An interview with the Director of the Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution (HEI), Dr Andrius Brusokas, and the Vice Director for Organisational development, Dr Inga Stravinskiene, about the focus of applied scientific research and art at Kauno kolegija HEI and how it plans to manage the changes taking place in the field of applied scientific research.
Dr Andrius Brusokas:
Higher education institutions are going through a truly fundamental period of transformation in the context of national requirements. Starting with fundamental changes in the structure of teaching positions, which is now analogous to the structure of university teaching positions, requirements for associate professors, assistants, and junior assistants, i.e. researchers’ competencies, which are established by the legal acts of the Research Council of Lithuania, the transition to expert scientific assessment, which higher education institutions, compared to universities, have not had until now, is gradually taking place.
In response to these changes, we are also essentially preparing for this qualitative change, especially to mobilise a competent research team and pay greater attention to the quality of research management at the institutional level. It must be recognised that the newly approved system of teaching positions and the research management model being developed at Kauno kolegija HEI provide more freedom to reveal the potential of teaching staff. The system of 6 positions, which includes researchers and teachers, is truly unique, allowing each researcher to first assess himself, in which position he sees himself, maximally assessing the qualitative requirements set for an associate professor or assistant.
We encourage researchers to focus solely on research activities, even giving up working with students in classrooms if this prevents them from focusing their efforts on high-quality research and experimental development (R&D) activities. The role of associate professors as leaders of research groups is very important to us, in which, in addition to research competence, managerial competence is no less important. Systematic work in research groups is a fundamental change in our higher education institution. Until now, we have had fragmented initiatives, with individual researchers collaborating to prepare publications and carry out R&D outsourcing activities. The new concept is based on the principles of community, teamwork, listening to the expertise of each researcher through open dialogue, creating opportunities to reveal their potential, and achieving the strategic goals of the research group.
Over the past six months, we have had many and various meetings with the heads of Lithuanian universities, research centres, and institutes, with whom we unanimously agreed on cooperation in developing scientific projects and R&D activities. A huge challenge is the issue of scientific infrastructure, the systematic development of which is new to higher education institutions. Kauno kolegija HEI has already made significant progress in some fields of study, such as R&D research in the field of cosmetology, and we have high-level laboratories, while in others, having assessed the priority scientific fields, the available human potential, and its efforts, we have planned investments.
Dr Inga Stravinskienė:
Where do we strategically direct Kauno kolegija HEI’s applied scientific research and art? Without a doubt, where such research is needed in society and business, and where a truly real social and economic impact is identified. The best indicator of this is orders from economic entities. If the research, and the products we create and apply, are ordered by businesses and other types of organisations, then we are truly needed, and the research we conduct is needed and relevant. We also direct applied scientific research and art to where we see that we have the competencies, the proactivity of researchers, their desire to create, to focus by additionally attracting new researchers, and by conducting research networking.
It is important to note that at the Academic Board meeting held on 22 November, we approved five priority areas of applied scientific research and experimental development (R&D) and art at Kauno kolegija HEI: 1) health and food; 2) technological progress and social innovations for sustainable development; 3) information and communication technologies for business and education; 4) education and social services for society; 5) art and culture. Each of these major areas is detailed into smaller topics, which will be developed in a targeted manner by research groups formed for that purpose, led by our associate professors.
In the field of health and food, research will continue to be conducted on such topics as strengthening and sustainability of public health, improving healthcare services, medical technology research (innovative products for health), rehabilitation and quality of life, management and prevention of ageing processes. In the field of technological progress and social innovations for sustainable development, attention is focused on such topics as sustainable technologies and engineering innovations, business innovations and entrepreneurship for sustainable development, digital transformation and communication. The direction of information and communication technologies for business and education is focused on such components as data science and the creation of digital media products. Education and social services for society include such topics as pre-school and pre-primary education, adult education and lifelong learning, social work and social services. The direction of art and culture focuses on works of art and design.
The selection of directions was based on the available scientific achievements in this area, human research potential, available and planned investments in scientific infrastructure, and the development of strategic international partnerships. Discussions were also held in the faculties. All topics are linked to ongoing studies, to ensure that the studies are based on science. Another important aspect, including the topic of data science development, is related to the creation of a European University Alliance won this year, which will combine the competencies and capabilities of four classical universities (in Spain, France, Albania, Italy) and three universities of applied sciences (including Kauno kolegija HEI, Germany, Finland), developing scientific fundamental and applied research specifically on the topic of data science.
The Academic Board also approved a description of the management of applied scientific research, experimental development and art activities, based on which we promise to prepare strategies for individual R&D and art activities and plans for research groups in the near future, where special attention will be paid to R&D and art activities that create greater value, focusing on long-term financial and human resources. We will pay special attention to scientific project activities with other higher education institutions, businesses, and other organisations – this is a great opportunity to conduct large-scale, more significant research. Undoubtedly, the emphasis is on commissioned R&D and artistic activities, conducting applied research that meets the mission of higher education institutions. Especially since in discussions with the Research Council of Lithuania, there has already been a positive view that higher education institutions will also be credited with commissioned R&D projects with businesses. We very much hope that this will be done.
We are pleased that the scientific infrastructure applications submitted by Kauno kolegija HEI for the first time this year to the Research Council of Lithuania were qualitatively assessed – two scientific infrastructure projects in the field of photography and restoration and conservation were funded. However, we hope that the competitive conditions for obtaining funding for the development of this type of research will be reviewed and in the case of certain project calls, it will not be necessary to “stand on the same side as universities”, where the accumulated potential is truly different and sometimes it is simply impossible to compete.
It is gratifying that in the context of Lithuanian higher education institutions, Kauno kolegija HEI has truly competitive salaries for researchers. We are also recruiting more and more researchers from abroad. Therefore, we warmly invite all researchers with expertise in these areas to join the academic team of Kauno kolegija HEI, aiming to jointly create and contribute to creating a truly significant impact on society through R&D.
