, VU invites the community, residents of Vilnius, and city guests to both traditional and specially initiated events for this anniversary. The range of events is very wide: from discussions about the life of VU students in dormitories and orienteering run to an online lottery and the science communication competition “Scientific Sprint”.

Last year, Prof. Vygandas Rutkūnas, a prosthodontist from the Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University (VU), was awarded the VU Rector’s Science Award for his outstanding scientific achievements and contribution to the development of science, both at the university and across Lithuania, and for boosting the scientific prestige of VU around the world. In this interview, we asked the professor what it means to represent his profession, what the path of a scholar is, what qualities and competencies are required, what the current innovations in dentistry today are, and many other things.

One of the leading Lithuanian institutions, VILNIUS TECH, presents a unique international Nanosystems Engineering study program. The two-year Master's program will start this autumn, and students from Lithuania as well as other countries are invited to apply, according to a press release.

Senior Researcher Dr. Giedrė Tamulaitienė and colleagues from Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC), in collaboration with the researchers from Weizmann Institute of Sciences (Israel), revealed an activation mechanism of the Thoeris antiviral defence system effector. The article “Activation of Thoeris antiviral system via SIR2 effector filament assembly” was published in the prestigious science and technology journal “Nature”. Scientists have determined the structure of the previously unknown active SIR2 effector of the bacterial defence system Thoeris (named after the Egyptian goddess who protects childbirth and fertility) and proposed an activation mechanism.

Cyber security has always been a priority for Mykolas Romeris University (MRU), which is why we pay a lot of attention to it. We are pleased to announce that the international cooperation project SOCCER in the field of cybersecurity has been launched and MRU has joined it.

A study conducted by scientists from Kaunas (Lithuania) universities revealed the possibility of non-invasively reducing blood pressure and speeding up gas exchange within the pulmonary system. The findings were confirmed in vivo – within 7 minutes, lung oxygen saturation of the test subjects improved by more than 10-15%, and blood pressure and heart rate decreased.

At the age of 30–35, ageing-related processes are already recorded in the brain, but some functions may improve. “For example, language skills either do not decrease or may even improve. Over time, a person gains more life experience, so the vocabulary expands as well,” says Prof. Osvaldas Rukšėnas, a neuroscientist at the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University. According to him, a growing body of scientific evidence shows that physical and intellectual activity, a balanced diet, and socialization can help maintain brain health for longer.

Mykolas Romeris University has been awarded 47 grants for the supplementary practice for international students and recent graduates in UPinLT project. The goal of the UPinLT project is to provide support to foreign students and graduates of Lithuanian higher education institutions to successfully integrate them into the Lithuanian labour market.

Study exchange is a great way to travel for experience, learn new skills, improve your language skills, and get to know other cultures. In addition, research shows that study exchange can be a decisive factor in achieving a desired career as it shows a candidate’s courage and openness to other cultures.