2.30 p.m. Graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Social Sciences
The events will be photographed and/or filmed; therefore, please note that you might be featured in photos or videos which can be published in various media outlets.
Social Work – Vocation and Profession Vital to the Country
“Social work is going through a period of upswing. COVID-19 has shown that the profession is essential to the vital functions of the state – there is not a single person left who doubts this. In the past, we used to talk only about teachers and doctors, and almost never about social workers. I think the situation is changing now. I would like as many people as possible to choose this profession – not just because you need to enrol somewhere, but to make it both a respectable profession and a profession that is strongly driven by vocation,” emphasising the importance of social work studies says the Minister of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania Monika Navickenė, who during her visit to Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) discussed the changes in social policy in Lithuania.
Social work is an activity that aims to help people, families, and communities to solve social problems, cope with difficulties, build resilience to challenges, and develop their independence and responsibility. Members of this profession contribute to solving pressing societal problems such as domestic violence, social exclusion, poverty, addiction, and other difficulties faced by people in difficult life situations. Recognising the importance of this profession, VMU offers a unique first-cycle study programme and the only one of its kind in Lithuania – “Social Work and Psychosocial Counselling.”
Contributes to a stronger society
According to Assoc. Prof. Rasa Naujanienė, Head of the VMU Department of Social Work, social workers, together with other specialists, provide psychosocial support – they help those who are going through various crises and who have experienced emotional trauma due to illness, loss, divorce, and other events. It is a broad profession, encompassing both psychosocial support for people at social risk, people with addictions, families fostering children, people serving sentences, people with disabilities, and others, as well as human rights practices.
“It is important for social workers to motivate people to accept help from psychologists, psychiatrists, and other professionals, to empower them to change. Social work also promotes personal responsibility and independence, helping people to become self-reliant and build stronger, more sustainable societies. This is why this profession is very important for the well-being and development of the Lithuanian society”, says Assoc. Prof. Naujanienė.
According to her, social work should be a career choice for those for whom it is also a vocation. “Being a social worker means having strong interpersonal relationships, empathy, patience, and a desire to help others. It is a highly responsible profession that requires continuous learning and development. Like any profession that involves helping people, social work is also a vocation. Most importantly, it must be chosen by a person who wants to help others and who is not alien to social sensitivity and human rights,” she explains.
Listening is key
Marius Rišys, who works at the child welfare centre Pastogė, graduated from Vytautas Magnus University with a master’s degree in Social Work. He says the most important skill for people in this field is the ability to listen. “Social work is not just about paperwork, filling in formalities or pointing people in one direction or another. It is first and foremost about listening to people, helping them to deal with the emotions that are weighing them down at the moment, helping them to understand how they got to where they are and that they need help,” he says.
Rišys notes that the ability to listen has been one of the greatest benefits he has gained from his studies. Internationality has been equally beneficial: he had the opportunity to attend lectures by lecturers from the USA, Sweden, and other countries, to interact with foreign students, and to broaden his horizons about phenomena that at first glance appear to be simple, but which in fact have complex and serious causes.
“What we are seeing now is only the result. If we want to understand what happened to a person, why he or she is in trouble, we need to listen to their story and see things from another angle. My studies gave me just that – the ability to listen, consult, and see the bigger picture,” says Rišys, who at the beginning of his work at the Pastogė centre had a very challenging task of working with families at social risk and helping them recover their children and deal with problems such as addiction, violence, and other issues.
“There have been some very successful stories. Sometimes, five years later, clients find you and say, “Thank you for helping me out of my addiction,” but you’ve already forgotten about that case. Such events used to make me really happy,” VMU graduate recalls the brighter side of his work.
He currently works with people who foster children, consulting foster carers and the children they care for, and helping them through the fostering process – he has to act as an emotional mediator and help avoid misunderstandings. Another one of his responsibilities is to provide training for people who are applying to become foster carers. “It’s truly an interesting job because you delve into a person’s life story, their relationship with their environment, their parents, their childhood. Based on this, you have to assess and draw conclusions whether a person will be able to take care of a child and be an adoptive parent,” says an employee of the child welfare centre Pastogė.
Situations need to be responded to quickly
Gerda Laurinavičienė, a graduate of VMU with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Social Work, currently has a similar responsibility at the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service, where she meets with individuals and families expressing their desire to become foster carers or adoptive parents.
“The dynamic nature of the work of the Child Rights Protection Service is what attracted me to this career path. I also chose this work because I am studying for a PhD in Social Work at the University of Lapland and my thesis topic is related to children in the Lithuanian foster care system. The foster care system is interesting to me, and my experience gives me the opportunity to analyse it from different perspectives,” says Laurinavičienė, who graduated from Vytautas Magnus University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Social Work.
According to her, her studies at VMU have been rich in every sense – both in terms of the content of the subjects taught and the teachers, who are professionals in their field. “I remember a lot of discussions in which Loyola University Chicago students directly participated, a lot of practical experience that gave me the opportunity to see social work up close, and also collaboration with various institutions. The studies allowed me to develop both as a social work professional and as a person,” says Laurinavičienė, adding that during her studies she broadened her view of social problems and acquired skills that are very useful in her current work.
“My job requires quick reactions to situations, structured and responsible work, constant interest in and analysis of changes in the foster care system, and cooperation with other professionals and colleagues. It also requires empathy, critical thinking, curiosity, and often courage,” the social worker notes.
The only studies of this kind in Lithuania
The first-cycle study programme “Social Work and Psychosocial Counselling” offered at Vytautas Magnus University combines the latest theories and knowledge of social work and other disciplines, as well as counselling methods and practices. It develops a professional and responsible approach to psychosocial support, with the aim of ensuring human rights and critically assessing organisational, legal, political, and economic contexts. According to Assoc. Prof. Rasa Naujanienė, the focus on psychosocial counselling is the greatest strength and uniqueness of this study programme, which is unmatched by any other programme offered in Lithuania.
“Psychosocial counselling is about counselling on interpersonal relationships, crisis situations or events, mourning or loss. It’s also about providing education on opportunities and helping individuals identify their needs, make appropriate decisions, and access available resources,” explains the Head of VMU Department of Social Work.
The updated “Social Work and Psychosocial Counselling” programme includes courses in the field of psychology, focusing on personality development, the foundations of psychology in social work, coaching methods, and law, as well as updated courses related to psychosocial counselling and other areas to strengthen the competences of social work practice. The programme offers the opportunity to undertake up to three internships in public and non-governmental organisations of one’s choice and to develop practical skills through a range of practical courses and group supervision.
Graduates of these studies can be successfully employed in social work and other professional fields. They are able to carry out psychosocial assessments, conduct counselling interviews in a purposeful manner, use motivational interviewing techniques, alternative counselling tools, and more. After graduating and obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, graduates can work as social workers or managers in governmental and non-governmental organisations operating in the fields of social security, health, education, law enforcement, employment, and national defense.
Graduates are qualified to provide psychosocial support and counselling to a wide range of groups, including children, adolescents, young people, families, the elderly, individuals with mental health or addiction problems, migrants, the unemployed, and others. Students can continue their studies in Social Work, Social Anthropology, Integrated Communication, and other second-cycle study programmes in the fields of Social Sciences or Education.
Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) in commemoration of the 34th anniversary of its restoration (founded in 1922, restored in 1989) presents a new interactive platform called “VMU alumni ID”, which is integrated on https://alumni.vdu.lt/ website and invites graduates to “Join”.
The purpose of this platform is to return to the university and establish and maintain a more flexible or strengthened mutual connection both between the university and the graduates, as well as among the alumni themselves, who are scattered all over the world.
The interactive space on the https://alumni.vdu.lt/ website allows graduates to add or update information about themselves held by the university and generate a virtual university alumni ID card based on this information. By signing into their alumni ID account, alumni will be able to access university services more easily and get exclusive benefits. Also, there is an awesome opportunity to remember your groupmates with whom you graduated from the university and start communicating with them, thus renewing old and establishing new professional and social connections.
“Our alumni community is the face of the university, which demonstrates the success and impact of the higher education institution on society. Therefore, we are very happy that on the occasion of VMU Restoration Day, as a gift to graduates, we can present this completely new, innovative tool “VMU alumni ID”, which has no corresponding analogs in Lithuania, to the alumni of our university in Lithuanian and English languages. We believe that a large community of university graduates will join and use this platform, which will become a medium that will allow them to communicate and cooperate directly with each other, creating an even greater synergy between the activities of graduates and the university and the value being created in Lithuania and the world”, said VMU Vice-Rector for communication Ph.D. Vilma Bijeikiene.
Those who register on the “VMU alumni ID” platform will not only generate a virtual graduate certificate but will also be able to use offers and additional benefits exclusively for them: receive discounts for studies and learning foreign languages, improve professional competencies, do sports at the Sports Centre, get career counseling at the Career Centre, and try more graduate-only or graduate-oriented university services.
Using the “VMU alumni ID” platform, alumni will be able to propose and develop their own initiatives for both other alumni and the entire university community. The interactive alumni space will constantly improve, new services and functions will appear that will facilitate the use of the platform, and alumni will be able to express their opinions and feedback.
Every year, more than 2,000 university graduates graduate from various levels of studies at the university.
We invite all VMU alumni to join the alumni community and thus create traditions and strengthen the connection with Alma Mater!
Final Erasmus+ Traineeship Competition
A final competition for this academic year is open for Erasmus+ student or recent graduate traineeship grants for traineeships in any country in the world. Application deadline is the 31st of May, 2023.
The placement period is from 2 to 6 months. Recent graduate traineeship must end – in a year after graduation.
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):
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 travelling options.
The competition results will be sent to every participant via e-mail.
More information:
Open Dual Lectures: on living in the city and digital business
How to ensure that cities support the residents’ well-being and remain resilient to various challenges? How to effectively adapt business models for the digital sphere – following the example of Apple, Google and other successful companies? These questions will be discussed in two lectures organised by the international Transform4Europe Alliance. The lectures will be held on the 4th and 25th of May in Kaunas and will be streamed online.
The lectures are organised in the Open Dual Lectures format: this is an already traditional format of the alliance’s lectures, where insights on the same topic are shared by a scientist and a practician: one of them is from Lithuania, the other one is from the alliance’s partner country. This is a great opportunity to not only look at the topic from the perspectives of science and business and receive useful insights, but also to put one’s finger on the pulse of the world.
The lecture will be held on Thursday 4 May, 5 p.m. (Lithuania time, EEST) at the Vytautas Magnus University Leonidas Donskis Library (23 V. Putvinskio g.) and online. It will be held by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jurga Bučaitė-Vilkė from the VMU Dept. of Sociology and researcher, artist, writer from Dublin Ed Carroll (BD, MA, PhD). Moderator: Mykolė Lukošienė.
How are human well-being and access to city public infrastructure integrated into cities that need to become resilient to social-demographic and economic challenges? Local authorities, communities and businesses need knowledge, tools and indicators to develop “livable” urban spaces to promote well-being for the urban dweller effectively. What does it mean to live in “livable” cities for diverse urban groups, such as local communities, working parents, elders, youth, and minorities? What type of public services can they receive, and what are the needs of urban dwellers? How to connect the pragmatism of urban development and public infrastructure with well-being indicators? The discussion invites urban scholars and practitioners to share their experiences.
Of digital business models, networks and gatekeepers – from analogous to digital business models
The lecture will be held on Thursday 25 May, 5 p.m. (Lithuania time, EEST) at the Tourism Information Centre (36 Laisvės al., Kaunas) and online. Its lecturers will be Benedikt Schnellbächer, junior professor at the Faculty of Human and Business Sciences at Saarland University, and Tadas Žiemys, VMU graduate and co-founder of Dogo App company. Moderator: VMU Prof. Dr. Daiva Vitkutė-Adžgauskienė.
Whether it’s Google, Amazon or Apple, the business models of successful companies are more and more characterized by their digital nature. The talk introduces the concepts of business models, networks and gatekeeping with examples from the field and how they apply in the digital realm.
Partners of the event: Kaunas 2022 and Kaunas TIC.
The conference “Freedom to Create” Programme Announced
On Friday, 28 April, Vytautas Magnus University will host the student conference “Freedom to Create”, which was successfully launched last year. In 2022, the conference was dedicated to the centennial of the University of Lithuania, and this year it will address the international Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.
The conference programme will include nearly 40 presentations in Lithuanian and English, an artistic performance “Lyg testamentas” (Like a Testament) by Declamationes, a performance “Mūsų teatro pasaulis” (Our Theatre World) by VMU Theatre Dance and Theatre students, as well as an interesting and meaningful time spent surrounded by like-minded people.
“Security and empowerment of communities, sustainable consumption and sustainability, reduction of exclusion, well-being, and the fight against climate change – these are global challenges that will encourage our students to recognise the advantage of studies based on the principles of artes liberales in tackling complex problems. After all, such challenges can only be overcome through creativity, multifaceted approaches, and a broader view and assessment of the situation. And this is exactly what we strive for by providing students with individualised study options,” says Vilma Bijeikienė, VMU Vice-Rector for Communication.
As in the previous year, the conference will be held at the VMU Multifunctional Centre for Research and Studies (V. Putvinskio g. 23, Kaunas).
StudentPulse Surveys will be Launched at the University
Vytautas Magnus University is constantly looking for ways to improve the student experience at the university. It is very important to listen to students’ opinion and find out what factors determine successful studies, to respond to the evaluations in a timely manner, and to find solutions to change processes and create an attractive and comfortable environment.
The University has signed a cooperation agreement with the developers of the StudentPulse platform. A new student survey to measure the pulse and mood of student life will be launched in April. According to the developers of this innovative platform, it is a tool that allows quickly collect students’ feedback and, by quickly analysing the data, to take important decisions that can ensure both the quality of studies and the well-being and experience of students at the University. Frequent surveys, quick feedback, and active involvement of faculty representatives responsible for organising and implementing study processes can improve the study environment. The ability to consistently monitor the results of the surveys, to gather students’ suggestions and to better understand what students’ needs and aspirations are most important will help everyone to assess how and what could be improved in the student life of the university, in each faculty or academy.
In the spring semester of 2023, StudentPulse surveys will be opened to students in the first and second years of their Bachelor and integrated programmes, as well as to students in the first year of their Master’s degree programmes. Short surveys consisting of a few questions will be administered in line with the key stages of the study process and the rhythm of university life. The surveys will be anonymous.
We invite students to actively express their views, so that representatives of faculties or academies could feel the pulse of student life and improve together, by communicating and creating a comfortable environment for the development of successful studies!
Faculty of Social Sciences’ community invites you to an event for international students “How I experienced Lithuania?”. We want to know you better, find out about your experiences and introduce ourselves, present the country’s traditions, cuisine and involve you in interactive activities.
Event details:
Date: 18 April.
Time: 2 p.m. (duration of the event 1,5 hour).
Venue: Jonava st. 66, first floor foyer.
Please register to the event:
www.smf.vdu.lt/forstudents
Prof. Jorge González del Pozo to Hold Lectures at VMU
On 27–31 March, Professor Dr. Jorge González del Pozo from the University of Michigan-Dearborn (USA) will be visiting the VMU Dept. of Sociology under the Erasmus+ programme and will hold public lectures.
Jorge González del Pozo is a full professor of Spanish at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where he has worked since 2007, teaching Spanish Literature, Film, Culture, and Language. He has published work on Spanish contemporary literary criticism, Spanish film and history of Spanish film. He has published and coordinated an edited volume about Pedro Almodóvar’s films published by La Nueva Literatura Hispánica in 2013. He also has coordinated and published many edited books, such as a study on Spanish films of the 80s and a highly acclaimed panoramic compilation on foreign travelers through Castile and its representation Castilla. He is currently working on a manuscript about Spanish identity through its food and gastronomy and on an edited collection of Transatlantic Hispanic films analyzing the crossroads of home, sexuality, and politics.
At Vytautas Magnus University, the guest will hold three public lectures on 28 and 30 March. On Tuesday 28 March, 9 a.m., at VMU Multifunctional Research and Studies Centre (23 V. Putvinskio g., Room 313), Prof. Dr. Jorge González del Pozo will hold a lecture titled Pedro Almodóvar: A Unique Style as Auteur and Filmography. In his more than 40 years of career, Pedro Almodóvar has gone from enfant terrible to mogul of international film. This presentation analyzes the main characteristics of his film style as an auteur and also explores the global and commercial vision that his movies and his production company project nowadays.
On Thursday 30 March, 11.15 a.m., at VMU Faculty of Social Sciences (66 Jonavos g., Room 108), the professor will hold a lecture titled Spanish Identity Through its Food and Gastronomy. The cuisine is at the heart of the Spanish identity because, since wheat, oil, and vine, it has been present in the essence of individuals and in the soul of society. Thus, food represents the country in its versatility and constant adaptation, beyond stale and anchored approaches pushed during the pre-democratic national imaginary, demonstrating how Spanish gastronomy symbolizes a society of its time, open to incessant international influences with a global projection, that forces constantly to reflect, rethink and reimagine what Spain is through its culinary culture.
On the same day, 30 March, 5 p.m., at VMU Faculty of Social Sciences (66 Jonavos g., Room 108), the guest will also hold a lecture titled Socially Committed Film in Spain. Spanish film has a long tradition of generating socially committed films that denounce and alarm about critical issues such as prostitution, unemployment, immigration, domestic violence, class struggle, or migration, to name a few. As an industry and spectacle, cinema is a vehicle to represent national conflicts through cultural manifestations.
