Kauno kolegija and Alytaus kolegija Higher Education Institutions began this academic year by marking a new stage – after the reorganisation of Alytaus kolegija Higher Education Institution (HEI), it began operating as the Alytus Faculty of Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution (HEI) from July. This step was taken to strengthen higher education studies in Lithuania, meet the requirements set for higher education institutions, preserve higher education studies conducted in the region, and offer future students more study programmes that are relevant to the needs of the region.

A centre for studies and applied research that responds to the needs of the region, based on the concept of a community college

Dr Andrius Brusokas

‘An academic unit of Kauno kolegija HEI has been formed in Alytus as a centre for studies and applied research that meets the needs of the region, the content of which integrates the concept of a community college. It provides services to the surrounding community of the Alytus region, and its activities are based on the principles of lifelong learning: higher education studies are conducted, the Academy of Young Informatics operates, formal and informal education activities for students are implemented in the STEAM Open Access Centre, research works and projects are carried out, and qualification and retraining services are provided,’ shares Kauno kolegija HEI Director Dr Andrius Brusokas.

The Director reveals that to strengthen new food technologies and establish new food technology laboratories and a green innovation space in the Alytus region, Kauno kolegija HEI is launching the largest project to date in terms of both financial and activity volume – “Restructuring the activities of Kauno kolegija and Alytaus kolegija Higher Education Institutions by creating a scientific applied research centre in the field of food and healthy lifestyle (Foodtech and Health Innovation Hub)”. The project is worth more than 4.6 million euros.

According to the Director of Kauno kolegija HEI, the funds allocated for the project will allow for a comprehensive contribution to the development of applied scientific research, consolidation of study programmes and other solutions that are important in solving not only the problems of the institution, but also the general education system, and the future scientific infrastructure will allow for a better response to business needs in carrying out R&D. He notes that the aim is for higher education institutions to remain in the regions, thus ensuring the accessibility of studies and the training of specialists in demand in the regions.

‘We believe that studies should be accessible throughout the country, not just in major cities, therefore the development of higher education in the regions of Lithuania is one of the strategic priorities of Kauno kolegija HEI,’ emphasises Dr A. Brusokas.

The Director adds that creating jobs for lecturers living in the region is no less important. By consistently and purposefully strengthening cooperation with the regions, Kauno kolegija HEI is looking for solutions together with the Alytus City Municipality, and as one of the ways to address this challenge, he names the opportunity for lecturers to work in schools that currently lack specialists in various fields.

‘Considering that larger higher education institutions can attract more talented students and organise higher-quality studies, Kauno kolegija HEI at the Alytus Faculty will be able to contribute more effectively to regional development, for example, economic, social, and cultural,’ reveals Dr A. Brusokas.

The quality of studies is being improved, and the capacities of applied scientific research and experimental development activities are being strengthened

Dr Inga Stravinskienė

Vice Director for Organisational Development Dr Inga Stravinskienė reveals that this project is an extremely important investment, creating appropriate and sufficient conditions for the development of studies and applied sciences in the Alytus region and responding specifically to the needs of this region. A scientific applied research centre in the field of food and healthy lifestyle is being created in Alytus, the concept of which arose in cooperation with Invest Lithuania, an important step to meet the need for specialists and strengthen the scientific activity potential of researchers in the region and develop the attractiveness of the Southern Lithuania region, contribute to attracting investments, developing competencies, and developing applied scientific research with social partners.

‘The new centre will conduct not only applied research in food technologies but also applied research and experimental development in other scientific fields that play a significant role in the food value chain. Applied research will cover a consistent and integral chain of solutions: growing food raw materials, food production, food packaging, safety and analysis, automation, digitalisation, environment and energy, warehousing, including robotic food sorting and waste management solutions,’ shares Dr I. Stravinskienė.

The Vice Director for Organisational Development adds that it is planned that the implementation of the project will increase the accessibility and competitiveness of ongoing studies, improve the quality of studies, and increase the compliance of graduates with the needs of the regional labour market by expanding the package of offered study programmes according to the needs of the region.

Kauno kolegija HEI begins implementing the biggest project in its history

Lina Kuraitienė

Kauno kolegija HEI is taking an important step towards development – ​​the implementation of the largest and most complex project has begun, the main goal of which is to create an advanced scientific applied research centre in the field of food and healthy lifestyle. According to Lina Kuraitienė, Head of the Project Management Unit, this project is unique both in the variety of activities and the scope of funding.

From the stage of preparing the project application, the Kauno kolegija HEI administration and faculty staff were mobilised. Representatives of the faculties of Medicine and Computing, Engineering and Technologies made a special contribution to the development of the concept of the applied research centre. This stage became an excellent example of cooperation.

‘This is an unprecedented project that requires not only professionalism but also the focus of the entire Kauno kolegija HEI community,’ notes L. Kuraitienė.

The project must be implemented within one year – by 31 December, 2025. The planned activities are extremely diverse and significant. The project envisages the establishment of a scientific applied research centre, the consolidation and improvement of study programmes implemented in Kaunas and Alytus, as well as the creation of new study programmes for the Alytus region. Relevant non-formal education programmes will be developed, study resources will be expanded, the competencies of lecturers and administrative staff will be strengthened, administrative and scientific research processes will be optimised, and the infrastructure of Alytus will be modernised.

L. Kuraitienė emphasises that the success of this project depends on the joint efforts of all Kauno kolegija HEI employees: ‘This is a challenge that we can overcome only by working together.’

This project will become a significant stage in the development of Kauno kolegija HEI, allowing not only to strengthen applied scientific research but also to offer new opportunities to students and the regional community.

The project is implemented under the Education Development Programme Progress Measure No. 12-003-03-04-02 of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania “Ensure effective management of the science and studies system” and is financed under the 2021–2027 European Union funds and/or the Economic and/or Economic Recovery and Resilience “New Generation Lithuania” measure, i.e. from the funds of the European Union’s NextGenerationEU programme.