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    Vilnius   –  Lithuania

    www.vu.lt
    www.vu.lt/en (English)

    Information Sheet- Vilnius University (PDF  size 49kb)

     

    Country and City

    Lithuania has a population of approximately 3½ million people with Lithuanians making up 83% of the population.  The capital is Vilnius with a population of over 500,000 people.  It is included in UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage and is one of the most scenic old towns in Central and Eastern Europe.  Following the declaration of Lithuania’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, services have expanded, much restoration has taken place and the country now has a GDP which is one of the world’s highest.  Lithuania is also a member of NATO and the EU. 

    Vilnius, as well as being very attractive with many beautiful buildings, pleasant parks etc., is reasonably compact and most things are within walking distance. The main part of the City is concentrated around the old town that lies beside a large river. It is a pretty typical small European city – cobble-stoned streets, little shops and markets, many churches (in Russian, gothic and baroque styles) and plenty of parkland. There is a nice ruin of the old castle atop the main hill in the city centre and a fine cathedral and main square.   There is a very modern shopping street, with many familiar ‘brand’ names, as well as charming areas with restaurants and boutique shops.   The city isn’t crowded and the people are warm and welcoming.

    University

    The University was first founded in 1579 and now has approximately 24,000 students of whom 18,883 are undergraduates and 23,735 postgraduates with 582 doctoral students.  There are 12 Faculties (Chemistry, Communication, Economics, History, Humanities in Kaunas, Law, Mathematics and Informatics, Medicine, Natural Sciences, Philology, Philosophy, Physics), 8 Institutes (Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Institute of Material Science and Applied Research, Institute of Foreign Languages) and 3 University Hospitals.  The University has excellent information for prospective students, on the web and on CD Rom.

    There are many courses taught in English including Chemistry, Communications, Economics, History, Law, Mathematics and Informatics, Natural Science, Philology,Philosophy, International Relations and Political Science, International Business etc.

    The University is spread over 5 campuses, 4 of the campuses are in Vilnius (Old, Naugardukas, Ciurlionis and Sauletekis) and one in Kaunas city (Faculty of Humanities) which is 100 klms from Vilnius. Travel time between the two cities is 1½ hours.

    Old Campus
    The university’s main campus is magnificent, in the heart of the town with beautifully restored buildings – with many frescos and artworks everywhere - and is located next to the Presidents palace.  The Old Campus includes such wonders as historic chapels which have been turned into reading rooms, and libraries with an extensive collection of very old and rare manuscripts and maps.  There is also a museum in The White Hall that is part of the old Astronomical Observatory.  Its collection includes a globe made in 1750.

    It would be best for students to have a laptop as there are not a huge number of free standing computers in spite of the University having excellent wireless facilities.

    Sauletekis Campus
    This campus is a part of the University which was built during the Soviet occupation and so, from the outside the buildings are not very attractive.  However, many of the buildings have undergone extensive modernization and refurbishment.

    To sum up, what a choice for the adventurous student! Vilnius is pretty amazing - an excellent institution with literally scores of English taught units, in a historical old town that has a good life and is very cheap.

    The city has not reached the same level of restoration and modernization as Brno but it is still interesting and charming city. Lithuanian is very different from the Slavic languages and countries. Apparently it is a bit harder to really get to know the locals, but once you do you will have friends for life.

    Orientation

    Vilnius has an optional, but highly recommended, mentor system which offers help and guidance for new students.  It includes being met at the airport and help with all the settling in processes.  There is a section in the application form where prospective students can indicate their willingness to have a Vilnius mentor.

    Orientation week takes place at the beginning of each semester during which students will receive practical information on their stay and study at Vilnius University. Students will have the opportunity to become acquainted with the University, the city and its surroundings.  Introductory lectures on Lithuanian language and history will also be offered.

    Accommodation

    The University’s dormitories are 30 minutes by bus from the Old Campus in the centre of Vilnius.  The accommodation, which from the outside looks  truly archaic, although the International student rooms are being renovated (to be completed soon),  is room only with cooking facilities on each corridor of 5 or 6 rooms.  The rooms are either single or double study bedrooms with share toilet and sink and shared showers per corridor.  Cost is €100 per month (approximately $A160).  A flat in the old town shared by several students would be about €400 - €600 per month in total ($A640 - $960 approx.)  Accommodation in the old town is quite difficult to find, but students can stay in the dorm while they are looking.

    International Office and General Information
    The International Office has a great atmosphere and the staff is very efficient as well as being extremely warm and welcoming.  The IO is housed in one of the attractive restored buildings in the centre of the old city.

    Faculty of Philology
    1500 students study here, studying one of about 20 languages (from Arabic to Mandarin to the European languages). They have an institute of foreign languages as well as a Centre for Oriental Studies – although it was unclear exactly what subjects are English taught/facilitated.

    Faculty of Economics - Sauletekis Campus
    The Faculty of Economics has 5,000 students and its main areas of study are Finance, International Economics, Banking, Business Administration and Management Information Systems.  The Masters programs offered by the Faculty are taught only in English and are open to exchange students, however, courses in these degrees are generally run in the evening..  The Faculty would welcome exchange students particularly into their International Masters Program in International Business Economics and Management.  Exchange students in their third year of a bachelor would be accepted provided they have good academic grades.
     
    Career Centre - Sauletekis Campus
    The Career Centre is a very modern and ergonomically designed office which is in contrast to the exterior of the building.  The Centre offers career guidance to all students at Vilnius and also holds workshops and information sessions and is very pro-active within the University.

    Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science – Vokieciu St, Vilnius

    The Institute offers bachelor degrees in Political Science, some of which are offered in English which are indicated on the website. They offer a Masters in English in Eastern and Central European Studies which is open to exchange students in the second or third year of their bachelor degree. The Institute publishes extensively in English and their Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review is publishedin conjunction with the Lithuanian Department of Foreign Affairs and is available on the web.