Studies

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) has become partner for the new international project No. 619011-EPP-1-2020-1-KZ-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP “New Courses in Geospatial Engineering for Climate Change Adaptation of Coastal Ecosystems/GEOCLIC”, which is funded by the European Union (EU) Erasmus+ 2 program. Project type – multi-country project, thematic area – environment. The project is related to CBHE projects – capacity building in higher education. Project’s, which purpose is to strengthen the potential for higher education, start date is 15th of November 2020, the end date is 14th of November 2023, duration – 36 months. The GEOCLIC project aims to modernize curricula of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in geospatial technologies, ensuring the environmental protection of coastal ecosystems using the latest technologies (global network of satellite-based dissemination systems GEONETCast; integrated GIS software – ILWIS and remote sensing and modelling technologies). 

The strategic goal of the project is to improve the Caspian Sea ecosystem. The main goal is to train specialists in the fields of ecology, coastal engineering and management. Objectives: training of academic teachers; innovative curricula; development of the multidisciplinary research laboratory GEOLAB and the statistical software tool GEOCOF; pilot training; accreditation of curricula. Expected results: new/updated courses for Ist–IIIrd cycle studies in geospatial technologies and environmental monitoring of coastal ecosystems; creation of a new training environment GEOLAB and a virtual room CVE; retrained academic teachers; master classes and pilot training on new/updated curricula in GEOLAB and CVE; upgraded courses within GEOCOF. 

The GEOCLIC consortium consists of 17 prestigious higher education institutions and international organisations from the EU and other countries. Project coordinator – Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, representative – Zaure Rakisheva. Program countries: Germany (2) – Technical University of Berlin, EXOLAUNCH GmbH; Romania (1) – Maritime University of Constanta; Lithuania (1) – Vilnius Gediminas Technical University; Netherlands (1) – University of Twente. Partner countries: Kazakhstan (4), Azerbaijan (5) and Turkmenistan (3). All involved institutions are jointly responsible for the project implementation and the targeted usage of the grant. 

Responsible Vilnius Tech division for project implementation – Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Institute of Environmental Protection. The project is administered and implemented by the following Vilnius Tech employees: project manager – Prof Dr Edita Baltrėnaitė-Gedienė, project researchers – Assoc Prof Dr Raimondas Grubliauskas, Assoc Prof Dr Teresė Leonavičienė, Assoc Prof Dr Jevgenijus Kirjackis and Dr Aleksandras Chlebnikovas, technical worker – doctoral student Luiza Usevičiūtė, administrator – Assoc Prof Dr Jolita Bradulienė, accountant – Lina Bražėnienė.

Tempus NETCENG is the international study project, which in line with the Bologna Process aims to create and develop new module programmes of the third cycle engineering educations in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine (“New model of the third cycle in engineering education due to Bologna Process in BY, RU, UA”). Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) is the coordinator of the project, project manager – Professor Pranas Baltrėnas, Department of Environmental Protection. Duration of the project is 36 months, from 1 December 2013 to 30 November 2016, and the total value of the project is 1352219,99 EUR.
Vilnius Gediminas Technical University coordinates the activities of Tempus NETCENG project according to the work plan. Together with the other partners of the project from Europe (Berlin Technical University, Brunel University London and ECM Space technologies GmbH) VGTU shares knowledge, experiences and the examples of the best practice of the organization and implementation of the third cycle programmes. According to work plan of Tempus Netceng project, three summer schools were organized in European universities. The objectives of summer schools are to retrain the academic staff in new methodology. The teaching programmes are already worked out by the European universities. During trainings participants will be introduced to new curricula, learn new methods of teachings.  The first summer school of Tempus NETCENG took place in Vilnius Gediminas Technical University on May 2015. The participants gained knowledge about the experience of conducting doctoral studies in Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, but also had a theoretical course on “Mathematical modelling of environmental processes” and participated in workshops, where the theoretical knowledge was applied practically by working with software’s of environmental processes modelling.

NETCENG summer school participants in Material Solidification Lab at Brunel University London
In Brunel University London, teachings were conducted on June 2015. Here, more attention was paid to “Systems modelling and simulation”, “Power Electronics & Systems”, “Materials Science and Solidification Processing”. In addition, the lectures about “Theory and Practice in Research” were conducted.
In Berlin Technical University 2015 on July and August teachings related with “Navigation in transport systems”, “Sensoric in research” were conducted. Also the participants gained knowledge about the experience of Berlin Technical University in improving “Effective communication with groups” and gained knowledge that will help to succeed in the labor market.
Reviewing all the results of the summer schools of Tempus NETCENG, it should be noted, that over 100 representatives (doctoral students and their scientific supervisors) from higher education institutions of Ukraine, Russia, Belarus arrived into trainings. The shared experience of organization process of doctoral studies of European universities and theoretical, practical knowledge gained during the teachings will allow the participants of the project to further improve the quality of the engineering programmes of the third cycle in higher education institutions of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.

According to the specific project objectives the following tangible Outputs and intangible Outcomes in the frames of development are planned:

1. Review /analyse/ upgrade the current curricula in Electrical Engineering (MA) according to recent advances in the target field;
2. Develop four new generic curricula (Applied informatics and data transmission systems;
   • CAD /CAM/CAE for Electrical Engineering;
   • Quality Engineering;
   • Environment management and Engineering)
   • five modules
     • Problem solving for Engineers;
     • Modelling of production systems;
     • Re-Engineering;
     • Audit and Certification according ISO;
     • Soft skills for Engineers) with integrated supporting infrastructure (laboratories and PC pools);
3. Retrain academic staff in the new curricula methodologies/ train of the non academic teachers / mentors from partner enterprises;
4. Pilot teaching /operation;
5. Establish ELM Offices (Engineers in Labour Market) with stakeholders support.