International online conference „Solution-Focused Approach for co-constructing different realities“

On March 25 & 26, 2025, researchers, academics, philosophers, psychiatrists, sociologists, business leaders, political figures from around the world, meet during an international congress to reflect on a systemic thought with a biopsychosocial vision on social activities Human: mental health, couple, family, education, justice, business, politics, etc. How does the systemic approach make it possible to approach the processes that govern the individual in his relationship to himself, to others and to the world? How does it allow you to get out of a causal way of thinking? How to teach this procedural and complex way of thinking? How to develop the professions of Systemicians, so many new professions of the future, highly qualified and essential to a better relational ecology in society?

On March 26, 12:00-13:30 (LT time), we invite you to participate in the conference and the presentation “Beyond causal thinking with Solution-Focused Approach” by VMU SMF doc. dr. Rytis Pakrosnis.

The conference will bring together international stakeholders from psychology, psychotherapy and anthropology that will share their ideas and their expertise on the application of the approach centered on solutions in the context of work with individuals, couples, couples, couples, couples, couples, couples, couples, couples, couples, couples teams and organizations. Presentations, workshops, examples of cases and discussions will invite participants to explore the approach centered on solutions and highlight the way it can be applied in different contexts to core customers their own way of to be and to act differently in the world.

Free registration: https://world-systemic-congress.org/ (link will be sent by email after registration)

Invitation to participate in the conference “Freedom to create 2025”

VMU invites you to participate in a student conference “Freedom to Create” which will be held on May 9th, 2025. The conference is dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the most famous Lithuanian artist and composer, Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (1875-1910).

The conference will take place at the VMU Multifunctional Science and Studies Centre (V. Putvinskio g. 23, Kaunas).

Undergraduate, graduate and exchange students of all fields of study are invited to deliver their presentations, present their creative work and/or moderate one of the conference parallel sessions. Presentations can be made individually or in a group with other students.

REGISTRATION FORM and more information.

Registration is open until 31 March.

“The all-time most phenomenal Lithuanian artist, a composer, painter and photographer, whose work comes across as an embodiment of interdisciplinarity and profundity, as a synthesis of avant-garde and heritage and as an inspiration for everyone from the fields of art and humanities to the realms of society, technology and sciences,” says Assoc. Prof. Vilma Bijeikienė, Vice-Rector for Communication at VMU.

The Topics of the Presentations:

  • University as a Space for Creation and Art 
  • Possibilities and Limits of Freedom   
  • Creativity and Technology  
  • Solutions for Business and Social Challenges   
  •  A person, Community, and Society in the Context of Changes   
  • Nature in the Hands of a Scientist  
  • Languages, Cultural Diversity, and Human Values 
  • Sustainable Development and Leadership in Education
  •  Sport and Wellness  
  •  Opportunities and limits to freedom in politics and communication 

Keywords of the conference: Artes Liberales, Interdisciplinarity, Creativity, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Multilingualism, Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Types of Presentations and Time:

  • Oral presentation (should not exceed 15 min.)
  • Poster presentation
  • Presentation of creative work (a performance with a presentation not exceeding 15 min., or an exhibition)

Conference Languages: Lithuanian, English and other languages taught at the university.

A presentation summary (200 to 250 words) in Lithuanian or English is required on the registration form.

The summary of the report must include:

  • The scientific/practical problem of the report
  • The aim of the presentation
  • The claims made in the report and the arguments supporting them
  • The main results of the research (insights from the report)
  • Keywords (3-5 words)
  • References (for scientific presentations only)

Authors of selected presentations will be notified by 15 April. Conference programme will be announced by 25 April.

The programme of the conference will be announced here.

The conference is part of a series of events, projects, and initiatives that will take place throughout 2025, dedicated to Vytautas Magnus University’s presidency of the “Transform4Europe” (T4EU) alliance. The alliance, uniting eleven European universities, aims to create joint structures, programs, and platforms for research and innovation, with the main goal of strengthening the T4EU’s future vision, identity, and cooperation.

Students‘ „pulse“ at the Faculty of Social Sciences in 2024 autumn semester

In 2024, the Faculty of Social Sciences launched periodic Studentpulse surveys. These surveys help the administration to get to know its students better and address their challenges more effectively. Meanwhile, students have the opportunity to express their observations or needs throughout the semester. In addition, when students tick certain answer options in the Studentpulse survey, an automatic referral is generated to university departments, centres or faculties that can help students solve the problems they encounter in the study process.

Three Studentpulse surveys were conducted at the Faculty in the autumn semester 2024. So, what did the results of these surveys show?

The best reflection of the mood of the students at the Faculty of Social Sciences in the autumn semester is the overall student satisfaction score, calculated by averaging the responses to the question “I am happy to study at the Faculty of Social Sciences” on a ten-point scale. This score (8.3) and the percentage of students’ responses (‘mood’) can be seen in the figure below.

It should be noted that the satisfaction score varies depending on when the survey was conducted. At the beginning of the autumn semester, the study satisfaction score was 8.6. By contrast, it was 8.3 in the end-of-semester survey, which is most likely due to the increased study load and the pressure of the upcoming exams.

Thus, based on the aggregated results of all three Studentpulse surveys, 61.3% of SMF students who participated in the surveys feel happy studying at the Faculty of Social Sciences of VMU. Students are satisfied with the friendly environment, relations with lecturers, their choice to study in a particular study programme and the quality of studies, opportunities to implement their ideas, and they notice that the Faculty tries to take into account their opinions and needs. 21.9% of the students who took part in the surveys have a neutral attitude towards their experience – they feel good at FSS, but also experience some “mood” swings.

The remaining 16.8% of students surveyed are sceptical. Let’s take a closer look at the attitudes of the latter.

According to Studentpulse surveys, some of the main difficulties expressed by students are the high study load and pace, the uneven distribution of timetables, exams or assignments in some study programmes or subjects, and the fear of losing their state-funded place if they fail to do well in exams. These students’ observations are reflected in a lower score for study-life balance (6.6) and 7.4 score for motivation to study. However, despite the difficulties, the 8.0 score for goal-setting (‘I think that the Faculty of Social Sciences gives me the best chance of succeeding in the exams’) shows that students are confident in their ability to overcome them.

Students‘ suggestions

During the surveys, students expressed their suggestions on how to improve their study experience at the VMU Faculty of Social Sciences. Students would prefer a more even distribution of assignments and midterm exams during the semester, a more flexible approach of lecturers to attendance in some seminars and laboratory sessions, a clearer and more timely presentation of course information and study materials on Moodle, more innovation in teaching, and more hands-on activities. Some concrete suggestions were also made on how to help first-year students navigate the flow of information and how to help to choose a thesis supervisor for senior students.

All the observations and suggestions made in the Studentpulse surveys have been analysed and will be forwarded to the study program committees, the relevant university departments responsible for the organisation of studies and other activities at the university, and the Faculty administration will endeavour to respond to other suggestions where possible.

In response to students’ requests, the Faculty administration and the study program committees continuously initiate a number of changes: the communication tools used to ensure timely and clear dissemination of information are revised and updated; efforts are made to facilitate the lecture timetables for working master students; lecturers are encouraged to use innovative teaching methods in their courses.

We invite students to continue to participate in Studentpulse and other VMU surveys and to actively express their opinions and suggestions. Our goal is to create the best possible study environment and experience at the Faculty of Social Sciences through the joint efforts of the entire Faculty community.

Happy festive season!

During the festive season, let’s not forget each other and give our attention and time to our loved ones
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ✨

VMU Professor Jonas Ruškus awarded the ŠMSM Honorary Badge

On 16 October, Jonas Ruškus, Professor at the Department of Social Work of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) and former Vice-Chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, was awarded the Honorary Badge of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport (ŠMSM).

Prof. Ruškus, one of eight individuals recognised for their outstanding contributions to education, received the Honorary Badge from Minister Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė. He was honoured for his systematic efforts in shaping and implementing disability policies promoting inclusive opportunities in research, studies, and study-related activities, his expert work at international, national, and regional levels, and for representing Lithuania globally.

Accepting the award, Prof. Ruškus expressed his gratitude to his parents – his mother Irena, a doctor, and his father Jonas, an educator, as well as to Vytautas Magnus University and the community of people with disabilities, without whose contribution, according to him, his activities would not have been noticed and appreciated.

“Being acknowledged and respected is not simply the result of individual competencies. Rather, it is the result of an understanding acquired through civic and community experience that there are groups of people who, because they exist, because of their identity, experience something that no person should have to experience. It is also the result of targeted action for change, in line with internationally agreed goals and human rights standards aimed at protecting groups experiencing systemic inequality. I hold in high regard Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which declares that all humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood,” Prof. Ruškus remarked.

In 2014, Prof. Jonas Ruškus became the first Lithuanian representative to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and in 2018, he was re-elected for a second term, which lasted until December 2022. He is currently a member of the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO, having served as its chair from 2018 to 2021.

Professor Ruškus, who holds a PhD in social sciences, is a recognised expert in the field of disability and actively participates in national and international projects aimed at advocating for the rights of the disabled and other vulnerable groups. His research primarily focuses on social work and education, social inclusion, and human rights. He has lectured at universities in France, Portugal, Belgium, Sweden, Poland, and the USA and is the author and co-author of scientific monographs, studies, and international publications, as well as the author of polemical articles.

Prof. Ruškus has been working at Vytautas Magnus University since 2007 – initially as a Professor in the Department of Social Work and as the Director of the Institute of Social Work, later becoming the Vice-Rector for Studies. From 2011 to 2015, he served as the Dean of the VMU Faculty of Social Sciences.

In 2000, he was awarded a scholarship by the French government, and in 2002 and 2004, he received the Young Scientist Scholarship of the Lithuanian State. He has served as the chairman of the Expert Council at the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education of the Republic of Lithuania, as an expert in various institutions and projects, and as a member of the Education Council of the Republic of Lithuania. Currently, Prof. Ruškus is also the editor-in-chief of the journal “Social Work: Experience and Methods” and a member of the editorial boards of various Lithuanian and international scientific journals.

In 2018, Professor Ruškus was awarded the Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania. He is also a member of the Kaunas L’Arche Community, the Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights, the “Renkuosi mokyti!” (I Choose to Teach!) programme board, and the “Savarankiškas gyvenimas” (Independent Living) association.

The Honorary Badge is the highest award of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, granted to individuals who have made significant contributions to education and science. Candidates for this accolade can be nominated by heads of the Ministry and their subordinate institutions, municipal administrations, non-governmental organisations, and other organisations. The Badge has been awarded since 2007, commemorating the anniversary of the establishment of the Educational Commission of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which was founded on 14 October 1773. The first Honorary Badge of the Ministry was awarded to Dr. Meilė Lukšienė.

Competition for international practice with the Erasmus program in all countries of the world

The competition for Erasmus+ students or recent graduates traineeship in all countries is now open! The application deadline is February 28, 2025.

(Application period for EU/EEA countries is OPEN every month!)

The placement period is from 2 to 4 months. Recent graduate traineeship must end – a year after graduation.

Note! For recent graduate traineeship applications must be submitted and students must be selected while the applicant is still a student at VMU.

You can only apply for one traineeship place – multiple mobilities are not possible.

Selection

All VMU full-time degree students who have not used more than 10 months of their Erasmus+ mobility (study/traineeship) period are eligible for the Erasmus+ grant.

Selection documents (Documents must be submitted online):

For student traineeship (traineeship during student’s year of studies):

For recent graduate traineeship (application must be submitted during the last year of studies):

The priority in the selection is given to:

  • students whom traineeship is an obligatory part of their study programme;
  • students who have never been Erasmus traineeship students before.

Selection criteria:

  • student’s motivation;
  • good knowledge of the language which will be used during the traineeship;
  • student’s work, study, traineeship, participation in international/academic projects, and social activities experience in Lithuania and abroad;
  • conformability between the chosen traineeship and the student’s study programme;
  • study results (first-year MA students should attach a transcript of records of their BA/MA degree to the application form).

Traineeship grants

For EU and EEA countries:

Country group Country Monthly scholarship size
Group I Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, France, Finland, Sweden, Germany. 824,00 Eur
Group II Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Latvia, Cyprus, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia. 824,00 Eur
Group III Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Turkey. 756,00 Eur

For Non-EU/EEA countries:

The scholarship is 700,00 Eur/month + travel scholarship.

13 and 14 region countries scholarship is 824,00 Eur/month + travel scholarship.

Region 13: Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City State.
Region 14: Faroe Islands, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

Additional travel scholarship (the size is determined by the distance* from Lithuania (Kaunas city) to the location (city) of the practice organization):

Travel distance Ecological travel (total): Non-ecological travel (total):
10-99 km 56 EUR 28 EUR
100-499 km 285 EUR 211 EUR
500-1999 km 417 EUR 309 EUR
2000-2999 km 535 EUR 395 EUR
3000-3999 km 785 EUR 580 EUR
4000-7999 km 1 1188 EUR 1 188 EUR
8000 km or more 1 735 EUR 1 735 EUR

 

Note: travels up to 500 km. must be ecological travels! It means traveling by bus, train, car, etc. Otherwise, you will need to submit a form with the reason why you chose to travel non-ecological.

The competition results will be sent to every participant via e-mail.

Note: Application results are published next month (10th of the upcoming month), therefore, the traineeship start date should be at least two weeks after that day. The competition results will be published via e-mail.

More information:

Traineeships programme coordinator Marius Mikalauskas
Address: V. Putvinskio str. 23, room 207.
Phone: +370 37 788 149
Email: Marius.Mikalauskas@vdu.lt

International Scientific and Practice Conference: WELL-BEING OF THE CHILD AND FAMILY

The Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, together with its partners, is organizing an International conference to discuss the changes taking place in the field of child and family well-being in social, economic, political and cultural contexts, shaping and changing the well-being of children and families.

The conference will take place on 15-16 October 2024 at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania.

These changes, which have both positive and negative impacts, include changes in family structure, transformations in social networks, in the labour market, financial support, laws and education policies, changes in values, migration and the geopolitical situation, the impact of digital technologies, online learning, access to health care, the challenge of public health and climate change.

The conference aims to bring together Lithuanian and foreign social science and social work researchers, practitioners, policy makers, students and community members – all those working and interested in the field of child and family welfare.

We invite you to share research findings, ideas and practice insights and to submit presentations on the following topics:

  • Transformative social work with the family
  • The role of social work in responding to changes in family structure and roles
  • Social work response to intergenerational interactions in the family
  • Social work during family crisis
  • Visibility of the child in family social work practice
  • Psychosocial counselling: prevention and intervention
  • Family health and well-being: an integrated approach
  • Traditional and innovative social work approaches
  • Social work with groups as method to strengthen the family
  • Family and technology: challenges and opportunities for social work in the digital era
  • Social work with migrant families
  • Impact of climate change on child and family well-being

Photo exhibition “Geography of Permanence” at the Faculty of Social Sciences

The main subject of this photography series is the community of the Benedictine Sisters of Kaunas, and even though the photographs depict only a small portion of the community, the latter can’t only be defined by its current members. It also includes former members and an imagined future generation. Therefore, the perception of time within a community is not entirely linear; it’s more dynamic, based on and informed by the spaces and objects that surround people. This close relationship between time and materiality creates a new geography of permanence in which past, present, and future members of the community exist in dialogue.

The photographs in this exhibition portray a new communal concept of time and space: a radically resistant chrono-geography that remembers everyone, speaks with everyone, and connects everyone (whether they are past, present, or future members of the community).

The exhibition will take place in the VMU Faculty of Social Sciences (Jonavos g. 66, Kaunas) from May 10th until June 30th.

* * *

Curator and artist: Jūra Lazauskaitė

Graphic design: Agnė Ašmontaitė

The photographs depict the Church of Saint Nicholas (of Benedictine Sisters) and Sisters Paulina Aleksandra Vanagaite and Kotryna Indre Surkute.

The exhibition curator expresses her gratitude for Benedictine Sisters for their trust and time, as well as the VMU Art Gallery “101” for helping to prepare the exhibition.

Prof. David Sutton “Making Taste Sustainable”   

Center for Social Anthropology (VMU) are inviting you for a research seminar by  the visiting anthropologist:

Prof. David Sutton (Southern Illinois University)
Title of Presentation: “Making Taste Sustainable”
Date: May 10, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.
Place: Faculty of Social Sciences, Jonavos Street. 66, Room 112.

About the lecture:

When and how does taste matter? As we face various crises, economic, ecological, social and cultural, what role does taste play in various efforts at sustainability? Drawing from my work on the importance of a gustemological approach—a taste-based worldview—this talk will present research very much in progress and focusing on the different ways that understanding taste in context can help make sense of sustainability or regenerative practices in Greece and elsewhere. 

About the author:

David Sutton (PhD University of Chicago, 1995) is a Professor of Anthropology specializing in Anthropological Theory, Historical Consciousness and Memory, Food and the Senses, Movies and Material Culture. He does research primarily on the island of Kalymnos (the Sponge Divers’ island) in Greece.

Recent publications include a consideration of cooking and anthropological theories of continuity and change entitled Bigger Fish to Fry: A Theory of Cooking as Risk, with Greek Examples (Berghahn Press, 2022).

For a preview, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFZ2UGZFxxE

For more information about the Author please see: https://cola.siu.edu/anthro/facultyandstaff/faculty/sociocultural/sutton.php

Erasmus+ Traineeship Competition

Competition is open for Erasmus+ students or recent graduate traineeship grants for traineeships in any EU/EEE country. The application deadline is the 30th of April, 2024.

The placement period is from 2 to 6 months. Recent graduate traineeship must end – a year after graduation.

Note! For recent graduate traineeship applications must be submitted and students must be selected while the applicant is still a student at VMU. You can only apply for one traineeship place – multiple mobilities are not possible.

Selection

All VMU full-time degree students who have not used more than 10 months of their Erasmus mobility (study/traineeship) period are eligible for the Erasmus grant.

Selection documents

For student traineeship (traineeship during student’s year of studies):

Documents must be submitted online.

For recent graduate traineeship (application must be submitted during the last year of studies):

The priority in the selection is given to:

  • students whom traineeship is an obligatory part of their study programme;
  • students who have never been Erasmus traineeship students before.

Selection criteria:

  • student’s motivation;
  • good knowledge of the language which will be used during the traineeship;
  • student’s work, study, traineeship, participation in international/academic projects, and social activities experience in Lithuania and abroad;
  • conformability between the chosen traineeship and the student’s study programme;
  • study results (first-year MA students should attach a transcript of records of their BA/MA degree to the application form).

Traineeship grants:

For EU and EEA countries:

Country group Country Monthly scholarship size
Group I Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Sweden, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland 824,00 Eur
Group II Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Netherlands, Malta, Portugal 824,00 Eur
Group III Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Turkey 756,00 Eur

For Non-EU/EEA countries:

The scholarship is 700,00 Eur/month.

Travel grant (depends on the distance between sending and receiving institutions):

  • 100-499 km – 180,00 Eur
  • 500-1999 km – 275,00 Eur
  • 2000-2999 km – 360,00 Eur
  • 3000-3999 km – 530,00 Eur
  • 4000-7999 km – 820,00 Eur
  • More than 8000 km – 1500,00 Eur

Additional travel grants for green traveling options.

The competition results will be sent to every participant via e-mail.

Note: Application results are published next month (10th of the upcoming month), therefore traineeship start date should be at least two weeks after that day. The competition results will be published via e-mail.

More information:

Traineeships programme coordinator Marius Mikalauskas
Address: V. Putvinskio str. 23, room 207
Phone: +370 37 788 149
Email: Marius.Mikalauskas@vdu.lt