VILNIUS TECH Sustainability Hub

The latest issue of the magazine "Sapere Aude" is now available across VILNIUS TECH, inviting community members to explore one of the university's most important values: openness. The first issue of the magazine this year is dedicated to a theme that is gaining increasing significance in today's world, both within the academic community and society at large. Within the magazine's pages, openness is presented as an attitude reflected in the university's daily activities, founded on collaboration, dialogue, and the ability to embrace diverse opinions. The new issue features a variety of stories from members of the university community – from the achievements of researchers to the experiences of alumni. Readers are invited to discover the inspiring journeys of academics and students, the development of innovations, international initiatives, and creative projects. The publication also highlights the university's connection with society, technological advancements, and contemporary challenges. Attention is also given to the university's new admissions campaign, "Games and Inventions," which invites prospective students to view their studies as a creative and experimental process. It emphasizes that curiosity, experimentation, and even mistakes are an integral part of innovation. The digital version of the magazine can be found here.

On February 9, the event “Erasmus for Creators” took place at the VILNIUS TECH Sustainability Center, bringing together students interested in Erasmus+ study and internship opportunities.   During the event, participants had the opportunity to learn more about various foreign universities, including ATHENA Alliance partner institutions, hear Erasmus students share their experiences of studying and completing internships in different countries, and receive practical advice for planning an international experience. Attendees could also take part in individual consultations on how to complete their applications and learn what to pay the most attention to when preparing for mobility.   For participating in the event, students were awarded a digital Internationalization Badge, symbolizing openness to the world and international experience.   According to Hatice Kubra Kaya, President of the VILNIUS TECH Erasmus Student Network (ESN), such meetings are highly important for the university community: “This event brings together different groups of students: incoming Erasmus+ students who present their home countries, Lithuanian students who have already returned from exchange and share their experiences, and those who are still considering this opportunity.”   She also shared her personal experience. During her studies, she participated in Erasmus+ exchanges three times: she studied in Palermo, Italy, and completed two internships in Germany. She noted that she made the most of all the opportunities available and encouraged other students not to be afraid of international challenges.   “For me, the best part of Erasmus is meeting new people. You not only learn about different cultures and languages, but you also begin to understand the world better. For example, in Italy I learned to relax more and simply enjoy the moment,” says H. K. Kaya.   According to her, Erasmus helped her become a different person, and her greatest asset is the friends she now has all around the world. “Now I have a friend in almost every country. I can travel anywhere knowing that I will have a home there.”   The ESN President also debunked the myth that going on exchange leaves no time for travel. “The scholarship is definitely sufficient if you know how to plan. I not only traveled all around Italy but also visited neighboring countries. And I managed to combine all of that with my studies and successfully pass my exams.”   REMINDER: The application deadline for Erasmus+ study exchanges for the 2026–2027 academic year is February 16 (Monday)! How to apply? Applications for study exchange can be submitted by all full time VILNIUS TECH students. Application process: Applications to EU universities can Mobility online system (Instruction). Choose EU university from the list. Applications to NON-EU universities can be submitted through the Mobility online system (Instruction). More information here. You are welcome to make both applications for EU and NON-EU universities. All you have to do is: Pick three universities from your partner‘s list. Discuss your choices with your faculty Erasmus+ coordinator – find your coordinator here. Fill your application in Mobility online system until February 16th. Here you can find more information. More photos: here.

The end of the year is a time to pause, review our accomplishments, and reflect on what has helped us grow and improve as individuals. We reflect not only on our achievements but also on the connections we have made, the ideas that have emerged, and the experiences that have enriched us.   Released just before the holiday season, this festive issue of Sapere Aude is dedicated to one of VILNIUS TECH’s core values: connectivity. As the world faces the challenges of technological progress, it is becoming clear that theoretical knowledge alone is not enough to make new discoveries. Interdisciplinarity, integration, and the ability to collaborate to create solutions that shape the future are becoming increasingly important. The stories featured in the magazine highlight the importance of connectivity—the ability to work in a team, generate ideas, and seek compromises. They also reveal that extraordinary solutions are born when different fields, institutions, and experiences come together.   You can find the digital version of the magazine here, and printed copies in the university's common spaces.

The Faculty of Business Management (VVF) at VILNIUS TECH, together with the Sustainability Centre (TC), has successfully completed the second phase of the Erasmus+ project “Advanced Tools for Changing Higher Education Stakeholders’ Energy Consumption Behaviour” (ABCinEnergy) – WP2 “Development of the Sustainability Framework.” This stage was entrusted to the VILNIUS TECH team and became one of the essential elements of the project, allowing not only for analysis but also for a systematic comparison of how European higher education institutions actually implement sustainability and energy consumption strategies in their daily activities. Today, sustainability is increasingly perceived not as a technological issue, but as a behavioral one. Studies show that long-term environmental changes occur only when people's daily habits change, not just strategic documents. This is precisely the gap that the ABCinEnergy project aims to fill – moving from declarations to tangible actions. During the implementation of the WP2 phase, a comprehensive analysis of six European countries – Austria, Italy, Spain, France, Serbia, and Lithuania – was conducted to understand how different higher education institutions manage energy consumption and sustainability processes. International and interdisciplinary cooperation allows the project to combine different experiences, cultural contexts, and energy consumption practices. This is crucial because behavioral changes are not universal – they depend on the environment, organizational culture, and human motivation. The research covered not only an analysis of national policy and regulatory environments but also specific best practices applied in universities and recurring challenges that higher education institutions face when seeking real behavioral changes in energy consumption. It also examined in detail the indicators (KPIs), data collection tools, and monitoring systems used by institutions to measure energy consumption and behavioral changes. The collected data served as the basis for the consolidated "Sustainability Roadmap" document, which integrates the experiences of different countries into a unified, practically applicable system of methodological guidelines. This document will be applied in all higher education institutions participating in the project and will serve as a reference point for future decisions. The most important goal of the project is not only to create methodologies or tools but to ensure that they are used in practice and remain relevant after the project funding ends. The final document summarizes the experiences of the six countries and provides clear recommendations that will be applied in the development of the project’s "Habit Tracker" platform and in planning subsequent activity phases. The "Sustainability Roadmap" document was prepared in English by the VILNIUS TECH team and was subsequently translated into all partner languages, thus ensuring wide dissemination and real-world application throughout the European academic community. Universities play a special role in educating not only specialists but also responsible citizens. Habits formed at a young age often persist for a lifetime; therefore, sustainability practices at the university have a long-term impact not only on the institution but also on society. The ABCinEnergy project invites university communities to become active participants in change – not observers, but creators of solutions. A sustainable future begins with daily choices. Link to the "Sustainability Roadmap" document in Lithuanian: https://www.abcinenergy.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Sustainability-Roadmap_Lithuanian.pdf Link to the "ABCinEnergy" project page: https://www.abcinenergy.eu/