Modern studies are increasingly crossing national borders – the international opportunities available to students promote higher quality learning and open up broader career prospects. To strengthen this direction, increasing attention is paid to international cooperation, and one of the most effective means is participation in European university alliances.

According to Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution (HEI) representatives, the membership in a strong international network opens up new opportunities for student exchanges, joint study programmes and scientific research, and contributes to the growth of the institution and its aspiration to become a university of applied sciences.

‘International cooperation opens the door to new ideas, innovations and methods that can be applied in both research and practical activities. In addition, in today’s global world, universities must ensure that their students are prepared to work and cooperate in international teams, therefore internationality is becoming an integral part of modern higher education activities,’ says Kauno kolegija Director Dr Andrius Brusokas.

What membership in the UNINOVIS alliance means for students

Launched in 2025, the European university alliance UNINOVIS Data for L.I.F.E. brings together more than 125,000 students and 11,000 staff from all its member institutions. Kauno kolegija’s membership in this alliance opens up a wide range of international opportunities for students, from short-term visits to foreign institutions to joint study modules and double degree programmes.

Jolanta Valiaugienė, UNINOVIS Project Manager at Kauno kolegija, reveals that one of the most significant achievements in recent years is a double degree agreement with the largest university in Albania, the University of Tirana. This will enable students of the English for Public Relations study programme to obtain two higher education diplomas – from Kauno kolegija and the University of Tirana – over the course of three years of study.

Two more double degree study programmes have also been launched: cooperation with the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS, Germany) in the field of IT, and with the Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK, Finland) in the fields of oral hygiene and social work.

‘It should be noted that in 2024–2025, there was active student exchange with UNINOVIS partner institutions – 7 blended intensive programmes (BIP) were implemented. In line with the UNINOVIS theme of data science, it is worth mentioning the Erasmus+ blended intensive programme implemented at Kauno kolegija in the field of cyber security, as well as the participation of Kauno kolegija students in intensive programmes on artificial intelligence and robotics, personal green skills development, organised by the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt,’ says J. Valiaugienė.

She adds that activities carried out in the field of lifelong learning and education include mapping the educational services provided by alliance partners, including study programmes, microcredit, etc., in order to identify possible microcredit courses; analysis of national and/or international legislation regulating the implementation of microcredit.

‘Material on microcredit was also collected and systematised, a working definition of microcredit was prepared and adapted in accordance with national and institutional UNINOVIS alliance rules, and a survey of social partners and stakeholders on the need for microcredit in the field of science is being prepared,’ says J. Valiaugienė, and adds that the first pilot microcredits should be offered to interested external users by the end of this year.

International projects, science, and partnerships: achievements and new goals

According to J. Valiaugienė, Kauo kolegija’s active involvement in the activities of the UNINOVIS alliance is particularly significant in terms of the results already achieved in project and applied research activities. In the last six months alone, 15 joint project applications have been prepared together with the alliance partners.

Among the significant achievements is the cooperation of the Faculty of Business with the universities of Tirana, Malaga, and Tampere University of Applied Sciences in the field of digitalisation in tourism. In 2024, a project application was prepared under the Horizon programme measure ‘Dissemination of Progress and Development of the European Research Area (WIDERA)’. A project was won under the Research Council of Lithuania Lithuanian-French programme ‘Gilibert’ together with UNINOVIS partners – the Sorbonne Paris Nord University (USPN) – prepared the project ‘Monitoring of Metrological Data Using Inexpensive Internet of Things Measuring Devices in Indoor Environments’.

‘We are pleased with the active involvement of Kauno kolegija researcher Dr Laimonas Kairiūkštis in collaborating with UNINOVIS partners, especially the Sorbonne Paris Nord University. Dr L. Kairiūkštis has also been invited to participate in a project funded by the French Science Agency, he has repeatedly interned at the USPN and THWS research centres, and is collaborating on writing the book ‘IoT platforms for monitoring indoor air quality: new challenges for preserving health,’ shares J. Valiaugienė.

As an important achievement, she highlights the Erasmus+ project application submitted in collaboration with TAMK, THWS, THUAS, which aims to improve students’ research competencies. Meanwhile, the Department of Rehabilitation of the Faculty of Medicine successfully collaborated in preparing an Erasmus+ project application in the field of rehabilitation initiated by the University of Malaga.

She notes that Kauno kolegija researchers actively cooperate with colleagues at UNININOVIS partner institutions by participating in the alliance’s researchers’ interest group, where researchers are grouped according to scientific fields based on their profile, and guidelines are being prepared for joint UNINOVIS annual scientific conferences. At the end of 2025, the Kauno kolegija plans to establish a Competence Centre, which will bring together Kauno kolegija researchers, company representatives and students for joint work.

J. Valiaugienė points out that after the approval of the UNINOVIS alliance application, staff exchanges have become particularly active – since January 1, 39 employees have improved their competencies in training under the Erasmus+ or Nordplus staff mobility programmes for teaching or training at the alliance’s partner institutions. Another 8 Kauno kolegija researchers participated in internships related to improving scientific competencies and developing cooperation in the field of science.

‘It is also worth noting the training organised by partners at Kauno kolegija. In developing the competences of lecturers in the field of entrepreneurship, the training cycles of representatives of Tampere University of Applied Sciences for lecturers at the Kauno kolegija were particularly significant. Based on the good experience of partners, the activities of the Kauno kolegija Entrepreneurship and Creativity Centre ‘ideaPoint’ are being further developed,’ says J. Valiaugienė, UNINOVIS Project Manager at Kauno kolegija.

UNINOVIS Alliance unites institutions in France, Lithuania, Germany, Finland, Spain, Italy, Albania, the Netherlands (Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution, Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Sorbonne Paris Nord University, University of Málaga, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, University of Tirana, Hague University of Applied Sciences). The coordinator of this alliance is Sorbonne Paris Nord University in France.

UNINOVIS has four main missions: to provide Lifelong learning in data; to integrate innovation ecosystems for collaborative education and interdisciplinary research around data sciences; to foster green and digital transition for sustainability within the Alliance and in European society at large; to achieve excellence in comprehending, analysing, utilising, managing, and safeguarding data.