On 17 December, Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution (HEI) signed a cooperation agreement with the Lithuanian Energy Institute. According to Dr Tomas Makaveckas, Dean of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Technologies of Kauno kolegija HEI, the signing of this agreement is significant because it strengthens cooperation in the fields of science and studies, allowing for the creation of new and improvement of existing study programmes, the conduct of joint scientific research, and the sharing of knowledge and resources.

‘This will contribute to the training of highly qualified specialists, the creation of innovations and the development of the energy sector in Lithuania. The Lithuanian Energy Institute is one of the main scientific institutions in the country working with energy research and innovation. Cooperation with the Lithuanian Energy Institute will provide Kauno kolegija HEI students with direct contact with energy science experts and the opportunity to conduct internships and research in a real work environment,’ says Dr T. Makaveckas.

The Dean of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Technologies adds that the partnership with the Lithuanian Energy Institute will provide the Kauno kolegija HEI community with the opportunity to participate in advanced scientific research, conduct internships in the energy sector, and also allow for the establishment of relations with industry and international institutions, increasing the prestige and competitiveness of the Kauno kolegija HEI.

Dr T. Makaveckas reveals that Kauno kolegija HEI has been collaborating with the Lithuanian Energy Institute even before the signing of the agreement. The latest joint achievement of the institute and the Kauno kolegija HEI is the winning of funding from the Research Council of Lithuania for the project “Development of advanced neural network solutions for optimised and conceptual design of hybrid renewable energy systems (RESAI)”, in which Kauno kolegija HEI is a project partner.

‘The aim of the project is to develop and test artificial intelligence (AI) tools based on neural networks for optimal design and operation modelling of hybrid renewable energy systems in certain geographical areas, to ensure uninterrupted, reliable and cost-effective energy supply,’ says Dr T. Makaveckas.

Two Lithuanian Energy Institute researchers are currently working at Kauno kolegija HEI – Dr Žydrūnas Kavaliauskas and Dr Dovilė Gimžauskaitė.

‘We expect to share researchers based on this cooperation agreement in the future, especially when the faculty in 2025 admission to the Green Energy Engineering study programme in the Energy Engineering field will begin,’ adds Dr T. Makaveckas, Dean of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Technologies.