Coronavirus COVID-19 has led to many changes in life and has fundamentally changed the organization of work and study. Getting into the second week of quarantine, we all felt that working and studying remotely posed a number of challenges. Vilnius University (VU) Business School Partner Associate Professor, GoodPeople.lt Consultant Dr Mantas Tvarijonavičius gives out some practical tips on how to overcome them as smoothly as possible.

With the significant part of the global population forced to work from home, the occurrence of lower back pain may increase. Lithuanian scientists have devised a spinal stabilisation exercise programme for managing lower back pain for people who perform a sedentary job. After testing the programme with 70 volunteers, the researchers have found that the exercises are not only efficient in diminishing the non-specific lower back pain, but their effect lasts 3 times longer than that of a usual muscle strengthening exercise programme.

In a situation like this, the schedule and plans are radically changing not only for the workers, but also for students. On one hand, we can all enjoy heaps of free time, sleep as much as we want, and binge-watch the list of series that accumulated during the school year. On the other hand, the more freedom we get, the more difficult we find starting working on the projects that you find stressful. For example, your thesis.

In accordance with the Statute of Mykolas Romeris University and taking into account recommendations of the World Health Organization, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania’s Feb. 26th, 2020 Decree “Regarding Announcement of a Governmental Level State Emergency,” the Lithuanian Government’s approved decision at the March 12th, 2020 meeting regarding the situation regarding the new coronavirus (COVID-19), Lithuania’s Education, Science and Sports Minister’s March 13th, 2020 Decree, “Regarding the Coronavirus” and seeking to safeguard the health of the University community, Rector Inga Žalėnienė March 13th signed a Decree “Regarding the Organization of the Studies and Work Process at Mykolas Romeris University During the Emergency Dealing with the New Coronavirus (COVID-19).”

Considering the seriousness of the situation, and the high probability that the Lithuanian government may extend the quarantine period, all university courses will now be held through our distance learning facilities, commencing March 30. We want to share some preliminary information regarding how the study process will be organized:

Stuck at home? Thirsty for culture? Here’s one more option – take part in the first online cinema festival in Lithuania. Our Kaunastic friends remind that Vilnius IFF Kino Pavasaris is adapting to the latest measures enacted by the Lithuanian and is moving online. Most of the films on certain platforms have English subtitles.

Two major events took place in Brussels concerning ECIU University and European Universities Initiative in general on March 4. The late morning the mayors of cities of ECIU partners gathered in Brussels to discuss cooperation with ECIU University, especially, how can universities and regions grow stronger and attract more EU funds. Later in the afternoon, the discussion was taken further at the first high-level event on the Future of European Universities.

The Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) is changing its organisation of work and is postponing the study process for two weeks, from March 13 to March 27, after the World Health Organisation declared the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 a pandemic, and following the decisions of the Lithuanian government.

World Health Organization has declared the infections COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus a pandemic, therefore, Vilnius University (VU) has decided to preventively halt the study process for the upcoming 14 days starting from 13th March until 27 of March with a possibility to extend the deadline if needed.

Following the announcement by the World Health Organization on the spread of COVID-19 to have become pandemic and on the basis of the decision of the Government of Lithuania we must inform that Vilnius Gediminas Technical University is suspending the study process for the next 16 days (13–28 March 2020). The situation will be monitored and, if necessary, this period may be extended. The distance learning students continue studies the usual way.