Vytautas Magnus University (Vytauto Didziojo Universitetas) is a public institution engaged in providing education at the university level, conducting research, and developing applied research and arts activities. Established in 1922 (re-established in 1989) Vytautas Magnus University is one of the most liberal and modern academic institutions in Lithuania, boasting an exciting history, nurturing and continuing deep-rooted traditions, playing a leading role in not just Lithuanian, but also the entire Baltic and European intellectual and cultural sphere. The academic community of VMU is united by the idea of artes liberales, i.e. the classical university of liberal arts. Vytautas Magnus University, with about 5300 Bachelor, 1500 Master, 203 PhD degree students, is one of the most liberal and modern academic institutions in Lithuania. 12 academic divisions: 10 faculties, VMU Kaunas Botanical Garden, Institute of Foreign Languages and Innovative Studies Institute; 6 university centres; 12 offices and 5 other divisions; Students’ Representative Council; 8 public enterprises founded by VMU; 17 buildings in Kaunas; 3 representative offices in Vilnius (Lithuania), Kharkov (Ukraine) and Washington D.C. (USA). Aside from 26 BA and MA full-time degree programmes in English, together VMU offers over 100 degree programmes, as well as integrated studies of law and postgraduate and doctoral programmes. The university offers doctoral studies in 18 diverse fields of Humanities, Social, Physical and Biomedical Sciences.

In VMU the research capacity is achieved by uniting scientific human resources under the thematic clusters seeking to assure the interdisciplinary approach, broad scope, high impact, accessibility of research outcomes. VMU has been involved in various H2020, Erasmus+, COST, Nordplus activities, as well as national ESF projects as project partner and coordinator (about 80 EU projects, including Structural Funds), therefore the scientists have accumulated solid experience in international scientific research and project management, holding memberships of national and international professional associations of diverse scientific areas and fields.

Teacher training and Global education is one of the important areas of studies and research at VMU. Global education has been integrated into curriculum of study programs in sociology, anthropology, social work, political sciences, education, journalism, humanities (history, literary criticism). VMU has experience of development and providing MA study programs on teacher training – MA program ‘Educational Management’ (with UNESCO IBE – International Bureau of Education) has been created several years ago. VMU researchers and teachers have been participating for 15 years in educational research projects. The research activisties related to vocational education and training are focused in the following fields: research and analysis of the initial VET policy, research and development of the VET curriculum design, research of the systems of qualifications, research and development of the analysis of work processes and occupations, labour market research, analysis of the political-economic regimes of skill formation in the post-communist countries, research and development of apprenticeship and work-based learning approaches, analysis of the implications of the digitalisation and 4IR for the initial and continuing VET. Vytautas Magnus University also launches a new study programme aimed to provide qualification of the VET teacher. Researchers of the Academy of Education have a rich experience in the different research methodologies of social sciences and are actively involved in the national and European research and innovatiobn projects and programmes.

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