Prof. I. Tamutienė’s article about Children from alcohol-misusing families
Professor Ilona Tamutienė, Department of Public Administration published an article in Finish “Nordic Welfare Center.” Children from alcohol-misusing families could grow up ‘unseen’ and experience similar harm in different cultures. Children suffer not only from the maltreatment itself, but also from the feeling of fear and shame due to the drunk person’s behaviour and the society’s reaction to the situation.
H.E. United States Ambassador Anne Hall Will Give a Lecture in Vytautas Magnus University
On April 4, Thursday, 2.30 p.m., H.E. United States ambassador Anne Hall will give a lecture about democracy in the United States. The lecture will be held in Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy (Putvinskio g. 23–106).
The United States is often perceived to be the example of democracy. H.E. U.S. ambassador will discuss the character of democracy in the United States and the challenges it is currently facing.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS. “Contemporary Political Processes: Challenges and Opportunities”
The 5th annual conference “Contemporary Political Processes: Challenges and Opportunities” will take place on 12th April, 2019, from 9:00 a.m.
It is organized by the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy and hosted by Vytautas Magnus University. The conference aims to advance studies on various fields within the discipline of political science and provide scholars with an opportunity to share their research.
Scholars are encouraged to submit their proposals within these thematic fields:
– Lithuania in the Global World: NATO and EU Aspects
– International and National Security
– Regional Studies;
– Challenges to Governance and Public Administration;
– News outlets, Social Media and Information Warfare;
– Comparative Politics
– Other thematic fields are welcome.
Conference languages: Lithuanian and English
Abstract should be submitted by filling this form. They cannot exceed 200 words and are expected to be submitted until April 3rd, 2019.
Conference programme will be announced on April 5th, 2019.
For further inquiry: gerda.jakstaite@vdu.lt
Intensive course on Security Challenges in the Post-Soviet Area
Assoc. Prof. Gražvydas Jasutis, visiting research fellow in Geneva Academy of IHL and Human Rights, will give an intensive course on Security Challenges in the Post-Soviet Area in 2018/2019 Spring semester from 27of February till 8th of March for master students of the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy.
Assoc. Prof. Gražvydas Jasutis is a conflict management practitioner and held various positions in the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia, the EU Monitoring Mission in Aceh (Indonesia), the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, the OSCE Mission in FYROM, the Permanent Delegation to NATO, and the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania.
The course is a cross-disciplinary field of study that invites participants to learn big about the security and military issues in the post-soviet countries. It offers unique and practice-based approach to provide a disciplined and methodological review of conflicts, insurgency, military reforms, defence cooperation and regional military build-up. The course fundamentally applies a methodology of security (occasionally military) and conflict analysis.
The Department of Political Science invites students to enrol in this intensive course „POD5008 Spec. Course: Explaining Security Challenges in the Post-Soviet Area” at the student self-service portal https://studentas.vdu.lt/index.php?lang=EN when the registration for 2018/2019 Spring semester will be open.
Public Lecture by the Professors of the Canadian University of Moncton
October 24, 2018 at Vytautas Magnus University will attend the Canadian University of Moncton, who will discuss not only university co-operation issues, but also read public lectures (V. Putvinskio St. 23-312, 11:00 a.m.) for Vytautas Magnus University students: Canadian socio-economic policy and its peculiarities North American context; Canada-US-Mexico (USMCA) New Commerce Agreement (English) and Canadian Integration Policy (French with translation into Lithuanian).
Pierre-Marcel Desjardins
Pierre-Marcel Desjardins has been teaching economics at the Université de Moncton since 1990 and is the Director of l’École des hautes études publiques. He has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Texas (Austin). His current research projects focus on regional and rural economic development, public policy, and trade. He as been called upon by the governments of Canada and New Brunswick, as well as the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as an economic development specialist.
Christophe Traisnel
A graduate of the Universities of Lille II, Paris II and Montreal, Christophe Traisnel is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Deputy Director of the École des Hautes Études Public (HÉP) at the Université de Moncton. Associate Researcher at the Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities (CIRLM) and associate member of the Center for Studies and Research in Administrative and Political Sciences (CERSA, Paris II), he devotes his work to the international Francophonie, to migrations Canada, the Boreal Francophonie and linguistic minorities in Canada and Europe. In line with his dissertation on nationalism of protest in Canada and Belgium, he has also published numerous articles on political commitment, nationalism, French-speaking immigration and the recognition of minorities, particularly in the journals Lien social et Politics, Politics and Societies, Francophonies of America, Words, Hermes, Sociographic Research, Canadian Studies. He is also the author of The French in Sharing (Timée éditions), and Francophonie, Francophonismes: group of aspiration and forms of engagement (editions LGDJ – Panthéon-Assas).
Ambassador-at-large for Hybrid threats will give a public lecture
Eitvydas Bajarūnas, Ambassador-at-large for Hybrid threats will give a public lecture “Hybrid warfare in the EU: influences and response strategies”. Lecture discussion will take place at VMU Faculty of political science and diplomacy, room 311 (Putvinskio str. 23, Kaunas) on October 5, start at 16.30h. We invite you to join and participate!
The Riga Conference 2018 commences with questions on our future
28th -29th of September, the largest security and foreign policy forums in the Baltic Sea region – The Rīga Conference 2018 – commences at the National Library of Latvia. Over the two days the conference welcomed heads of states, experts, diplomats, academics and media representatives together with some 700 experts from around the world discussing touching questions to the Western alliances.
The conference was opened by President of the Republic of Latvia H.E Mr Raimonds Vējonis. The former President of the Republic of Latvia, Prof. Dr. Vaira Vīķe Freiberga, together with the former Minister of National Defence of Poland, Mr Antoni Macierewicz, and Director of the International Centre for Defence and Security, Mr Sven Sakkov will look back over the last century, seeing what lessons we can learn and whether sovereignty of states in Europe can be secured in a hostile environment.
The second panel whether we can count on NATO for the century ahead. The ministers of Defence of Latvia and Lithuania, Mr Raimonds Bergmanis and Mr. Raimundas Karoblis, respectively, will join Lt.Gen (Ret.) Frederick Benjamin Hodges, of CEPA and Prof. Dr Julian Lindley-French to assess whether NATO can remain an important player in defence of peace in the region.
The first day of the conference was concluded by understanding the mid-term economic outlook for the European Union. The Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue, Mr Valdis Dombrovskis, together with Ms Dana Reizniece-Ozola, the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Latvia, Mr Christian Whiton, Senior Vice President at Banner Public Affairs, and Prof Dr Michael Eilfort of Market Economy Foundation provided their opinions.
The conference discussions will be streamed live on the DELFI portal/ our informative partner portals and The Rīga Conference 2018 website www.rigaconference.lv. As always, the online audience is encouraged to participate in discussions via Twitter, using #RigaConf18. The language of the conference is English.
Arūnas Molis professor of Political Science and Diplomacy and lecturer Donatas Vainalavičius participated in a conference.
Public Lecture Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union: how it works
Department of Political Science of Vytautas Magnus University has a pleasure to invite for public lecture titled Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union: how it works?, which will take place on 1st of October, at 1 pm, in room 311 (Putvinskio st. 23, Kaunas).
The topic will be presented by Darius Šimaitis, head of COREPER II Division in European Union Department in Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.
Before becoming head of COREPER II Division Darius Šimaitis has worked as a Legal Counsellor in the Permanent Representation of Lithuania to the European Union.
Rethinking Regional Studies: the Baltic-Black Sea Connection
Name of the project: Rethinking Regional Studies: the Baltic-Black Sea Connection (BBSR)
Duration: 15 October 2017 – 14 October 2021
The project’s goal was to modernise regional studies at the Ukrainian partner universities, internationalise their study offer and provide support in implementing international projects.
The project achieved its main goals, which were:
– creation of an English-language MA programme (the first corresponding to Bologna principles) on Baltic and Black Sea Region Studies at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv thereby modernising regional studies in Ukraine; overall 22 new courses were developed in the four Ukrainian universities;
– creation of modules on regional studies at other Ukrainian universities, embedded in the international relations studies;
– new knowledge and skills in regional studies and international relations;
– facilitating innovative ways as well as the quality of teaching and learning at Ukrainian universities by the purchase of equipment, including smartboards, anti-plagiarism software, access to online resources, and thematic books;
– in addition to equipment, an adequate training was provided for both teachers and students on academic writing and integrity, plagiarism, innovative teaching methods, blended courses etc.
Among other achievements:
– the students of Ukrainian universities have received international learning experience both at a winter school in Estonia as well as in Mariupol;
– the project has intensified other cooperation between the Ukrainian partners themselves and with the EU partners;
– thanks to the project, decrees have been adopted at IFNUL about the international cooperation and projects; project results have been disseminated on the project webpage and Facebook page, at different conferences and meetings, as well as regional newspapers and TV. The project has contributed to the internationalisation of curricula at partner universities, more effective use of online learning methods, raised awareness of both teachers and students on plagiarism.
Partners:
University of Tartu, Estonia
Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Ukraine
Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
Lund University, Sweden
Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
Mariupol State University, Ukraine
Odessa National I. I. Mechnikov University, Ukraine
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine
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Lecture about Israeli Security Concept
Department of Political Science has a pleasure to invite prof. Dima Adamsky for public lecture titled Change and Continuity in the Israeli National Security Concept, which will take place on 12-th of September, at 2.30 pm, in room 412, Putvinskio st. 23.
Prof. D. Adamsky is working in The Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya , private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian research college in Herzliya, in Israel. He is famous scholar in area of international security.
Prof. Dima Adamsky is a Head of the BA Honors Track in Strategy and Decision Making. Prior to joining the school in 2010, he has been a pre- and post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University, a visiting fellow at the Institute of War and Peace Studies, Columbia University and at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies. His research interests include international security, strategic studies, cultural approach to IR, modern military thought, nuclear strategy, American, Russian and Israeli national security policy. He has published on these topics in Foreign Affairs, Journal of Strategic Studies, Intelligence and National Security, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Journal of Cold War History, Defense and Security Studies and has contributed chapters to edited volumes and encyclopedias on modern military and international history. His books Operation Kavkaz (Hebrew) and The Culture of Military Innovation (English/Hebrew) earned the annual (2006 and 2012) prizes for the best academic works on Israeli security. In addition to his academic career, in his positions in the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Dr. Adamsky has carried out intelligence analysis and strategic policy planning. In the latter capacity, he served as assistant secretary of the committee charged with formulating Israel’s national security concept.
