Just a decade ago, computer literacy meant knowing how to use word processors or a web browser. Today, that is merely a basic skill. The world is changing faster than ever before, and digital technologies are fundamentally transforming how we work, learn, and live our daily lives. Does what we learned yesterday ensure our competitiveness today, and can we, Lithuania, become leaders in digital technology?

"Not everyone can follow technology news daily or delve into scientific articles. Therefore, we aim to create a clearer way for everyone to assess their knowledge and expand it step by step," says Professor Dr. Simona Ramanauskaitė from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH).

One such method is "competency trees," which help individuals develop in areas relevant to our job market. This tool is already being tested with VILNIUS TECH students. Moreover, the continuous updating of specialists' knowledge and competencies is a major contributor to the country's overall competitiveness, says the professor.

Professor Dr. Simona Ramanauskaitė

What Specialists Are Needed Today?

In recent years, several key skill areas have emerged in the job market. Among the most important are competencies in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Specialists in generative AI, large language models, explainable AI, AI ethics, and data privacy assurance are in increasing demand.

Knowledge of programming languages (Python, Java, Scala), machine learning algorithms, or neural networks is no longer just an advantage in the information and communication technology sector—it has become a necessity. At the same time, knowledge of data management, cloud computing, and the application of secure communication protocols is crucial.

As the volume of data grows rapidly, so does the importance of cybersecurity. "These competencies are particularly important for us, for Lithuania. They help ensure the resilience not only of information systems but of the entire country against cyber threats," emphasizes Dr. S. Ramanauskaitė.

"To keep up with market trends and cultivate the specialists of tomorrow, we, as a university, must not only follow but also create technologies ourselves. That is why, with our partners, we use artificial intelligence tools to constantly monitor how digital skills development in Lithuania should evolve," the scientist adds.

Competency Trees: For Personal and Professional Development

Competency trees are a structure that allows each field to be broken down into smaller parts. For example, the "artificial intelligence" branch can be divided into "machine learning," "neural networks," "data ethics," and so on. Each branch is further broken down to basic skills, such as the ability to apply arithmetic operations or read technical information.

"This model offers several advantages: we can see more clearly where we have strengths and where knowledge or skills are lacking, we can continuously add new branches to the competency tree to reflect market changes, and it becomes possible to plan lifelong learning more precisely. Therefore, it is more than just a visual knowledge map that helps with consistent development. It also represents an opportunity for the entire country to more systematically cultivate specialists who will ensure Lithuania's competitiveness in a global world," explains Dr. S. Ramanauskaitė.

The professor adds that it is important for these competency trees not to be static. This requires not only continuous work from experts but also advanced technological solutions that allow the process to be automated. VILNIUS TECH is already testing a system that uses artificial intelligence to automatically analyze job advertisements, scientific publications, and patent databases. From these sources, new competencies are identified and then integrated into the overall competency tree. This ensures that the map is constantly updated and reflects the real-world situation.

For now, this system is being tested in VILNIUS TECH study programs. Each discipline and even every assessment can be linked to the competency tree. This way, an individual competency portfolio is created for the student.

"This allows them to visualize their existing knowledge and compare it with other students, see what skills are still needed to meet job market demands, and receive recommendations for further development or retraining," says the scientist.

In the future, competency trees could be applied not only in universities but also in schools or non-formal education. Such a system would become a convenient tool for both students and adults—helping them choose the right studies, plan a career, or systematically develop necessary skills.

"If we can integrate competency trees widely, Lithuania can become not just a consumer of technology, but a creator. This is our opportunity not to chase the future, but to shape it," states Dr. S. Ramanauskaitė.

MIT's Experience – For Lithuania's Future

The conference "Human and More-Than-Human Futures: Technological Innovations for Coexistence" will take place on October 9–10 in Vilnius and Kaunas. It is organized by a consortium of twelve major Lithuanian universities, research centers, and companies, and is supported by the Research Council of Lithuania.

The goal of the conference is to understand complex technologies and explore opportunities for harmonious interaction between humanity, technology, and nature, where humans remain the leading creators and consumers. This will not be a traditional academic conference in the usual sense. The presentations will be vision-oriented, focusing on creating reactive and interactive futures, transitioning from smart to sensory ecosystems, where technologies and systems that learn and adapt are created. The conference is dedicated to analyzing the present and creating projections for a collaborative future. It will bring together various stakeholders—representatives from science, business, industry, politics, and venture capital—for a joint discussion on the challenges of technological transformations.

The partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) allows Lithuania to adopt cutting-edge practices. MIT emphasizes that the reliability of a recommendation system depends on the quality of its data. This means that global methods must be adapted to the local context—our language, job market, and education system.

During the "Unlocking Minds: How New Pedagogies and AI are Transforming Lifelong Learning" session on October 10, Prof. Dr. S. Ramanauskaitė will present the concept of competency trees and share practical experience. This session will also bring together experts from other higher education institutions and business representatives, creating a space to find like-minded individuals, further develop and adapt their experiences and insights for the improvement of this tool, and also to integrate it not only in the Lithuanian but also in the US market.