Public Lectures by prof. Alpo Rusi
VMU visiting professor Alpo Rusi, who previously served as Finnish Ambassador and political adviser to Finnish President M.Ahtisaari, will give public lectures at the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy:
February 21, 13.15 , Gediminas street 44, auditorium 303. Lecture : ”Finlandisation- a threat or a salvation during the Cold War and After”
February 22, 11.00, Gediminas street 44, auditorium 203. Lecture: United Nations’ General Assembly: decision making and diplomacy from personal experience ”
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland has granted a one-off fund of 20 000 euros for the Rudolf Holsti named Professorship at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, in the Faculty of Political Sciences and Diplomacy.
Vytautas Magnus University has appointed Dr. Alpo Rusi, Ambassador emeritus, Adjunct Professor at Helsinki University, to this named Professorship. Dr. Rusi has been a visiting professor at Vytautas Magnus university since March 2016.
As countries in the Baltic Sea region Finland and Lithuania have common interests both in security policy as well as in the European union. The named professorship will promote the common knowledge about issues related to the Baltic Sea co-operation in particular for the future challenges. It also will facilitate the deepening of co-operation between the universities of our two countries.
“Ambassador Alpo Rusi has a long and meritorious career in the Finnish foreign service as well as in the international assignments benefitting Finland. His appointment to the Rudolf Holsti named professorship to Kaunas is a valuable step for Finland and Lithuania”, Foreign Minister Timo Soini has stated.
The launching of the professorship will promote the knowledge concerning Rudolf Holsti (1881-1945) and his lifetime achievements as foreign minister of Finland during the early years of Finland’s independence 1919-22 and during the difficult times in the years 1936-38. He also served his country as a Special Envoy to Riga, Tallinn, Bern and the League of Nations between 1919 and 1940.
Public Lecture About Propaganda and Misinformation
Department of Political Science would like to announce a public lecture Living on the information front line: Lithuanian experience with hostile propaganda and Misinformation
Lecture will be held by Tomas Čeponis, Senior Specialist of Department of Strategic Communication in Lithuanian Armed Forces.
All students are welcome to public lecture, which will take place on 19th of February, at 4.15 pm., in 311 room, Putvinskio 23, at Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy.
Public Lecture about Hybrid Threats
Department of Political Science would like to announce a public lecture Hybrid threats: is it reality or fiction? How are European Union institutions and different countries protecting against hybrid threats?
Lecture will be held by Eitvydas Bajarūnas, Ambassador – at – Large for Hybrid Threats of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, Member of Steering Board of the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki.
All students are welcome to public lecture, which will take place on 12th of February, at 11.15 am., in 311 room, Putvinskio 23, at Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy.
VMU Opened Research Centre Named After A. Sakharov
On 18 December, Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) hosted the grand opening of its new subdivision, Andrei Sakharov Research Centre for Democratic Development. Focusing on issues of human and civil rights, the centre will conduct research into the politics in Central and Eastern European countries analyzing whether they fulfill their international commitments to protect human and civil rights.
Andrei Sakharov was one of the bravest critics of the Soviet regime who eventually became the symbol of the struggle for fundamental human rights. After gaining prominence as the inventor of the Soviet hydrogen bomb, the scientist became concerned about the consequences his invention would have on the humanity’s future and began raising awareness of the dangers of nuclear arms. In the USSR, Andrei Sakharov was seen as a dangerous dissident. His efforts contributed to the signing of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963 and the establishment of the Committee on Human Rights seven years later, which was the result of joint work by Sakharov and his peers. In recognition of his achievements, Sakharov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975. Because of the activist’s consistent attempts to liberate other Soviet dissidents and criticism of the regime, Sakharov was exiled to the isolated city of Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod) in order to restrict his foreign connections. The European Parliament has established the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, which is awarded to individuals or organizations that fight for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
A discussion was held during the event by Sakharov’s daughter, researcher Tatiana Yankelevich from the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University (USA), political scientist and analyst Lilia Shevtsova from the Chatham House (UK), founders of the Moscow School of Civic Education Lena Nemirovskaya and Yury Senokosov (Russia), Co-Director of the Institute for Statecraft Chris Donnelly (UK), Senior Russia Analyst at Radio Free Europe Brian Whitmore (Czech Republic), Project Director of Freedom House Lithuania Vytis Jurkonis, Director of European Security Programme, Vilnius Institute for Policy Analysis Simas Čelutka, and VMU representatives.
PMDF absolventų susitikimas
2017 lapkričio 17d. Vytauto Didžiono universiteto (VDU) Politikos mokslų ir diplomatijos fakulteto (PMDF) absolventų susitikimas. Diskusija „Išsilavinimas 360 laipsnių kampu: asmenybės ir patirtys“. Diskusijoje dalyvauja PMDF absolventai: dvasininkas, diakonas Vincentas Lizdenis; restorano „Dine“ vadovas Arminas Darasevičius; dainininkė, portalo CatFly vadovė Živilė Povilaitytė; Lukas Jankauskas – „INTERMEDIX“ direktorius ir Dr. Ernesta Buckienė. Diskusiją moderuoja LRT žurnalistė ir laidų vedėja Agnė Kairiūnaitė. Video medžiaga: PMDF studentai Ričardas Mikavičius ir Rūta Beinoriūtė
Centenary of Independence of Finland: experts’ discussion
On the 18th of December experts’ discussion devoted to reminiscing and analyze the centenary of the independence of Finland took place at the Faculty of political science and diplomacy of Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas.
His Excellency Mr. Christer Michelsson, Finnish Ambassador to Lithuania, Mr. Henrik Meinander, professor of Helsinki University, also researchers of Vytautas Magnus university- dr. Linas Venclauskas, dr. Giedrius Janauskas, dr. Sima Rakutienė, dr. Tomasz Blaszcak and others – discussed Finnish role in the region, historical and political relations with Sweden and Russia, socio-political transformations of Finnish society.
Professor Henrik Meinander presented his book „A History of Finland: directions, structures, turning points“. The book highlights how Finland “gradually transformed and maturing into a conscious nation, independent state and skillful adapter of modern technology“.
Finnish Parliament declared the independence of the country on the 6th of December in 1917.
The event took place in V.Putvinskis st. 23 – 312, at 14.00.
More information: Vice- dean dr. Sima Rakutienė ( sima.rakutiene@vdu.lt )
THE DIRECTOR OF NATO LECTURES IN THE FACULTY
The director of NATO Arms Control, Disarmament, and WMD Non-Proliferation Center William Alberque is going to visit Vytautas Magnus University’s Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy on the 16th and 7th of November, 2017. William Alberque is going to give public lectures as well as interact with students.
William Alberque is an expert on arms control, international relations, and national security who has extensive knowledge and experience in the field of strategic planning and strategic communication. Before becoming the director of NATO Arms Control, Disarmament, and WMD Non-Proliferation Center, Mr. Alberque was the director of European Security in the United States Department of Defence and the U.S. Department of State as an expert on disarmament.
| Time | Place | Event |
|
November 16th 17:30 |
Putvinskio g. 23-311 | Lecture “Role of Multilateral Diplomacy in Contemporary World“ |
|
November 17th 14:50 |
Putvinskio g. 23-313 | Lecture “NATO‘s Dynamics after Ukraine Crisis“ |
|
November 17th 17:30 |
Donelaičio g. 52-403 | Lecture “NATO‘s Role in Interregional Cooperation“ |
The events are held and lectures are given in English.
Dr. Peck and Dr. J.D. Mininger will present their book
Dr. Jason Michael Peck (University of Rochester, U.S.A.)
“The Poetics of Debt: a Genealogy”
Following the lecture and subsequent discussion, Dr. Peck and Dr. J.D. Mininger will present their book German Aesthetics: Fundamental Concepts from Baumgarten to Adorno (2016, Bloomsbury).
Dr. Peck is a scholar of German-Jewish philosophy and comparative literature, formerly a professor in the department of Modern Languages and Literature at the University of Rochester, now a Research Fellow at the Center for Faith and Human Flourishing at LCC International University for 2017-2018. He is co-editor of German Aesthetics: Fundamental Concepts from Baumgarten to Adorno, author of articles on (among other topics) Kantian philosophy, Jewish contributions to German Idealism and early Romanticism, and political theology in the works of Paul Celan and Jacob Taubes. His lecture is drawn from a forthcoming book entitled The Poetics of Debt: Political Theologies From TheMerchant of Venice to the Occupy Movement (Brill).
Friday, Nov. 10, 3:30pm, Room 106, Putvinskio str. 23
Public lecture about Ukrainian political tradition
Department of Political Science is inviting to public lecture Hard ways to Ukrainian independence. The lecture will be given by Iurii Perga from Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.
I.Perga – Ukrainian historian, was born in Kyiv and finished Historical Faculty of Taras Shevchenko National University. Prepared and finished Ph.D. thesis at the Department of History in Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. Currently working as a senior lecturer in this Institute. Main field of academic interests – history of Ukrainian-Polish relations in the interwar period, history of civil initiations.
The public lecture will be held in English, on 13-th of November (Monday), at 11.15 am. (310 room, Putvinskio 23).
O. Vaitkevičienė: in VMU you can feel like a colleague
A graduate of the Political Science bachelor‘s programme and the Integrated Communication master‘s programme, Odeta Vaitkevičienė, talks about her studies in the Faculty of Political Sciences and Diplomacy.
What motivated you to choose these particular programmes (political science/integrated communication) and why, out of so many programmes offered by various universities, you chose Vytautas Magnus University? Was it a lucky coincidence or a long-term goal?
From my teenage years I had the desire to be a journalist, I went to journalism school, where talented and competent lecturers talked about how to be a professional journalist. Lecturers would often suggest in indirect ways, that it is better to have a bachelor‘s degree in the field which you want to write about, and then complete a master‘s degree in journalism. I thought, that I would find it most interesting to write about politics, so political science caught my eye. Why integrated communication? I thought that it is a field, which is very close to my bachelor‘s degree, because I had also completed a minor in public communication. This continuity occurred naturally. While I was studying, I liked everything, everything felt right. I liked what I did, what I heard, the lecturers, the team and the whole package. Even now I tell many people, that I miss the University and the spaces. Even today, while I was going to the interview, I was thinking that even though so many years seem to have passed since I finished my studies, everything seems so familiar and attractive when I come back.
My studies in VMU were a complete coincidence, because throughout my whole life I always thought I will only study in Vilnius, nowhere else. Probably because I myself am not from Kaunas, I, like many others, had my eyes set on Vilnius. Why Vilnius? I don‘t know why, I cannot explain. Maybe because it is the capital. I remember like it was today, when it was the last evening when you can edit your priorities in your online application, and at five minutes to midnight I completely turned that list upside down. I don‘t know why, but I put the VMU Political Science study programme at the top. There is no explanation why. Nobody could understand me – not my parents, nor my friends, but when I got a chance to study for free I didn‘t think twice about studying somewhere else, because I was happy at that moment. That‘s why I said, that it was a complete coincidence, there were no plans. It was probably fate. Just like fate put many things in place after I finished school.
What did the VMU Political Science and Integrated Communication programmes give you?
Maybe it is better to say what they didn‘t give me? Because I can name many things – a wide point of view, knowledge, communication, great people that I have met – and I am not even talking about my fellow students and lecturers, that I still talk to when I meet them. Experience, internships, because if we are talking about internship opportunities, I think I took all the available opportunities. One of my internships was in the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, another one – in the consulate of Spain, and I also went to an Erasmus exchange. Which is why I would like to say – it is better to ask what the university didn‘t give me, and what it could give in the future. VMU fulfilled my expectations completely, because before studying there, I didn‘t even imagine what it could be like to study there. Overall, when you are accepted to university, it is a completely new step.
What did you like most in VMU? What advantages could you name? Maybe something was missing?
It is a difficult question, especially about what was missing. For me personally, the biggest advantage, and the main thing that I always tell everyone outside of VMU, is that you feel like you belong. Not just between your fellow students, but also between lecturers. To me, for example, it was important that I was never afraid to ask questions, I was never afraid to stop a lecturer before or after a lecture or, if I need to, just write them if I have a question. That sense of belonging and trust I could only call being a colleague. In the University you can really feel like you are a colleague. It was extremely important, at least for me. I am happy, that I didn‘t have to sit somewhere in the corner, too afraid to ask a question or come to the lecture at all. Overall, I would be happy to go to lectures. I could really say, that I was that strange girl, because often others would think how to skip lectures, while I would feel bad if I missed a lecture. When you come to a lecture you can learn so many things, because the atmosphere is different.
What is your current occupation?
Currently I am the head of the Kaunas district police department communications branch.
Three main things, that a student should do to achieve what you have achieved, or more…?
It‘s different for everyone. I cannot name three things, because there are no three special steps, goals or recipes that would work for everyone. What I could suggest is to enjoy everything that VMU and all the people in the University have to give. To enjoy, and take as much as you can when it comes to knowledge, experience and internship opportunities. That is very important for you as a personality that is still discovering itself, for a future professional. Only theoretical knowledge is not enough for you, so you need to be curious, active and open to new things and new information. And, of course, you have to reach for your dreams, even though I couldn‘t say that all the things I did after university were related to my goals, because, as I have already said, many things in my life happened purely because of fate. It is also very important to improve yourself, widen your point of view, communicate. It is important to expect a lot from yourself. You don‘t need to have big career goals, but you have to really want what you are doing.
What are your proudest achievements?
To be honest, I could not say that I have achieved so much, even though when I think about the time that passed since I have finished my studies, it seems like there really is something to be proud of. I am quite critical and I do not think, that where I am right now is my final stop. Maybe someday I will go back to university, and then I will be able to say that I got everything that the University has to give. Now I think I am still in the process of achieving my goals, and in 5 or 10 years, maybe, I will be able to talk about my achievements.
Did your studies in VMU Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy contribute to where you are now? If yes, how?
In my opinion it definitely did contribute, because I became the person I am now mostly because of the University. Of course many things come from your family, childhood and teenage years, but in one‘s career path the university is a very important stop. Just after finishing my bachelor‘s I immediately got a job in Vilnius during Lithuania‘s presidency in the European Union. It just so happened that my job was directly related to my field of study. While I was finishing that job I applied for a master‘s degree, where I deepened my knowledge of public communication and public relations. After finishing my master‘s degree I got my current job. Everything was somehow closely related. I tend to think that what the University gave me while I was studying Political Science gave me a lot of things that helped me in my previous job. It was completely related to politics and international relations. In the end, my language skills helped as well, since I did most of my work in English. After I became more confident in a different field, I can now feel good in my current job. Both study programmes, which are, in my opinion, closely related (even though the titles are different), gave a lot when it comes to my professional achievements.
What would you like to wish to those that dream of studying, or are planning to study in the VMU Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy
Lots of curiosity and lots of courage. Courage to take everything, that VMU has to give. It would probably be the main wish, because the prospective student has to be truly curious and brave. Brave to ask, learn, go to lectures and listen – because you can read at home, but lecturers, who share their experience, will give you a different picture.
When did you start and finish your studies? Which programme?
2009-2013 – bachelor‘s in Political Science
2010-2013 – minor in Public Communication
2013-2015 – master‘s in Integrated Communication
