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On February 26th, we invite you to participate in the VILNIUS TECH "Well-being Day" – an online event dedicated to raising awareness about mental health. We will cover neurodevelopmental disorders, universal design, youth mental health, and the importance of the student-lecturer relationship.   We will openly and boldly discuss important topics, share experiences, and seek new ways to improve emotional well-being. Note: the only lecture in English will be “I’m neurodivergent and I want everyone to know that…” (from 10.10 AM), but we invite you to participate in Lithuanian lectures too! It's a good chance to improve your languange skills.    PROGRAM   10:00-10:10 | Opening Remarks 10:10-11:10 | (In English) “I’m neurodivergent and I want everyone to know that…”: psychological insights from university students | Miglė Rudytė – VILNIUS TECH Psychologist, Coordinator for Students with Individual Needs, and PhD student at the VU Institute of Psychology. The presentation will address the mental health of young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders and the challenges they face in higher education. It will cover the main symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders, common co-occurring conditions, and learning difficulties 11:10-12:10 | Youth Psychological Well-being in Times of Unrest and Artificial Intelligence | Giedrė Dautartaitė – Clinical Psychologist, Specialist at the Vilnius City Public Health Bureau. She will provide an overview of the current youth mental health situation, common difficulties, and available support options. 12:10-13:00 | Lunch Break 13:00-14:00 | Universal Design for Learning and Higher Education | Indrė Širvinskaitė – President of the Lithuanian Disability Forum. This lecture will examine accessibility in higher education – from legal frameworks to practical application. The principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) will be introduced, along with opportunities to apply them in the study process. The session will discuss how applying UDL principles can help create an inclusive learning environment not only for students with disabilities but for all students. 14:00-15:00 | Discussion: The Lecturer-Student Relationship in the Study Process | Participants: Dr. Sigita Kamašauskė (Lecturer at the Faculty of Creative Industries, Doctor of Communication Science), Tautvydas Kvietkauskas (Lecturer and PhD student at the Faculty of Fundamental Sciences), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vilius Vertelis (Associate Professor at the Faculty of Electronics), Vita Vasionienė (Technician at the Materials Science and Welding Laboratory). Moderated by: Psychologist Rasa Urbanavičiūtė. LINK TO JOIN: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/35094064956685...

VILNIUS TECH is a partner in the EU-funded project BALCA – Building Capacity for Baltic Climate Action, implemented within the South Baltic region. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of local actors to cooperate on climate action, both within local communities and across borders, with a strong focus on reducing emissions related to transport and consumption. Coordinated by Alvesta Municipality (Sweden), the BALCA consortium brings together municipalities, universities and civil society organisations from Sweden, Poland and Lithuania. Project partners include Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH), Tczew Municipality, Linnaeus University, Gryfino Municipality, Administration of Tauragė District Municipality, and Jedwabno Municipality. BALCA focuses on mutual learning and knowledge exchange to better engage and motivate citizens to reduce their climate footprint. While awareness of climate issues is increasing, many people still struggle to turn knowledge into concrete action. The project addresses this gap by involving citizens directly in decision-making processes and empowering them to take practical, locally relevant climate action. A key element of BALCA is the creation of citizen-led action groups, bringing together working-age residents who develop and implement local solutions that promote sustainable behaviour. Through this participatory and cross-border approach, the project contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR). Within the project, VILNIUS TECH contributes academic expertise and research-based insights to support knowledge exchange, citizen engagement methodologies and the development of effective approaches to climate action at the local level. The university plays an active role in strengthening cooperation between municipalities, researchers and communities across the Baltic region. The project runs from 1 September 2025 to 28 February 2027 and is supported by the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021–2027, with a total EU co-financing of €160,000 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

VILNIUS TECH is a partner in the Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership in Youth project FUTURES – “Future-proofing disadvantaged youth through tech skills and inclusion”. The project supports young people with fewer opportunities – especially early leavers from education and training by helping them re-engage with learning and strengthen their employability. Coordinated by Universidad de Castilla–La Mancha (Spain), the consortium unites six partners from five countries: Mälardalens universitet (Sweden), Youth Power Germany e.V. (Germany), VILNIUS TECH (Lithuania), KlemKa CoLAB (Spain) and PNEVMA LLC (Bulgaria). FUTURES will deliver practical learning in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Entrepreneurship & Soft Skills, supported by mentoring and inclusive methodologies. Key results will include a structured training programme, an online course (MOOC), an educational game, and a best-practice framework for youth workers and educators. Within the project, VILNIUS TECH will lead the consortium’s work on agreeing training content, curricula and methodologies, ensuring relevance and consistency across partner countries. The university will also contribute to the development of AI-focused learning content, including practical tools and real-life applications, and will strengthen dissemination by hosting the final transnational meeting and the European conference in Vilnius. Follow the project news here: https://www.instagram.com/futures_youngtech/  

The year 2025 was a year of significant changes and new initiatives for the VILNIUS TECH Student Union. The organization made important strides in both its internal structure and community engagement. All of this has helped the Student Union become not only more united but also stronger than ever. Equally important, these developments demonstrated once again that connectivity and active involvement can transform the study environment. More on this from the Student Union President, Ervin Borkovski.   How would you describe the past year for the VILNIUS TECH Student Union? What was it like?   Last year was quite eventful for the VILNIUS TECH Student Union—we amended the organization’s statutes, joined the Vilnius Youth Organizations Union “Round Table,” began the integration process with the Lithuanian Maritime Academy, and started establishing faculty-level student councils within the academy.   Another significant change was the integration of international students into student representation: we successfully included international students in the curator program, selected contact persons for nearly all academic groups of international students, and for the first time held Representative Training sessions. Participants included student representatives in the Senate, Study Program Committees, and academic groups, with many international students among them. We also established International Student Affairs Committees within faculty student councils.   What were the main goals for this year? How successfully were they achieved?   We set several key goals for the year: to ensure an equitable student representative model that includes international students, actively contribute to developing international opportunities for students, increase study flexibility, and improve the competent leadership program, i.e., the training process for future Student Union volunteers. Some of these goals have already been achieved, some are still in progress, and others require ongoing and repeated effort. Naturally, we encountered certain challenges, but for our team, they are not obstacles—they are opportunities to grow and improve.   How does the Student Union connect all students—from freshmen to those in their final year?   The Student Union acts as a network of people from various faculties, study programs, courses, and levels. With such a broad network, we can quickly and efficiently share information about changes in study processes, initiatives, or provide feedback.   Of course, communication can sometimes be challenging, but we try to identify these issues and encourage students themselves to participate in solving certain matters. We are proud that, when addressing particularly important issues, such as mandatory lecture attendance or dormitory space shortages, students actively and proactively voice their opinions. To gather student feedback, we organize meetings with different representatives and conduct surveys. We use this data to make informed decisions on various matters.   How did you strengthen connections between students from different faculties this year?   It’s important to remember that a student’s daily life is not only about studying. Sometimes students need to relax and meet friends they haven’t seen in a long time. We have already established traditional events, such as SA VVF “Manage Days” and SA AGAI “Kylam,” which attract students from all faculties.   How do you balance continuity with introducing new initiatives?   Every year, when preparing the activity plan, we review both the Student Union’s and the university’s internal processes, study quality assurance mechanisms, communication channels, and initiatives. We evaluate whether previously applied methods worked. When we notice shortcomings, we proactively implement new solutions. This is a continuous process, and its main tool for maintaining balance is critical evaluation of decisions.   How does the current generation of Student Union members differ from previous ones?   It is difficult to assess previous generations of Student Union members accurately, as we were not part of them. However, we sometimes notice clear differences. In our view, the current generation focuses more on improving the study process and student representation, rather than on students’ social life.   It is also worth mentioning that this generation of student representatives, like the students themselves, has many more activities—they dedicate more attention to studies, career growth, work, or extracurricular activities beyond the Union. After the COVID-19 pandemic, we adapted to a hybrid and more digitalized representation process.   How do you manage to unite different generations and perspectives into one cohesive team?   The foundation of a united team is constructive discussion among members. We all come from different backgrounds and join the Union with different values and perspectives, but as a team, we must decide which values unite us. Once this is established, completing tasks and making decisions becomes faster and easier. We try to find unity based on shared values, which allows us to set goals that everyone works together to achieve.   What are the plans for the Student Union next year?   Next year promises many changes: elections for a new president and faculty council chairs according to updated regulations. We are also actively preparing for the upcoming University Council and Rector elections. Finally, we aim to assist the newly established faculty student council at the Lithuanian Maritime Academy, providing necessary support and advice.   If you had to summarize, why was this year special in terms of connectivity?   This year was exceptional in terms of connectivity. The challenges we faced, both as a Union and as individuals, required a lot of inner strength. Even though some members decided to leave the Union, those who remained have developed a closer bond than ever before.