The Library Will Lend Books from April 29

Following the government’s loosening of quarantine requirements, from April 29. The Library will lend books to home on request, remote services will be continued, consultations will be provided  by e-mail: info@bibl.vdu.lt, by phone. The physical premises of the library will not be available.

From April 29. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The university community will be provided  book lending service based on request  in the library catalogue or virtual library. On single publications (request impossible) arrange individually. Completed requests for pick-up will be available in the lobbies of the University buildings: K. Donelaičio St. 52, Kaunas, Studentų St. 11, Akademija, Kaunas region, and Education Academy, T. Ševčenkos St. 31, Vilnius.

Procedure and conditions of lending / returning books. 

  • Come to pick up the ordered books when you receive a confirmation from the library by e-mail about the completed order and arrange the arrival time.
  • Wear protective masks (use hand sanitizer and (or) disposable gloves at the entrance); If there is a queue of students waiting to pick up the books, keep a distance of 2 meters.
  • On entering the building, stop at the marked place (a distance of at least 2 meters must be ensured between visitors and library employee), inform about the requested books, show the document to the library employee. After an employee puts the books you ordered on the table and leaves at a safe distance, pick them up and leave the building.
  • Books can be returned into external self-service device (K. Donelaičio St. 52) at any time. Returned books are quarantined for 72 hours before lending to other user. If it is not possible to return books, loan period is automatically renewed until the end of the quarantine.

It is forbidden to come to pick up / return books if you are running temperature or have symptoms of upper respiratory diseases, acute intestinal infections, etc. (e.g. runny nose, sneezing, difficult breathing, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.) or must be in isolation. Coming is not recommended for persons at risk, over 60 years of age and (or) those with chronic diseases.

Remote services. For studies and research, we invite you to use the Library website‘s one-stop search in various resources (library catalog, virtual library, subscribed databases, research management system (VMU CRIS), Lithuanian Academic e-Library (eLABa) and global academic open access resources). If you would like to read licensed by the University resources, log in remotely (enter your University e-mail login (username: first name, last name; password: e-mail password). You can connect to more than 58 subscribed databases separately using the remote access service. We also recommend using the virtual cultural heritage epaveldas.lt and interactive library portals ibiblioteka.lt.

Relevant news for students writing final theses and other papers. 

More information

Erasmus+ Results for Academic Year 2020/2021

VMU International Cooperation Department has announced the results of the competition for Erasmus+ studies of the 2020/2021 academic year.

List of selected students for Erasmus+ studies for Spring semester of academic year 2020/2021

Selection Criteria*:

  • compatibility of the plan for studies or research at the higher education institution abroad and the study programme at VMU;
  • study results of the last semester;
  • good knowledge of the language which will be used during the studies;
  • student’s motivation;
  • student’s experience in work, studies, placement, international or academic projects and social activities in Lithuania and abroad.

* The selection commission had a right to change the order of the criteria or apply additional criteria.

You can find more information about Erasmus+ studies here.

More information at VMU International Cooperation Department page. 

 

VMU Scientists Created a Tool for Predictions of Coronavirus Spread

The number of infected people in Lithuania could exceed 3,000, while the spread of the virus will only be contained if quarantine restrictions are not significantly loosened for at least two more months. This is indicated by a new interactive mathematical model: a tool which can be used to conduct analysis and make decisions related to COVID-19. The model was created by researchers from Vytautas Magnus University (VMU): Prof. Juozas Augutis from the Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics, who is also the university’s rector, and PhD student Justinas Dainauskas from the Dept. of Applied Informatics. Note: you can left-click the graphs presented below to enlarge them.

The model’s parameters can be modified, and the results of calculations are instantly shown in the form of numbers and graphs. Modifiable parameters include the conditions and duration of quarantine as well as various other factors.

The model is stochastic: it is based on the principle of mathematical modelling where random phenomena are considered. The goal of the tool is to recreate (imitate) the processes of infection transmission, detection, and other processes that occur in the society during a pandemic. The model’s parameters or initial data has been collected from international publications and public information provided by Lithuanian authorities.

According to Professor Augutis, the dynamics and extent of the virus infecting the population depend on various conditions, including the infection’s incubation period, the country’s population size, the situation in the surrounding countries etc. However, there are two key factors that decide the course of the pandemic: the basic reproduction number (R0), which shows the transmission rate, i.e. how many other people one sick person can infect, and quarantine: as a measure which determines the efficiency of the fight against the virus. Without a vaccine, quarantine becomes the principal measure of curbing the pandemic.

“The strictness of quarantine and the extent to which its conditions are followed determine the reduction of the transmission rate. When its value is reduced to less than 1, the number of infected persons also starts falling off. The determination of these indicators also decides the accuracy of predictions about the infection’s spread”, the professor explains.

The main part of the model imitates the changes in the number of the infected: starting from the people who arrived from abroad and infected others, spreading the infection further. After quarantine is introduced, if it is observed, a pandemic typically starts to subside, and the likelihood of new people becoming infected decreases every day.

“The principal indicator which the model seeks to identify is the number of people that are infected with the virus at a specific point in time. This is not the same as the total number of detected infection cases which is reported in the media every day. The actual number of people who are sick is significantly higher. However, the number of identified cases is also important: it is the only known figure and can be used to fine down other results of the model. Naturally, it’s important to know – and the model provides this – how many new daily infection cases can be expected and how many infected people will be detected by testing”, Prof. Augutis says.

The modelling begins on 1 March. In the first 20 days, people from abroad returned to Lithuania; it is likely that some of them had the COVID-19 infection. At first, the arriving people were not placed in strict isolation, which resulted in more people getting infected inside the country; at the start of the quarantine, the numbers of infection cases escalated in Lithuania: it is possible that there were about 1,000 of them.

The peak number of total infection cases in Lithuania was likely reached in the latter half of March, when it exceeded 3,000. However, when quarantine was introduced, infections started falling off, which in turn will soon reduce the number of daily new cases. If quarantine is observed for at least two more months, we can expect for the pandemic to be completely contained in Lithuania by early June. According to the model’s results, throughout the entire period of the pandemic, about 1,700 cases will be identified.Fig. 1. The scenario if currently imposed quarantine is observed for two more months

Another important factor is testing, which should be conducted very vigorously during a pandemic. “In two weeks, testing intensified from just 100 tests a day to over 3,000 a day. This number is sufficient to test both the infected people who are symptomatic as well as those who are sent to be tested based on epidemiological studies. That way some of the people who do not show symptoms are also detected”, Prof. Juozas Augutis notes.

Naturally, the results of the modelling are dependent on the input parameters. “The infection transmission rates before and after quarantine are particularly important. Since detailed statistics and research focused specifically on Lithuania have not been conducted yet, we can only partially rely on the statistics of cases in our country. When we were preparing the model, we relied heavily on international publications and reports. The only numbers available for the model’s adaptation in Lithuania are the infection cases from early March until now; however, the model’s results demonstrate that the situation in Lithuania is modelled quite accurately”, Justinas Dainauskas explains.

The created model makes it possible to analyse various situations and scenarios. One of the most pertinent questions at the moment is how much the quarantine restrictions can be loosened in order to alleviate the situation for Lithuanian businesses. If only limited activity by small businesses is allowed and strict safety conditions are followed, while the number of contacts between people does not increase more than twice compared to the current situation, then the containment of the pandemic will continue, but we could expect it to end only in early July.

Fig. 2. The scenario if some quarantine restrictions are loosened now, but most of the restrictions remain in place

If quarantine restrictions are loosened to much, e.g. allowing larger gatherings of people, resuming activities where protecting people from getting infected is difficult, then the pandemic can flare up again.

Fig. 3. The scenario if quarantine restrictions are significantly loosened now and only some of the restrictions remain in place

The interactive mathematical model, which makes it possible to simulate various scenarios, can be found online at https://covid19.vdu.lt/. If you have questions, please send email to juozas.augutis@vdu.lt or justinas.dainauskas@vdu.lt.

 

University Fees Exemptions Were Awarded for Students

Vytautas Magnus university (VMU) publishes the results of an open competition for university fee exemptions for Spring semester 2019/2020. The purpose of the competition is to achieve the mission of socially responsible university by reducing social exclusion, creating appropriate financial conditions for VMU students to be accommodated and (or) study (taking into account different social (material) situations, study results and (or) accommodation in the dormitory).

After the public announcement of the competition for tuition or accommodation fees exemptions for Spring semester 2019/2020, University has received 85 student applications for tuition fees exemptions and 60 applications for accommodation fees exemptions.

Following the assessment of the size of VMU funds intended for university fees exemptions and after conducting analysis of the submitted data, in Spring semester 2019/2020 university has allocated more than 35 000 EUR for fees exemptions and granted 58 % (82 application out of 145) of all requests for fees exemptions.

Criteria for tuition fee exemptions

In Spring semester 2019/2020, tuition fee exemptions were granted for international students who were granted custody or guardianship until adulthood or who have lost both of their parents (both of the parents have passed away); students with disabilities; students from the families with large number of children (there are four or more children in the family, who are currently students, school pupil or minors, and who are not older than 24 years); Lithuanian students from families where incomes per person is less than minimum wage set by the Government of Republic of Lithuania (in 2020 it is 607 EUR/month), and in accordance to their grade average for the last examination session:

  • If grade average is from 9,50 to 10,00, fee exemption is 100 %;
  • If grade average is from 9,00 to 9,49, fee exemption is 75 %;
  • If grade average is from 8,50 to 8,99, fee exemption is 50 %;
  • If grade average is from 8,00 to 8,49, fee exemption is 25 %.

34 student requests (out of 85) or 40 % out of all submitted applications for tuition fee exemptions were granted in total and the size of the fund for tuition fee exemptions for Spring semester 2019/2020 is more than 25 000 EUR.

Criteria for accommodation fee exemptions

In Spring semester 2019/2020, 100 % accommodation fee exemptions, regardless the size of an accommodation fee, were granted for international students who were granted custody or guardianship until adulthood or who have lost both of their parents (are orphans and both of the parents have passed away).

Accommodation fee exemptions for international students with disabilities, from the families with large number of children (there are four or more children in the family, who are currently students, school pupil or minors, and who are not older than 24 years) and  Lithuanian students from families where incomes per person is less than 0,5 the size of minimum wage set by the Government of Republic of Lithuania (303,50 EUR/month) and who are living in the dormitories, were granted in the following order:

  • If size of an accommodation fee is 2 €/day, fee exemption is 50 %;
  • If size of an accommodation fee is 2,5 €/day, fee exemption is 30 %;
  • If size of an accommodation fee is 3 €/day, fee exemption is 25 %;
  • If student with a disability is living together with accompanying person, regardless the size of an accommodation fee, fee exemption is 50 %.

48 student requests (out of 60) or 80 % out of all submitted applications for accommodation fee exemptions were granted in total and the size of the fund for accommodation fee exemptions for Spring semester 2019/2020 is more than 10 000 EUR.

Students were personally informed about the results of the competition for tuition or accommodation fees exemptions by an email, send to the email address, which was indicated in the Application Form.

For more information

Student Centre (Student Affairs department)

Address S. Daukanto str. 27-206, Kaunas
Phone no. +370 37 75 11 75
Email studentas@vdu.lt

The week of exchange has ended in VMU

Last week, VMU’s International Cooperation Department organised Erasmus+ week designed to promote exchange opportunities abroad. Not only students could discuss their future travels over a cup of coffee with VMU employees, choose the destination during the travel fair, they also watched a movie about the origins of Erasmus+ programme, exercised to lift their luggage at VMU sports centre, but also demonstrated their knowledge and creativity in the trivia quiz and open mic event. The entire week ended in the “Take-Off” event designed to present the students with the benefits of the international experience and other activities that bring joy to our life.

So, the event on February 20 was full of interesting conversations, laughter and meaningful ideas. The event started from a discussion of the international experiences and their benefits for everyone: from those who embark on them to those who wait for them to return with all the knowledge and experiences they bring back.

The discussion on this topic was held by Mr. Arnoldas Pranckevičius, Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Lithuania, Mr. Rytis Zemkauskas, Associate Professor at VMU, also a journalist, producer and the Renaissance man in general, Mr. Andrius Sankauskas, VMU alumnus, Attaché for Commercial Affairs in the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to the People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Mongolia and Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Mr. Prankcevičius claimed that the most memorable international encounter was when he was a sixteen-year-old, who arrived to study at New Jersey, the Montclair Kimberley Academy, and the first book he was assigned to read was Upton Sinclair’s Jungle about a family of… Lithuanians who came to the USA one hundred years ago. These and other cultural shocks, according to Mr. Pranckevičius, push our limits and teach us how to appreciate other views. As he also added jokingly, Europe herself was the first migrant of Europe, as she was stolen by Zeus and brought from the Northern Africa to the island of Crete.

Rytis Zemkauskas said that the value of travels is that they bring people out of their social bubble which will never expand our circles and make us as curious as travelling does. He also recalled a recent story of being stranded in London due to Storm Ciara, and finding a book by a poet from the North Korea in one bookstore, saying that such cultural encounter with a poet whose works where smuggled from his country would not be possible otherwise.

Andrius Sankauskas said that the first meeting with a foreigner that made great impression on him was the one with… his mother, as she is of Russian ethnicity. She encouraged her son to take every opportunity to travel available to him and thus inspired to go to study and do an internship abroad, which widened his horizons and contributed to the openness for new things and diversity of cultures and countries.

The musical guest of the evening Šarūnas Joneikis (vocalist of band Garbanotas) also shared stories about his exchange experiences and performed wonderful dreamy tunes that carried the guests of the evening across time and space.

And for those who are not brave enough to go to the faraway countries (yet!), another guest of the evening, Ms. Ugnė Nedzinskaitė, physiotherapist and canine therapist, told about volunteering opportunities. She’s been working in this field for 10 years, and her vast experience and the great need for such work perceived resulted in a social business, Stebuklingi Draugai (Magic Friends). This organisation features education and therapy assisted by experienced pet therapists: dogs, cats, donkeys, goats, horses and hens. This evening, Ugnė was also assisted by her canine colleague Dodis.

The evening ended with awarding the winners of initiatives that went on the entire week: Erasmus+ slogan competition was won by a student Edgaras Dambrauskas and his entry “Studies abroad – enjoy the difference”. The winners of the trivia quiz and the open mic also received their share of 15 minutes of fame.

Every year, over 300 VMU students leave for internships and studies and even more come to VMU. Those who want to know more about exchange and practice opportunities abroad, please contact VMU International Cooperation Department by email at international@vdu.lt, paying them a visit at V. Putvinskio g. 23, 2nd Floor or in the next, hopefully by then traditional, Erasmus+ Week.

More information about current Erasmus+ exchange calls:

Employment Guide for International Students in Lithuania

Vytautas Magnus University is sharing information relevant to all international students who are interested in employment opportunities in Lithuania.

For EU citizens, the process of employment in Lithuania is quite simple, while those arriving from non-EU countries must go through certain procedures.

Non-EU students who are willing to work during their studies in Lithuania must obtain a Temporary Residence Permit, which will then allow them to work up to 20 hours per week during their studies. No additional work permits are required. PhD students can work full-time.

After graduation, non-EU students can apply for a Temporary Residence Permit, which would provide them with additional 12 months for job searching and self-employment purposes. During these 12 additional months no additional work permit is required from the recent graduates.

Later, if employment in Lithuania continues, the graduate should apply in time for the renewal of his/her Temporary Residence Permit on the grounds of an employment contract and obtain a work permit from the territorial Employment Services office. Both an employer or a graduate himself can apply for a work permit. More information is available in the territorial Employment Services office.

More information related to legal stay in Lithuania, social guarantees, health care, work, and employment is provided in the Migration Information Centre (MIC) “I Choose Lithuania”. Here you also can get a consultation in Lithuanian, English or German languages, free of charge. More information available on the website of “I Choose Lithuania”.

 

More information:

VMU Career Centre (Student Affairs Department)

Address: S. Daukanto str. 27, room 301, LT-44249 Kaunas

E-mail: career@vdu.lt

Phone: +370 37 327 983

Website: http://karjera.vdu.lt/en/

 

Students are invited to reserve place of residence in the dormitories

Starting from January 17th, 2020, all international students enrolled to study or already studying at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), as well as non-VMU students, may reserve themselves places of residence in the dormitories of VMU.

Number of free places for residence in the dormitory is limited but the vacant room list is constantly updated, therefore it is recommended to check it regularly.

For prospective students of VMU and non-VMU students

Incoming students of VMU full-time Erasmus+, Bilateral or other exchange studies and students form other higher education institutions, who want to reserve a place of residence in one of the dormitories of VMU must follow this procedure:

  • create a personal account to the online accommodation system http://accommodation.vdu.lt („Accommodation for Others“)
  • reserve place of residence from the provided list of vacant rooms
  • pay (80 EUR) prior fee for reservation no later than in 3 working days after making the reservation
  • receive confirmation e-mail of your reservation
  • sign your online Agreement for Accommodation
  • move-in into the dormitory no later than by February 16th, however, accommodation fee will be started to be count starting from the 3rd working day after sending confirmation e-mail.

For current VMU students

VMU students, who want to reserve a place of residence in one of the dormitories of VMU must follow this procedure:

  • login to the online accommodation system http://accommodation.vdu.lt („VMU Students Accommodation“)
  • reserve place of residence from the provided list of vacant rooms

More information

VMU payment system is changing

We want to inform that from December 2nd, 2019, VMU payment procedures are changing. Starting from the indicated date, procedures will be following:

If student is paying the fees personally:

After selecting preferred amount and creating yourself an invoice in the section „Fees“ of the Student Portal http://studentas.vdu.lt , you will be automatically redirected to the „Paysera“ payment gateway, where you will be allowed to choose a preferred bank or payment by international debit/credit card. After your return to the http://studentas.vdu.lt  or after re-logging to the Portal, information of your payment will be instantly updated in the Student Portal http://studentas.vdu.lt. Students of Vytautas Magnus university will also be informed about successful payment by an e-mail message sent to the mailbox provided by VMU, other persons (student of other higher education institutions) will receive this message to personal mailbox, known to VMU.

If another person is paying for the student (e.g. father, mother, friend, etc.):

After selecting preferred amount and creating yourself an invoice in the section „Fees“ of the Student Portal http://studentas.vdu.lt ,  you will be automatically redirected to the „Paysera“ payment gateway, where you will have to choose one of the payment options in the section “Other payment systems”.  Created form of the payment should be printed or saved and send to the person, who will pay your fees. Information of your payment will be updated in the Student Portal http://studentas.vdu.lt in no more than 1 working day after completing the payment. Students of Vytautas Magnus university will be informed about successful payment by an e-mail message sent to the mailbox provided by VMU, other persons (student of other higher education institutions) will receive this message to personal mailbox, known to VMU.

If legal person (e.g. company, enterprise, etc.) is paying for the student:

Before paying you shall contact responsible officer of VMU Finance Department by an email vilma.aleksandraviciene@vdu.lt.

IMPORTANT:

  • You shall pay only the amount of fees, which you have selected in the section “Fees” and which is also indicated in your invoice:
    • You are allowed to adjust to a smaller amount of fees than University has allocated;
    • You are not allowed to adjust to a bigger amount of fees (you cannot pay in advance);
  • In order to complete your payment, you have to have enough money in your bank or card account, otherwise payment will be denied.

New accommodation website

In order to facilitate the dissemination and search of information on Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) dormitories, there is created a new platform – https://accommodation.vdu.lt. From now on, the most important and topical news related to VMU dormitories, meetings, changes initiated by the self-government, payment, etc. will be placed here.

You are welcome to follow the news, and if you have any questions please contact us

VMU to Host 11th Conference of Lithuanian Neuroscience Association

On Friday 29 November, from 9 a.m., the 11th international conference of the Lithuanian Neuroscience Association will be held at VMU Small Hall (28 S. Daukanto g., Kaunas). The theme of the conference is Behavioural Medicine and Neuroplasticity. Paper abstracts are to be submitted before 1 November using an online form.

Preliminary program of the conference includes presentations on behavioural medicine, psychology, brain neuroplasticity, neuroinformatics and neurotechnologies by neuroscientists from the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, and Lithuania. Conference participants will have an opportunity to take part in the Virtual Reality Tour into the Human Brain, which has been brought by scientists from Saudi Arabia.

The conference is organised by Lithuanian Neuroscience Association, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, and Vytautas Magnus University.

More information