VMU statement on the restoration of the University of Lithuania

On Wednesday, February 5, at the meetings of the Council and Senate held at Vytautas Magnus University, the protocol of intentions announced by the rectors of Kaunas universities to strive to restore the University of Lithuania in Kaunas by 2022 was discussed.

Below is the full official statement of the VMU Council and Senate regarding the initiative of the rectors of Kaunas universities to restore the University of Lithuania in Kaunas by 2022.

***

February 5, 2014

Kaunas

The University of Lithuania in Kaunas, opened in 1922, was the only Lithuanian higher education institution, becoming a vital center of culture, science, and modern, free intellectual thought in our country. In 1930, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Duke Vytautas the Great, the University of Lithuania in Kaunas was given the name Vytautas the Great University. Destroying national identity, in 1946, the Soviet occupation authorities stripped the university of this name, and in 1950 they closed the university itself.

Today's Vytautas Magnus University, celebrating the 25th anniversary of its restoration, is one of the most liberal higher education institutions in Lithuania, continuing the mission of the University of Lithuania, founded in Kaunas in 1922. The university's students, teachers and graduates are united by liberal arts, that is, the idea of a liberal arts university. Here, free creative thought flourishes, the focus is on the quality of studies, science, and art, and international relations are successfully developed.

The initiative of the rectors of Kaunas universities and their efforts to consolidate the scientific, creative and pedagogical potential of the universities, to unite and strengthen the ranks of scientists, researchers and artists are acceptable to the Vytautas Magnus University community, respecting historical continuity and the will of the restorers of VMU - maintaining the name of Vytautas Magnus University, granted by the President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania (Law on the Name of the University of Lithuania, 7 June 1930).

We are ready to seek and create various forms of communication, to strive for the creation of a joint study, research and creative space, and we invite the Councils and Senates of Kaunas Universities to form a joint working group, task it with creating a vision and concept of a joint university study, research and creative space in Kaunas, provide guidelines for its achievement, create strategic activity plans and provide for possible sources of funding. It is proposed to involve university communities, students, graduates, city government and business representatives as widely as possible in this process. We believe that this will help us achieve our common goal – to create the Lithuania of the future.