Italian D.Calzoni: VMU has a modern system

What expectations and goals did you have before starting your studies. Why did you choose Lithuania?

After I finished my studies in Italy, I wanted to continue my academic education abroad and in English. Surfing the Internet, I found http://www.studyinlithuania.lt/, which allowed me to overview the many study programmes offered in Lithuania in English. I finally chose Lithuania because I had the opportunity to visit the country earlier and I was positively impressed by both VMU’s programmes and the city of Kaunas.

Why did you select to study International relations and diplomacy? What was your background of BA studies?

My BA background was in Foreign Languages, but with a focus on International Relations. Throughout my BA I developed a passion for International Relations and other subjects related with Political Sciences, therefore I decided to take the chance to continue my studies attending VMU’s programme in International Relations and Diplomacy. I thought it would be a great possibility to further my knowledge in International Relations at the same time as I could study such an interesting and wide subject in English.

Is Lithuania’s education system very different in comparison with Italian one?

Yes, Lithuania’s higher education system is quite different compared with the Italian one. The Lithuanian system is definitely more modern: firstly, in the relation between the university and the student, in Lithuania (or, at least, in VMU) bureaucracy is reduced to the minimum (which is any Italian’s dream!); secondly, in the organization of university activities, divided in lectures and seminars, with readings to be prepared for every seminar and papers to be written for nearly every subject, something that Italy’s university system still lacks. Also, the two systems are different because of the vast amount of courses taught in English that students can find in Lithuania’s university, which is one of the many reasons why it is possible to find so many international students, either Erasmus or full-time.

Was it challenging to go study abroad in a completely different environment?

Since I didn’t go on Erasmus, my two years in VMU were my very first study experience abroad. For this reason the experience was challenging, but I could say overall always in a positive way. At first it was difficult to study in a format that was very different from the one I always experienced (in Italian universities, most subjects are taught through frontal lectures, with little or no interaction by students); the same for the language, studying in English felt hard at the beginning. But with time it felt more and more natural and now I couldn’t think of another way to carry on my studies. I wish some features of the Lithuanian system could be implemented in Italian universities!

I wanted to congratulate you on successfully defending your master’s thesis and receiving your diploma. What are your plans for the future?

Thanks! For the future I am planning to look for a job in an International Organization and gather some practical working experience. In the long term, I would like to go for PhD studies.

What would you say to people who are still wondering whether it is worth it to study at VMU’s faculty of Political Sciences and Diplomacy?

I would definitely suggest to enroll, they will not regret it! In VMU they will find a top level environment for studying, plus an university that cares for its students; also, the quality of the courses that are taught is very high. In particular, I would suggest them not to miss the chance to enroll in one of the courses of VMU’s faculty of Political Sciences and Diplomacy because its professors and instructors are very well prepared and very available for students, always providing challenging and interesting lectures and seminars in very different subjects.

Development Politics of the EU and Lithuania: discussion

Public discussion was held on the 25th of April about Development Politics of the EU and Lithuania.

Experts: Mrs. Violeta Motulaitė, head of development cooperation department at Lithuania’s Ministry for foreign affairs and previous Lithuania’s Ambassador to Moldova; Saulius Mykoliūnas, Unesco expert, professor Liudas Mažylis and dr. Sima Rakutienė, Vice-dean of the Faculty of Political science and diplomacy discussed and analyzed development cooperation and the problematic issues.

Discussion by Leonidas Donskis and Lilia Shevtsova

Discussion with Prof. Leonidas Donskis ( In memoriam), political philosopher from VMU Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy, and Lilia Shevtsova, Kremlinology expert, senior associate at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

VMU Invites International Students to Become Mentors

VMU International Cooperation Department invites full time VMU students to join the Mentors’ programme and become a mentor for the new incoming international students.

VMU Mentors’ programme aims to facilitate the adaptation process of incoming international students at VMU, promotes volunteering and increases international experience of the university’s students.

VMU international full time students willing to join the Mentor‘s Program have to fill in the online application formuntil May 10.

Selection Process of VMU Mentors:

VMU students selected according to their applications will be informed personally on May 10 and will be invited to the motivational interview on May 11-12.
After the interviews selected candidates will be informed personally and invited to the first meeting.

More information

VMU International Cooperation Department

Orinta Movsesjan

E-mail: Orinta.Movsesjan@vdu.lt

Interview with the former president of Moldova

Political Science Professor Lauras Bielinis speaks with the President of Moldova (1996–2001), Petru Lucinschi. President Lucinschi visited VMU during the 2nd Forum of the Baltic and Black Seas in March of 2017.

Scholarships for Full-time Master degree studies

The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania takes pleasure in offering Lithuanian state scholarships for full-time Master degree studies for nationals of the Republic of Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Georgia, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Moldova, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, the State of Israel as well as foreigners of Lithuanian origin to study at Lithuanian higher education institutions. The scholarships are intended for full-time Master’s degree studies in Lithuania.

70 scholarships will be offered for the academic year 2017/2018:

A monthly scholarship and a benefit that covers the study cost is offered for the nationals of the Republic of Ukraine (40 grants altogether);
A monthly scholarship and a benefit that covers the study cost is offered for the nationals of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Georgia and foreign citizens of Lithuanian origin (10 grants altogether);
A monthly scholarship is offered for the nationals of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Moldova, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, the State of Israel (20 grants altogether).

Eligibility requirements

1. Candidate must be a national of one of the following countries: the Republic of Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Georgia, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Moldova, Japan, and the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, the State of Israel or a foreigner of Lithuanian origin.

2. Candidate must be a graduate of first-cycle (Bachelor degree) studies.

3. Candidate must have an official letter of acceptance for full-time Master degree studies from one of Lithuanian universities.

4. Candidate has to have good knowledge of Lithuanian, English or other language required to study the chosen study programme (the minimum B2 level of command of the language of instruction according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

5. A scholarship cannot be granted to a candidate who has already been awarded the Lithuanian State scholarship for full-time Master degree studies in Lithuania.

6. A scholarship cannot be granted to a candidate who is studying or planning to study an international joint degree programme when part of his/her studies (as mandatory mobility period) is going to be in the candidate’s home country.

Financial conditions

1. All approved candidates will receive a monthly scholarship of 380 euros for the whole duration of the studies.

2. The benefit to cover the study cost will be offered only to the nationals of the Republic of Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Georgia and foreign citizens of Lithuanian origin.

The benefit is equal to the standard cost of studies when the study cost established by a higher education institution exceeds the standard study cost, or equal to the study cost payable for the studies, when the study cost established by a higher education institution does not exceed the standard study cost. When the study cost established by a higher education institution exceeds the standard study cost, a candidate having received a benefit has the duty to cover the difference between the study cost established by a higher education institution and the standard study cost.

Scholarships are paid throughout the study period (including periods of holidays), by transferring money on a monthly basis to a student’s personal bank account held in Lithuania.

The amount of the benefit is transferred into the bank account of a Lithuanian higher education institution, in which the student in question studies, twice per year (by 1 November for the autumn semester and by 1 April for the spring semester).

Information on tuition fees in Lithuania can be found here.

The financial support (a scholarship and/or benefit that covers the study cost) is terminated or reduced if a foreign student:

Stops his/her Master degree studies in a chosen university in Lithuania;
Does not start his/her Master degree studies in time;
Finishes his/her studies more than 6 days earlier than it was planned;
Has academic debts or takes an academic leave.

Required documents

A candidate for the Lithuanian State scholarship for full-time Master degree studies should apply through the online application system and attach the following documents as scanned enclosures as follows:

For the first selection round (DEADLINE: 10TH MAY, 2017):

1. A copy of valid identity document.

2. A document certifying the level of command of the language of instruction: a document issued by a competent institution certifying the minimum B2 level of command of the language of instruction according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

3. Motivation letter (must be filled in online).

Please prepare a motivation letter including the following information:

1. Describe your experience, achievements which are related to your chosen Master degree study programme in Lithuania.

2. Please explain why you chose the particular Master degree study programme and the particular higher education institution in Lithuania.

3. In your opinion, how will you benefit from studies in Lithuania in terms of your future career and personal development?

4. Why are you a suitable candidate for the Lithuanian State scholarship?

4. Two recommendations in Lithuanian, English or Russian (must be provided through the online application system or added to the application form as an attachment using this template form).

5. A copy of the confirmation letter issued by a Lithuanian higher education institution certifying that the candidate was admitted to or is studying a second-cycle full-time study programme, including the candidate’s name, surname, the study programme which the candidate studies and its state code, the candidate’s study period;

For the second selection round (DEADLINE: 10TH JULY, 2017) – ONLY for conditionally admitted candidates:

6. A document certifying the completed education at a higher education institution or adequate education (diploma and enclosure thereto) and its translation into Lithuanian, English or Russian. If a candidate completed first-cycle studies but was not issued a certificate (diploma and enclosure thereto), he/she can submit the certificate of a higher education institution based in a foreign country, specifying the study programme completed, courses or modules passed, their credits and assessments, the assessment of the final examination or theme of the final project and its assessment, and its translation into Lithuanian, English or Russian.

7. A copy of the study agreement between a candidate and a higher education institution in Lithuania.

Selection of the candidates

All eligible and complete applications are assessed by experts. The final decision on granting support to candidates will be based on:

Applicant’s motivation (30 %);
The level of command of the language of instruction (20 %);
Academic achievements (50 %).

When making a decision the submitted recommendations are also taken into consideration.

Candidates who applied for the scholarship will be informed about the decision (after the first selection round) by e-mail. ONLY conditionally approved candidates will be asked to submit additional documents for the second selection round. Persons who applied for support in the second selection round will be informed about the final decision on granting or refusing to grant support by e-mail.

Having considered the Commission’s suggestions, a reserve list of support beneficiaries will be drawn up and the candidates included into it would be offered the scholarship, provided a candidate from the approved list of support beneficiaries refused the granted support. In such case, the commencement as well as terms and conditions of scholarship payment will be established by making an amendment to the approved list of support beneficiaries. The scholarship would be paid until the completion of studies by the candidate. Candidates included into the reserve list of support beneficiaries will be notified about such decision by e-mail.

Notes

Please note that the scholarship application is separate from the application to Master’s degree programmes at Lithuanian higher education institutions: we highly recommend you to apply for Master degree studies first, afterwards – for the Lithuanian State scholarship.
Applications must be submitted online with enclosed documents in any of the following formats: JPEG, GIF, PNG, PDF.
All application documents must be submitted by the deadline. Please note that after the deadline no changes are possible. Incomplete applications or applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
Kindly note that no other documents than the listed enclosures will be considered.
Documents must be submitted only through the online application system. There’s no requirement to send them by post, fax or email.

Important dates for applicants for the academic year 2017/2018

1st March – 10th May 2017: first selection round;

Middle of June 2017: Notification of conditionally selected applicants (first selection round);

26th June – 10th July 2017: 2nd selection round (ONLY for conditionally selected applicants);

Beginning of August 2017: Notification of successful selected applicants (second selection round).

Important links:

Online system for applications.

The list of Lithuanian higher education institutions.

Contact information:

Contact person: