01 - Lithuania - Historical overview

The origin of higher education in Lithuania can be traced back to the establishment of the Academy and University of Vilnius (Alma academia et universitas Vilnensis societatis Iesu) (1579). The Academy started with two faculties – Theology and Philosophy, followed, in 1644, by the Faculty of Law. The Academy had its own library and the printing-house. Among its students were the children of noblemen and townspeople from all over the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and from foreign countries. It was originally directed by the Jesuits until in 1781 it was secularized and renamed the Principal School of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Schola Princeps Magni Ducatus Lithuaniae). In 1803 it received a new set of statutes and the title of the Imperial University of Vilnius. In 1832 the University was closed by the tsarist government. In its place, the colleges of Theology and Medicine were established. With no higher education establishments left in Lithuania, the young people of the country obtained advanced education in the universities of Russia, Poland and Western Europe.

The university reopened by the Polish authorities in 1919 was a Polish university. Soon after the 1918 declaration of independence of Lithuania, in 1920, the first higher education institution – the Courses of Higher Learning supervised by the Lithuanian scholars’ organization, the Society of Advanced Sciences, started operating in Kaunas. The Courses of Higher Learning had six departments: Humanities, Law, Physics and Mathematics, Natural sciences, Medicine, and Technical Studies. It ran its programmes following the regulations and curricula of universities. In 1922 the Courses were reorganized into the University of Lithuania (re-named Vytautas Magnus University in 1930). Later, some faculties of the university developed into the Agricultural Academy (1924) and the Veterinary Academy (1936).

Apart from the above higher education institutions, there were the following operating in Lithuania in the period of 1918–1940: the Kaunas School of Fine Arts, the Vytautas Magnus Higher Military School, the Kaunas Conservatoire, the Institute of Commerce, the Higher Courses of Physical Training, Pedagogical Institute and the Jewish Rabbi Higher School in Telšiai. As few students received grants, access to higher education for those from a disadvantaged background was not easy. Higher Technical Courses (or Higher Technical Department) was a semi-legal institution functioning in 1943–1944 in Kaunas, after the Vytautas Magnus University was closed down by the German occupation administration. It offered 3-year study programmes.

Under the Soviet regime, the existing higher education institutions were expanded (Vilnius University, Agricultural Academy, Veterinary Academy) or reorganized; there were also new higher education institutions founded: Vilnius Pedagogical Institute (Vilniaus pedagoginis institutas) (1944); the Institute of Physical Training (Kūno kultūros institutas) (1945); Vilnius Conservatoire (Vilniaus konservatorija) (1945); Kaunas Medical Institute (Kauno medicinos institutas) and Kaunas Polytechnical Institute (Kauno politechnikos institutas), established in 1950 as a result of the reorganization of the respective faculties of Vytautas Magnus University after it had been closed down, the Vilnius Institute of Fine Arts (Vilniaus dailės institutas) (1951), Šiauliai Pedagogical Institute (Šiaulių pedagoginis institutas) (1954), Vilnius Civil Engineering Institute (Vilniaus inžinerinis statybos institutas) (1969). The number of faculties, specialities and students increased, evening and extra-mural departments were opened. In 1980, there were over 70 thousand students enrolled in higher education.

The restoration of Lithuania’s independence in 1990 stimulated changes in the system of higher education. Higher education establishments themselves started introducing reform into the higher education and research system. By 1989, the greater part of the Lithuanian institutions of higher education had already developed their new draft statutes. With the rebirth of democracy and thanks to the joint efforts of Lithuanians living in Lithuania and abroad, the Vytautas Magnus University was reopened in 1989. The reform of higher education and research system received a strong impetus from the Union of Scientists of Lithuania established in 1989.

Before the restoration of independence, priority in Lithuania was given to natural, physical and technical sciences. During the years of Independence the potential of the Soviet period high-level fundamental sciences has been retained, research in the sphere of environment protection, energy sector, and social sciences as well as applied research, especially in the fields of medicine and agriculture, has been developed. In 1993, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree study programmes were restored at Vilnius University and in 2001 the National Study Field Classification was introduced, followed by the study field regulations establishing the composition of programmes in undergraduate studies in each study field, the requirements for their completion, the admission conditions etc. In 1999 Lithuania signed the Bologna Joint Declaration, which aims at creating a common European higher education area (EHEA) by 2010. Lithuania has undertaken to make the necessary changes in the national system of higher education so as to align it to the common European higher education requirements and principles. Taking into consideration the post-secondary education experience of western European countries, it has been decided to re-organize Lithuanian advanced vocational schools aukštesnioji mokykla into colleges (kolegija) (non-university higher education establishments), and to set up a binary system in higher education. The introduction of a binary system in higher education was a significant step toward the integration of Lithuanian higher education into EHEA.

The Law on Higher Education, adopted on March 21, 2000, stipulates that there shall be two types of state and private institutions of higher education in the country – universities and colleges (nonuniversity higher education institutions). In the same year the first four state colleges were established – the Vilnius College (Vilniaus kolegija), the Kaunas College (Kauno kolegija), the Utena College (Utenos kolegija) and the Alytus College (Alytaus kolegija) as well as three private colleges – the Vilnius Management College, now renamed Vilnius Management Academy (Vilniaus vadybos kolegija, now – Vilniaus vadybos aukštoji mokykla), the Kaunas Business College, renamed V.A. Graičiūno Higher School of Management (Kauno verslo kolegija, now – V. A. Graičiūno aukštoji vadybos mokykla) and the Vilnius Co-operative College (Vilniaus kooperacijos kolegija). The system of higher education is continually elaborated. The reforms are carried out in accordance with the amendments to the Law on Higher Education, with the Long-Term State Development Strategy approved in 2002, with the provisions of the new (2003) wording of the Law on education and with the provisions of the National Education Strategy for 2003–2012.

After the development of the higher education system during the 15 years since the restoration of Independence had been assessed, the deficiencies of the system specified and the decision on the management of the necessary reform in higher education taken, the Lithuanian Higher Education System Development Plan for 2006-2010 was approved.

Institutions:

Vilnius University

Vytautas Magnus University

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