Sports and Arts Centre

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...

Coming soon, on January 27, the UBER badge awards ceremony will take place to honor students who have reached the highest level – UBER – in the VILNIUS TECH digital badge system. This ceremony, which is becoming a tradition, is not only an official congratulation but also a tangible recognition of activity, initiative, and purposeful competency development during their studies. The award ceremony will start at 10.00 A.M., in S1 building, 704 auditorium.  Students who reach the UBER level will be awarded not only a digital badge but also a physical one, a VILNIUS TECH sweatshirt, and other university merchandise. According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ingrida Leščauskienė, these badges are much more than just a nice accessory. They become a clear signal to others that the student is active, motivated, and inspires others through their actions. Last year's award recipients also emphasized that participating in the system helped them to know themselves better, strengthened their self-confidence, and encouraged them to become more actively involved in university life. As the awards approach, VILNIUS TECH invites students to take this opportunity to evaluate their achievements, complete any pending tasks, and take another step towards the highest recognition. How to do it? Open the "Badgewallet" app or log in to your account on the badgecraft.com platform. Check which activity area you have the most badges in: https://www.badgecraft.eu/en/organisations/16808?joinWelcome=0. Review how many and what kind of META and activity badges you already have, and how many you still need to reach the UBER level. Check if any of your badges have incomplete tasks (e.g., an unanswered question, missing evidence, or the "Submit Evidence" button hasn't been clicked). Please note that some digital badges do not allow evidence submission, as they are issued based on lists provided by the administration or faculties. If you believe you are eligible for such a badge, please email at badge@vilniustech.lt, briefly describing the activity you completed and attaching supporting evidence.  Please note that all these steps must be completed by January 19. Why join the digital badge system? The VILNIUS TECH digital badge system is designed for the recognition of informally acquired competencies. It allows students to document their volunteer work, extra-curricular initiatives, and personal development, while enabling the university to identify the most active members of its community. Collected badges can be turned into university-verified digital certificates, which clearly show what activities the student participated in and what competencies they acquired. This is especially valuable for employers seeking motivated, active, and conscientious young specialists. The system consists of seven thematic "worlds" where students progress step-by-step through participation, activity, META, and finally, UBER levels. After completing tasks, submitting evidence, and receiving confirmation, students accumulate badges that reflect various competencies important for a future creator – from critical thinking, creativity, and communication to leadership, sustainability, or digital literacy. "At the end of 2023, 5,866 people participated in the VILNIUS TECH digital badge system, of whom about 15% were international students. Over the year, the university issued about 6,000 digital badges, which mark the activity and involvement of students, lecturers, and administrative staff in various activities. Although most community members collect badges gradually, about 5% of participants are particularly active – they have collected three or more digital badges and consciously document their experience and acquired competencies. By collecting at least three badges in one program, one can obtain a university-verified digital certificate, and at the end of their studies, students are also issued competency portfolios that show the strength of their transferable skills (critical thinking, leadership, public speaking...). This not only helps to have proof of one's activity but also to better understand oneself and one's strengths," says Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ingrida Leščiauskienė. More information about the system can be found here.

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.  

The Fire and Rescue Department (PAGD) informs that tomorrow, December 18 (Thursday), a test of the Public Warning and Information System will take place across the country. The siren test will begin at 11:52 AM. During the test, the sound signal “Warning System Check” will be activated, and residents will also receive information about the ongoing siren test via short warning messages sent to their mobile phones. During the test, the sirens will sound for 3 minutes (from 11:52 AM to 11:55 AM). Upon hearing the sirens, residents must immediately turn on the radio or television, listen to the announced information, and act according to the provided recommendations. During the test of the Public Warning and Information System, short warning messages will also be sent to residents' mobile phones. These messages are sent to all mobile network users, but they will only be received by phones that have the warning message reception function enabled. It is recommended to activate the cellular broadcast function on your mobile phone in advance to receive these short warning messages. These messages are used to warn residents when it is necessary to urgently transmit important information regarding threats to their health, life, property, or the environment. More information on phone settings is available on the website lt72.lt or via the mobile app LT72 (you can download the app from the App Store or Google Play). In the event of an impending or actual emergency, residents are warned via activated sirens or messages to mobile phones, and if necessary, via mobile public address systems (loudspeakers) or messengers, while further information is provided via radio and television. PAGD urges residents to download the free LT72 mobile app to their smartphones. In this app, you will find all useful information regarding preparedness for emergencies. The information in the app is constantly updated.