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Since 2009 Lithuanian state and private professional higher education institutions have been ranked. In 2012 Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences became the highest ranked institution for the third time. The VIKO students, teachers and administrative staff hold international exchanges with more than 124 foreign universities from 28 countries.

At present, Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences

• is the largest University of Applied Sciences in Lithuania, that takes a leadership position in the professional higher education area;

• has 8 faculties and off ers 48 study programmes;

• trains professionals in biomedical, agricultural, physical, social and technology sciences, humanities and arts;

• there are more than 7.5 thousand students and 470 teachers, 49 of them with PhD;

• responsibly develops new study programmes which are in demand on the labour market and comply with its requirements.

VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/ UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (VIKO) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2000 BY MERGING ACADEMICALLY STRONG PROFESSIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS OF THE CITY OF VILNIUS WHICH HAVE MORE THAN 70 YEARS OF HISTORY.

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCESUNTIL THE YEAR 2020

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCESUNTIL THE YEAR 2020

Vilnius / 2012

The integrated development strategy of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences until the year 2020 has been designed

when implementing the project “Management Efficiency Improvement at Vilnius and Kaunas Colleges” (project No.VP1-2.1-ŠMM-

04-K-01-005) in accordance with the Human Resources Development Programme for the year 2007-2013 specified in the teaching

tool of the 2nd priority - “Improving the Efficiency of Educational System” - of “The Lifelong Learning Programme”.

The team for designing the integrated development strategy of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences until the year 2020 is as follows:

Angelė Grasė Milevskienė (group leader), Marija Danutė Aukštuolienė, Violeta Bogucevičienė, Gintautas Bražiūnas, Stasys Bučys,

Nemira Dirmontaitė, Aldona Gaižauskienė, Beata Gervickaitė, Birutė Gostevičienė, Zosė Gudžiūnienė, Žymantė Jankauskienė, Nijolė

Kašėtienė, Irena Kaupienė, Eugenijus Kojelis, Vytautas Lauciūnas, Nijolė Liepienė, Rita Liepuonienė, Vaidas Liubinas, Asta Pikelienė,

Jolanta Preidienė, Saulius Preidys, Giedrė Radzevičiūtė, Danutė Rasimavičienė , Zita Skutulaitė, Valdemaras Šoblinskas, Romanas

Tumasonis, Ona Žigutienė, Ana Žilėnienė.

Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences (hereinafter-VIKO) was established in 2000. Until the year 2004 the institution has been expanding its boundaries by merging the former higher schools and reorganising them into faculties. During that four-year period the number of students has increased from 3 to nearly 11 thousand. In 2004 – 2010 the structure and management of VIKO were improved, moreover in all the faculties the image of VIKO was shaped and every effort to standardize the study requirements was strained. During this period VIKO firmly anchored its position among the first of the top three most popular higher education institutions of Lithuania and in addition, many universities were left behind according to the admission results. VIKO participation in Lithuanian Higher Education Association of Joint Admission (LAMA BPO) together with other universities, which lasted from 2005, has been a serious challenge for the higher education institution existing for a short period of time. The international relations were rapidly developing. Lecturers and the administrative staff gained experience through the preparation and participation in the EU Structural Fund Projects.

This successful activity has shortly been spotted. In 2007 the Knowledge Economy Forum of Lithuania acknowledged Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences as the most progressive higher education institution “(...) that generates new ideas, encourages other institutions to follow its example likewise stimulates the development of society”. This was the first time when a higher education institution gained such a remarkable recognition. On that occasion the President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus delivered his speech in praise of Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences. However, the current decade raises even more complex challenges that are primarily related to the demographic “pit” in Lithuania and

the outcomes of economic crisis. We will have to adjust our activities to the complex conditions of Lithuanian economic and social development, furthermore we will have to maintain the acquired level of quality as well as remain a reliable element in Lithuanian and European higher education area. This is certainly a daunting task, however, the community of Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences has never been searching for the easiest solutions.

I truly believe that under the guidance of this strategic document we will more rationally distribute and more efficiently use our intellect and tangible assets as well as will together successfully implement the mission of Vilniaus kolegija/ Univertity of Applied Sciences.

The RectorDr. Gintautas Bražiūnas

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VISION OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES Open to innovations, flexible, and continually changing professional higher education institution that is harmoniously combining labour market needs with the development of perspective areas of science and art.

An institution cherishing the spirit of creativity among teachers and students and responsibility based on the requirements for a high quality performance.

An international recognition gained educational institution successfully integrating into the European Higher Education Area.

MISSION OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES To provide practice-oriented study programmes designed for students’ self-development to become specialists with the professional bachelor’s degree in biomedicine, agricultural, physical, humanitarian, social and technological sciences and arts, who meet economic and social needs of Vilnius region and the entire Lithuania.

To ensure a modern study process complying with the European standards and develop an effective cooperation with representatives from the business world.

To develop students’ generic competences and civil values, necessary for VIKO graduates’ future work and continuing studies.

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SENSE OF COMMUNITY

UNIVERSALITY

CONSISTENCY

PROFESSIONALISM

(collegiality, team work, freedom of opinion, mutual respect)

(equal possibilities,access to services, tolerance, respect for other cultures)

(openness, transperancy, integrity, responsibility)

(an effective and efficient, meeting customer needs service provision inside and outside the institution)

ACADEMIC ADVANTAGE (knowledge, academic freedom, independent critical approach,

creativity, innovativeness, international recognition)

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VALUES OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES An integral part of the Integrated Development Strategy of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences until the year 2020 is its values.

In 2008 the core values of the institution were as follows: quality, competence, respect and tolerance for others, the sense of community, positivism, social responsibility, reliability, spiritual unity, creativity and innovativeness.

The values have been crystallising over time, whereas their development was related to the aspiration of professionalism in one’s own field in the context of common activities of the staff and other employees.

The values of VIKO are permanent and long-term and they make up the basic principles for our daily work and future development. These values are closely linked to each other and equally important since they form the institutional culture.

Professionalism, the sense of community, consistency and a balanced integrity supplement and reinforce the academic advantage of the institution that in the future will become the basis for implementing all the development goals of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences until the year 2020.

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STUDY MODERNISATION PRINCIPLES AT VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES IN 2012 – 2020

Constant development of professional higher education and increase of access to Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences will guarantee a consistent lifelong learning strategy implementation. The activities of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences for the next decade under the Communique provisions for the European Higher Education (study, research and innovations) modernisation determine the following priorities for modernisation of the professional education provision for the years 2012 - 2020:

OPENNESS • Active participation of VIKO in the process of

higher education development in Lithuania and Europe.

• Increasing mutual communication of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences with all Lithuanian society as well as regional and local communities.

• Increasing opportunities for disabled people and under- represented groups in the society, to study at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences.

• Increasing mobility of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences students, lecturers and researchers.

• Improvement of co-operation with business community and assurance of structural partnership promotion means.

• Growing access to the information about the European level of professional higher education at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences and the institution’s activity outcomes.

COMPETITIVENESS• High final study achievements of graduates.

• Improvement of the recognition of qualifications, acquired in Lithuania and abroad, by Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences.

• A direct compliance of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences graduates’ knowledge and practical experience with labour market needs.

• Development of the interdisciplinarity of study programmes offered by VIKO.

LEARNING ORGANISATION • Creation and implementation of more efficient quality

assurance mechanisms at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences.

• Assurance of diverse institutional funding sources at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences and an efficient and rational use of the existing tangible assets.

• Strenghthening of institutional autonomy and accountability at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences.

• The increasing strategic institutional leadership.

• An effective promotion of professional teaching and fruitful application of the applied science and arts activities.

• Development of links between higher education, research and innovation, fostering creativity.

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THE OBJECTIVES OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/ UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES UNTIL THE YEAR 2020

In its activities until the year 2020 Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences will implement the following objectives:

• Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences is recognized as a national leader in providing modern, professional higher education programmes that meet the needs of today’s labour market.

• There are provided high quality studies characterised by flexibility and modernity that are focused on independent lifelong learning and critical thinking and offering career opportunities for students.

• Studies are oriented to students’ expectations

• There is created a favourable educational environment.

• There is carried out the applied research and the developed professional art complies with the principles of the sustainable society development.

• Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences retains and attracts the best professionals, for whom its values are very close. They are provided with an opportunity to achieve the heights of their professional career and personal development.

• Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences has close links with partners in Lithuania and abroad, thus ensuring its leadership in Lithuanian professional higher education sector and integration into the European higher education area.

• There is developed an equitable teachers, other employees and students’ cooperation, fostering the culture of the institution that values professionalism, tolerance and social justice.

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PEST ANALYSIS OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

POLITICAL FACTORS

Over the last decade, the European Higher Education Area has been developing, taking into account the intellectual, scientific and cultural heritage and aspirations as well as the constant cooperation of governments, higher education institutions, their students, employees, employers and other partners. The Bologna process was designed to increase the higher education systems compatibility and comparability, as well as easier possibilities for students’ mobility, and for institutions to attract students and teachers from other countries. The Higher education has been modernised implementing the European higher education quality assurance standards and guidelines.There are created National Qualification Frameworks comprising the European Higher Education Area and based on learning outcomes. The creation of National Qualification Framework is an important step in implementing the provisions of lifelong learning. In order to increase the learning outcomes transparency and recognition, the Bologna process has encouraged the use of the Diploma Supplement and the European credit accumulation and transfer system. The objectives, identified in Bologna Declaration, and their implementations are still relevant today.

The Ministers of the Bologna Process countries-participants, responsible for Higher Education, at the Conference in Leuven (Belgium) in 2009 reviewed the achievements of the Bologna process and set the priorities for next decade for the European Higher Education Area.

Over the decade up to the year 2020, the European higher education should become an essential contribution to the development of a truly creative and innovative Europe of knowledge. Due to the aging of the European society it can only be achieved through the maximizing of the application of all citizens’ talents and skills, fully involving them into lifelong learning.

Globalisation and rapid technological development are a huge challenge for the European higher education, likewise from it emerging opportunities, meaning other providers, learners and other new teaching and learning methods. The learner-oriented studies and mobility will help students develop skills, necessary for the changing labour market, and enable them to become active and responsible citizens.

The most important legal document of higher education area is the Law on Higher Education and Research. It defines the higher education institutions guidelines and conditions, and establishes the basic performance principles of research and studies. It is the legislative changes to the law provisions, which determine the beginning of the higher education reform in the country. The major directions of this reform are: increasing access to education, a new funding system, different management of a higher education institution, and higher education quality improvement. The Law on Higher Education and Research is based on the Government programme of the Republic of Lithuania. Its basis is an agreement on the principles of science and education system reform, signed by the Parliamentary political parties on 14 June, 2007. Science and Education system must be reformed in accordance with the concentration and efficient use of resources, autonomy, responsibility and accountability, government regulation, rationality and efficiency, free competition, personal interest, research and education network improvement principles. The objectives, set by the state documents, mean that more residents could obtain quality higher education, that knowledge need of those, who want to improve themselves, could be met as well as the progress of society could be ensured.

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ECONOMIC FACTORS

In recent years, the country’s economy had suffered a huge decline. In 2010 with the appearance of the first signs of stabilization of the Lithuanian economy, there began an active consideration of what economic development will be at the end of the recession. The Lithuanian situation is revealed through the results of the international survey on countries’ competitiveness. In the report of the authoritative World Economic Forum in 2011 Lithuania was rated the 44-th out of 142 countries (in 2009 it was the 53rd). There are highlighted some weaknesses of our country (the Lithuanian position in brackets): the extent and effect of taxation (124), the state budget balance (123), government regulatory burden (111), government spending (104), the “brain drain” (111), public trust in politicians (110).

While developing the national economy in accordance with the requirements of the knowledge society creation, there will increase the need for highly qualified professionals. The financial position of Vilniaus kolegija / University of Applied Sciences is highly dependent on country-wide macroeconomic indicators.The national budget is the main source of funding the activities and development of the country’s higher education institutions. It is the cost of the national budget that ensures the existence of the country’s education sector. For one student studies the country provides from 3 to 10 times less money than for that in the majority of other EU countries. As higher education institutions are gaining greater autonomy, they are expected to meet the needs of society and be accountable for it. State funding will remain a key priority in ensuring the equal access to higher education and further sustainable development of autonomous higher education institutions. More attention will be paid to the search of new and various funding sources and methods.

After Lithuania joining the EU a very important factor in its economy and the higher education sector is the EU’s Structural Funds and the effective use of this support. In the period 2007-2013 the EU structural assistance, consisting of more than 23 billion litas, for education and science in Lithuania there will be spent 3 398.84 million litas. The period 2007-2013 is coming to an end, and as the priorities of EU assistance for the new period are not defined, it is difficult to assess the prospects of higher education funding. In any case, the EU and other international projects and private sector funds will be sources which must be effectively used by Vilniaus kolegija / University of Applied Sciences.

SOCIAL FACTORS

The public is becoming more and more aware of the benefits of higher education and the need to invest in human resources, which are a guarantee of the creation of a modern society. Not decreasing competition to the study programmes in demand is an expression of this awareness. About 70 % of the secondary school graduates are continuing their studies at higher education institutions. An emphasis is on equal access to higher education and its acquisition opportunities. Access to higher education should be increased by increasing the opportunities for the under-represented groups to study, and giving them the right conditions to complete these studies. The public is increasingly aware of the importance of the activities of applied science and experimental development works for the national economy development, enhancing its competitiveness and innovation, and creating new jobs. These provisions are approved by the National Agreement on economic and social progress, and the set up of the public organization “The Knowledge Economy Forum” a member of which is Vilniaus kolegija / University of Applied Sciences.

The Lisbon Treaty, which came into force in 2009, contributes to the social objectives seeking. It provides that in formulating policies and taking actions, the EU will take into account an aspiration to increase employment. The main tasks of the Lithuanian employment policy are established by the National Lisbon Strategy Implementation

Data source: The Lithuanian Department of Statistics. Figure1. Birth rate in Lithuania.

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Programme. However, the slowdown of the Lithuanian economy complicates the tasks implementation. For this reason, in 2011the unemployment rate in the country was 15.4%. Nevertheless, the acquired higher education is the greatest guarantee of finding a job. Currently, the smallest share (10.6%) of all Lithuanian unemployed is those with the tertiary education. Those with secondary or lower level of education make up even 78% of all unemployed. In 2011 15.88% of VIKO graduates were registered in the Lithuanian labor exchange. The probability to become unemployed reduces when a profession, required by the labour market, is acquired.

Annually, the decreasing amount of secondary school graduates determines the decreasing number of VIKO entrants. The worsening country’s demographic situation (see Figure 1) will influence the number of secondary school graduates. For this reason, there will be a decline in admission of students at Vilniaus kolegija / University of Applied Sciences.

The economic crisis has also exacerbated the demographic situation in Lithuania and led to the “brain drain”. The difficult financial situation of families and youth unemployment led to emigration. In 2011 the departure from Lithuania was declared by 53.8 thousand expatriates. This trend leads to the provision of Vilniaus kolegija / University of Applied Sciences to prepare marketable and competitive labor market specialists with the knowledge of their subject matter. By seeking this goal the prestige of Vilniaus kolegija / University of Applied Sciences is raised, which guarantees its funding. Striving for the best results, Vilniaus kolegija / University of Applied Sciences contributes to the overall economic and social well-being development of Lithuania.

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TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS

In the strategy “Europe 2020”, adopted by the European Union, a very strong attention is paid to the education system. “Europe 2020” is the strategy of the EU economy growth for the next decade. The strategy programme provides measures to improve access to all levels of education, youth employment growth, as well as assurance of educational quality requirements, promotion of information technologies and innovation implementation.

The rapidly changing world requires the EU economy to become more innovative, sustainable and inclusive. These three complementary priorities should help the EU Member States achieve high employment, productivity and social inclusion. The EU has set five major targets: employment, innovation, education, social inclusion as well as climate and energy sphere and resolved to achieve them by 2020. Each Member State has set its national targets in these areas. The strategy is based on specific EU and national level actions.

Changing business and communication environment, constantly growing professional reporting requirements, the latest technological information transfer and communication penetration opportunities are important for community activation, and the dissemination of active, innovative and creative reputation of Vilniaus kolegija /University of Applied Sciences. Development of knowledge society raises the new requirements for the information technology application forms at Vilniaus kolegija /University’s of Applied Sciences and creates new challenges. Information technology allows the country’s population almost unlimited access to higher education and speeds up the search for the information needed.

Globalization and the increasing pace of life raise problems for people, seeking education and their qualification improvement. This encourages the development of distance education, the main objective of which is to provide the teaching and learning services where a person lives and works, and when he can learn. Distance teaching (learning) is becoming an important implementation means of lifelong learning principle.

Digital libraries that provide technology-based information services, including organized accumulations of knowledge, with digital and electronic form and made available to users of digital and electronic portal, are particularly important for providing the learning process with creativity and merit.

Information technology helps to collect data and indicators by more perfect methods, and to evaluate real HEI resources necessary for the assessment of learning outcomes. This will allow us to assess how well the tasks set in the social, employment, mobility, and other fields, are performed, and will be the basis for reviews and further guidelines establishment.

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SWOT analysis of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences was carried out in two stages. The first session of the SWOT analysis took place on June 6, 2010 when the institution performance was evaluated by the Rector, his deputies and the central administrative staff directly related to the formulation of the integrated development strategy (total of 16 persons). During the second session on June 28 - July 1, 2010, SWOT analysis was carried out by the faculty department chairs (total of 34 persons). On July 2, 2010 the third final session took place. The institution activities were analyzed and evaluated by faculty Deans and Deputy Deans (total of 16 persons). These workshops participants were divided into 4-person working groups which at the end of the workshop presented the mutually-greed conclusions to all the participants. These workshops were conducted by the expert of the higher education institution strategic planning - ISM Management and Economics University Rector – Dr. Nerijus Pačėsa.

The second stage of SWOT analysis of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences took place on January 26, 2011 at the Faculty of Business Management. The main goal of the workshops was to analyse strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the most relevant activities of VIKO. The seminar was attended by all community members of academic institution: faculty delegated students, lecturers and administrative staff (total of 63 persons). In the first part of the event all the participants, divided into 9 working groups, conducted the intensive team work tasks, and in the second part of the seminar, they presented their insights to the whole audience. The practical workshop was led by the Dean of the Faculty of Business Management, the European Network for Business Studies and Languages SPACE President Danutė Rasimavičienė.

The seminar participants were very active and open. They suggested a number of ideas which in future would help solve problems of management, communication, study process, research activities, infrastructure, international cooperation, as well as staff and teacher training.

SWOT ANALYSIS OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

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STRENGTHS • Foreign partners, stakeholders and Lithuanian

employers positively evaluate Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences and trust in it.

• Diversity, uniqueness, demand of the offered degree programmes and their compliance with the labour market needs.

• Study process oriented to the European study level and practical development.

• Intensive internationalization of studies, by developing project activities, academic exchanges and the creation of joint study programmes

• The possibility to pursue postgraduate studies at Lithuanian and foreign universities is given to graduates of professional bachelor’s degree.

• Ensured conditions for teaching/ lifelong learning by providing the training and retraining programmes.

• The high competitiveness of VIKO graduates in the labor market.

• Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences management structure which is focused on the dynamic evolution, development, and the fostering of democracy.

• Developed culture of quality, community members focused on the implementation of the strategic Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences development objectives.

• Active artistic - cultural performance of students and faculty teachers in Lithuania and all over the world.

• An ability to live in Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences dormitories which eases economic burden borne by the students.

• Attracted external investment that contributes to the modernization of infrastructure at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences.

• Smooth and harmonious development of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences while building Baltupiai academic Campus.

WEAKNESSES• Often insufficient learning motivation

of students, admitted to Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences, and their readiness for higher education studies.

• Due to lack of foreign language modules, the institution is insufficiently prepared to carry out study programmes in a foreign language.

• VIKO staff lack knowledge of foreign languages.

• Insufficient scope of teaching (learning) services, provided by means of IT, and distance learning modules.

• Insufficiently flexible organisation system of part-time studies.

• Not sufficiently exploited possibilities for cooperation with universities and other social partners.

• High cost of management due to VIKO departments’ territorial fragmentation in Vilnius city and region.

• Lack of information technology application in management.

• Lack of effective internal communication at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences

• Not perfect enough employee incentive and career management system.

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OPPORTUNITIES• By fostering a high quality culture, become

an elite University of Applied Sciences.

• By attracting the EU and other support funds investment guarantee an additional funding of the institution.

• Taking an advantage of the versatile experience of VIKO and other higher education institutions, prepare new programmes in demand and update the existing ones.

• In collaboration with universities develop the applied research.

• Develop the evaluation and formalization system of informally acquired competencies.

• Improve information management system at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences

• Attract the entrants from foreign countries to full-time studies.

• Establish a business incubator and promote student entrepreneurship.

• Enable students to study the related and inter-field study programmes.

• Responding to the need, prepare distance learning programmes for the emigrants from Lithuania

• Develop the part-time post-graduate studies.

THREATS• The instability of higher education

policy of the Republic of Lithuania

• A relative decline of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences funding from the state budget.

• A decline in the number of Lithuanian school graduates.

• A deepening of the country’s demographic crisis.

• An increase of competition in the country and the European Higher Education Area.

• The establishment of their branches in Vilnius by other Universities of Applied Sciences.

• The transition of VIKO teachers to work in universities or in the business environment.

• Not- even support of specialists training by employers.

• Lack of professional higher education sector prestige in Lithuania.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND THEIR IMPLEMENTATION Ensuring the conditions for lifelong learning, in years 2012 – 2020 Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences strives to achieve the following strategic objectives:

1/

2/

3/

4/

5/

6/

PROVIDE THE HIGHEST qUALITY PROFESSIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION.

DEVELOP THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES ACTIVITY.

DEVELOP APPLIED R&D INNOVATION ACTIVITIES AND PROFESSIONAL ART.

IMPROVE THE COMPETENCES OF INSTITUTION ACADEMIC STAFF.

IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF PROFESSIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION STUDIES AND APPLIED RESEARCH.

INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INSTITUTION MANAGEMENT.

OBJECTIVE

PROVIDE THE HIGHEST qUALITY PROFESSIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION

1/

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Study quality enhancement is one of the the priority objectives of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences. The degree programmes, provided at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences, are constantly refined, the study process is modernised by expanding the e-learning opportunities for developing students’ career guidance system. Successful student admission may be an evidence of the institution’s recognition.

Year 2011 was the seventh year, when Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences took part in the general admission to Lithuanian higher education institutions. The general admission was held to 45 higher education institutions (21 universities and 24 universities of applied sciences) by the single system of HEI selection criteria. For the second year, applications to participate in the general admission competition have been put online LAMA BPO website.

In 2011 Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences was indicated by 3017 applicants under the first request. (See Fig. 2).

Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences which won 1846 “study baskets” (state funding), rated the second among all the higher education institutions which participated in the general admission (See Fig. 3).

During the joint admission 5086 applications were under the first priority request, and 43,977 applications - under all requests. Totally 2655 students have been admitted: 1846 to the state-funded and 809 to the state non-funded study places.

Among the 20 higher education institutions which were most often mentioned by entrants under the first request, Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences was the second. (See Fig. 4).

On October 1, 2011 at Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences there were provided 48 study programmes in all study fields: social, physical, biomedical, technology sciences, humanities and arts. All study programmes are accredited and registered in the registry of Study, Training programmes and Qualifications. According to the External Evaluation Plan approved by the Order of Lithuanian Minister of Education and Science in Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences there is being conducted the self-evaluation of study programmes and, according to procedures, they are provided for the external evaluation. To ensure the quality of studies, Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences is continually updating its programmes.

In 2011there were developed three programmes of studies in English - International Business, Tourism Management, and Software Engineering.

On October 1, 2011 at Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences there studied 8022 students. Since 2004 the number of students has declined. The main reason for the decrease in the number of students is the reduced number of students’ admission. Student number trend is reflected in Figure 5.

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Figure 3. Higher education institutions in accordance with number of obtained“ study baskets” in 2011.

VU

2734

18461565 1473 1402

891 842663 577 570

VIKO VGTU KK KTU KVK VDU ŠVK VTDK VPU

Figure 2. Under the first-priority request the application refers to the higher education institution (Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences and universities).

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LCCEHU

BU FV LKA

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Figure 5. The total number of students at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences on October 1, in the period of 2007-2011.

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Fig. 4. The higher education institutions most often mentioned under the first request (universities and universities of applied sciences).

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On October1, 2011 the largest amount of students was in the Faculty of Business Management - 2069, in the Faculty of Electronics and Informatics - 1357, Faculty of Economics - 1355, Faculty of Health Care - 1126, Faculty of Pedagogics - 701, Faculty of Agrotechnologies - 670, Faculty of Arts - 424, Faculty of Design and Technology - 299 students.

In 2011 the majority of students, that is 56.42% of all Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences students, were studying in the field of social sciences; in technology sciences study programmes - 18.24%, in the field of biomedical sciences - 15.24%, in the field of arts - 4.26% of the total number of students. The least amount of students was in the field of physical sciences and humanities study programmes, as there is carried out only one study programme of each of these study fields.

On October 1, 2011 in full-time education programmes there studied 5277, and in part-time - 2724 students of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences.

In 2011, 14.71% of students were dropped out. The main reasons for the exclusion are academic failure (42% of all dropped-out) and voluntarily discontinued studies (32% of all dropped-out). 26% of all dropped-out are those who left the institution for other reasons (failed to appear after the academic leave, not attending lectures, changed the study programme and went to another university of applied sciences, or failed to fulfill financial obligations).

In 2011, 1839 students graduated from Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences. Professional Bachelor’s degrees with honors were given to 13 students (0.7% of all graduates).

Students are offered the distance modules of individual studies. The study modules are prepared and installed for use in the virtual learning environment of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences website https://moodle.viko.lt. The Faculty of Health Care uses an electronic compendium product created during the international project: http://leonardo.spf.viko.lt/action/main?lang=lt. In it there are published distance modules and tests.

The virtual teaching and learning environment, Moodle is used by about 170 teachers and more than 2800 students. Two mini-video conference studios are used for distance teaching (learning) at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences.

VIKO students are given financial support: there are paid incentive grants, lump sum social security benefits, bonuses, special scholarships for students in teacher training programmes, loans; provided support for disabled people, emigrants and foreigners’ of Lithuanian descent children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren.

In 2011, 1 453.6 thousand litas from the Scholarship Fund were paid to VIKO students as incentive grants, lump sum social security benefits and bonuses.

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In 2011, there were paid 8 nominal scholarships: three students were nominated by President Antanas Smetona scholarships, three students received grants of the Carol Martin Gruodis Foundation, three students – nominal scholarships of “Thermo Fisher Scientific“ Vilnius Site UAB “Fermentas”.

In 2011 the State Studies Foundation (hereinafter - VSF) assigned the grants for 977 students which account for more than 2100 thousand litas.

In autumn of 2011, VSF awarded grants to 13 VIKO students - expatriates and Lithuanian origin foreigners’ children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

In 2011 student requests for loans to pay tuition, and living expenses were met by 100%. 281 students received loans.

In 2011, at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences there studied 53 students with disabilities. In 2011 they were given 78 650.8 thousand litas financial support from the state budget.

All wishing students are provided with dormitories.There are created conditions for students’ autonomy; student self-expression needs are fully met. Faculties and

dormitories are computerised with the access to the Internet.The Career Centre provides students with consultation and information services. Students get information about

internship and working places, knowledge on career planning, and the situation on the labour market. Seeking to develop relationships with the public, Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences in various

forms is providing information to the media, to the institutions and the individuals interested in higher education. In such a way, a favorable environment for Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences is formed. VIKO also communicates with the public through the social networks - there is created and constantly renewed the website in social network Facebook.

The high quality of education, provided by Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences, will be ensured by dealing with the following tasks.

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TASKS

1.1. IMPROVE THE FORMATION (SELF-FORMATION) OF A NEW CONTINGENT OF STUDENTS TO ENSURE A PROGRESSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF

VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES.

The formation of a new contingent of students will continue to receive the priority attention. The number of admitted students will be responsibly planned in the context of indicators analysis of demographic processes, the labour market trends, graduate employment, admission to VIKO and other country higher educational institutions; the amount of student’s withdrawal from the studies, teaching staff and infrastructure resources and their development potential.

In order to increase the popularity of part-time studies, an attempt will be made to provide larger possibilities to choose a study mode, and to develop distance education. An access to modern sources of studies will provide an opportunity to study regardless of residence, employment and marital status.

Further improvement of potential applicants and their environment consulting and information system, covering the full range of communication strategies, is planned. Greater attention will be paid to the specific guidance of applicants, helping them choose the field of studies.

The aim will be to attract more students from foreign countries to study at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences. For the implementation of this task the offering of programmes conducted in a foreign language will be extended, as well as joint degree programmes with foreign higher education institutions will be developed.

1.2. UPDATE AND DEVELOP NEW STUDY PROGRAMMES MEETING THE COUNTRY ECONOMY, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, CULTURE AND LABOUR MARKET NEEDS.

One of the most important conditions, ensuring study quality, is the execution of modern, competence-based study programmes focussed on the needs of society.

Preparation of new study programmes will be focussed not only on current, but also on the future labour market requirements, based on applied and fundamental research of relevant profession development. The aim is to align the study programme content with the latest scientific, artistic and technological achievements, national and EU strategic guidelines for development.

The study programmes will be concluded so that they better reveal close interdisciplinary links that will help the student to fully address the real problems of the world.

It is planned to expand the supply of a double degree study programmes. That way the student will gain a broader education and his/her employment opportunities and skills, to adapt to labour market changes, will be extended.

Much attention will be paid to the constant study programmes improvement, for the learning outcomes, teaching (learning) and assessment methods to ensure subject specific and generic competences development while studying. The aim will be to ensure that students’ achievements are assessed according to the pre-approved and published criteria for assessment which would provide an effective feedback and encourage students’ development.

Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences will train qualified professionals, creative and capable of critical thinking and team-working, ethical members of the society. Much attention will be paid to the training (self-training) of general education competences as they not only increase the graduate’s employment opportunities, but

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are also important for the sustainable personality development (self-development) and professional improvement. Greater attention will be paid to the entrepreneurship teaching (learning), and student entrepreneurship promotion.

An effective management system of study programmes will be created as one of the most important prerequisites for the study programme quality: a clear division of responsibilities for the programme implementation and monitoring, assurance that data on the programme implementation will be periodically collected and analyzed, as well as an effective use of internal and external assessment results for the programme improvement; stakeholders must be involved in the programme evaluation and improvement processes. There will be set the frequency and methodology of the internal study programmes self-evaluation.

1.3. IMPROVE THE STUDY ADMINISTRATION AND TO ExTEND THE STUDY SERVICES PROVISION TO ENSURE AN OPEN AND SUPPORTIVE TEACHING (LEARNING) ENVIRONMENT.

In order to ensure an open and supportive teaching (learning) environment, it is expected to introduce a new model of study organization, based on student-oriented studies. This innovative study model will encourage teachers and students’ communication and cooperation; will help to develop (self-develop) students’ critical thinking. The implementation of a student-oriented education paradigm will be based on the principle that a student is not only a recipient but also a partner of the process and is in charge of his/her teaching (learning). The student-oriented studies require that the student would be at the study programme development and execution centre. A great attention will be paid to student individual studies, stimulating autonomy and autonomous development of ever-increasing responsibilities and obligations and study motivation. There will be an increase in academic support accessible to all students: activated consulting, appointed curators, provided information on an introduction to the studies. A further monitoring and analysis of students’ adaptation, well-being and expectations are still of importance.

There will be further developed a study model that will allow students to choose the study modes and individual learning style and experience; to create a timetable and personal study plan: to change the layout of the study subjects, choose a lecturer, and a part of the study subjects for distance learning, and also choose the pace of learning. This model will provide better conditions for the students who adjust their work with studies or raise children or due to any other circumstances, cannot attend lectures according to the timetable. This would allow the most gifted students to personalize their studies.

Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences is an open to innovations higher education institution which seeks to optimize the possibilities for the study process virtual mobility. The information and communication technology development, the enhancement of e-learning environment reliability will become a priority sphere in developing academic services to students. The aim will be the distance teaching and learning development that would include not only the possibility to study at a convenient time, in a convenient place and at a comfortable pace, but also an appointment of a curator for distance teaching and learning courses.

To ensure the quality and accessibility of education for students with disabilities, an environment corresponding to their special needs will be created.

A new teaching and learning model will require substantial structural and valuable changes on the institutional level that is students, teachers, and study administrators, heads of the institution, as well as material resources and infrastructure optimization.

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1.4. IMPROVE THE PROVISION OF LIFELONG LEARNING SERVICES.

Implementing the concept of lifelong learning, VIKO will continue to improve and expand the teaching and learning services to individuals, taking into account their needs and abilities. These activities will be planned, and purposefully developed in order to more accurately determine the teaching and learning needs and to enable individuals to improve their existing skills and acquire the new ones, which increase the opportunities for employment and survival in the labour market. Much attention will be paid to the creation of lifelong learning incentives, support, advice and guidance system. To meet this challenge, a close cooperation with employers as well as development of a regional, national and international partnership, will be continued. Applying the distance and other modern methods of education there will be guaranteed an opportunity to study for those who adjust their studies and work.

VIKO will seek to develop the study renewal options for those who due to different reasons left higher education; increase the attractiveness of studies by implementing the formalisation system of competences acquired through the informal adult education and improving an assessment and recognition of skills acquired in the system of vocational training.

1.5. DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE INTERNAL qUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM. In order to strengthen its position in the country’s higher education system and actively integrate into the

European Higher Education Area, Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences seeks to develop and implement continuous strategy, foreseeing quality improvement. An increase of responsibility and accountability to the students, parents, graduates, and employers, becomes a priority. One of the objectives of quality assurance is to ensure public confidence in VIKO offered degrees and qualifications.

Study quality assurance includes multidimensional aspects according to which the eligibility of conditions, provided for personal self development and qualification, is assessed. These aspects cover the institution’s mission and goals fitness, administrative efficiency, student admission and support organization efficiency, the students’ academic, professional and personal development, teaching staff qualification relevance and development; the appropriateness and adequacy of material resources; the development and usefulness of external relations and the effectiveness of the study quality assurance system.

An increase of responsibility and accountability while implementing the quality assurance systems, in itself does not guarantee the improvement of education quality; to improve the quality it will be very important to introduce the concept of quality as a value to all members of the community. Quality assurance will become a process of cooperation, involving all the interested groups, stimulating creativity, personal responsibility, initiative, innovation and deployment.

The aim will be to make an effective study quality assurance system based on the systematic data collection, analysis and use in search for study quality. Assessment will cover various aspects, affecting the quality of studies, and will reflect the opinions of representatives of various groups. The evaluation results will be published for the entire VIKO community.

As one of the most important preconditions for quality assurance, the more active student participation in various activities will be encouraged: in the research of the students’ needs and opinions, in declaration of institution’s commitment to students, and student participation in the monitoring. More attention will be paid to the possibility for the personal teaching (learning) process control as to the choice options for a content of studies, modes, study pace, teaching and learning space, etc. and the development of students’ critical thinking.

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1.6. PROVIDE HIGH qUALITY CAREER MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

Due to constantly changing situation on the labour market, students need to prepare for a successful career. Career management services will be focussed on improving students’ psychological well-being, helping them get to know themselves better, and understand the career opportunities, feel greater satisfaction in work and studies. A great attention will be paid to the dissemination of knowledge about career management benefits.

In order to develop students’ ability to get employed, it is necessary to enhance their motivated interest (especially that of beginners and graduates’) in provided higher education opportunities, for them to properly prepare for professional activities. It is planned to ensure the career management service continuity, maintain close ties with educational institutions.

A dynamic and rapidly changing modern labour market requires proactive, creative, competent and responsible personnel who are able to compete and entirely participate in the activities of the organization. In view of these trends, an attempt will be made to provide students with knowledge on how to find work according to their specialty, to adapt to the requirements of the organization or start their own business; how continuously improve their qualification, deepen the existing knowledge and skills, what action to take, in case of failure, and how to take care of themselves and future follow-up working, for graduates not to become clients of labour exchange or long-term unemployed.

An effective system of career management service provision will include the systematic information on labour market trends and job search assistance. It will provide the theoretical knowledge needed to develop career management skills, organizing classes on practical career management skills training, with access to personal career counselling for all students. To ensure the smooth graduate swelling the ranks of the labour market, and to increase students’ employability indicators, an advice will be given choosing a career direction, as well as the help to evaluate personal strengths and developmental characteristics with specific job search techniques, creating a personal career plan and making the right career decision.

There will be developed the graduates’ career tracking system that will facilitate the society’s awareness of VIKO graduates’ career and achievements in the labour market after graduation, as well as will improve the cooperation with employers, recruitment and selection operators, and will strengthen their confidence in the quality of education offered; will expand and improve the information for applicants on study content and the opportunities in the labour market at the end of a particular study programme.

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DEVELOP INTERNATIONALISATION OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

2/OBJECTIVE

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The internationalisation development at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences is determined by the EHEA. VIKO mission is to guarantee a modern study process, complying with the European model while effectively cooperating with the representatives of the business world.

Over ten years of its existence VIKO has achieved significant hights in the international dimension: has set up a stable network of foreign partners and is involved in several key international organisations and their boards uniting higher education institutions; by itself organises these organizations’ and other international conferences; has signed cooperation agreements with the European Union and other countries’ institutions of higher education; annually manages numerous international projects, and participates in students and teachers’ exchanges.

In the data of 2012, VIKO has signed more than 150 LLP / Erasmus bilateral agreements with foreign institutions of higher education. There are signed separate bilateral agreements with Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan and other country universities. VIKO is a member of the following international organizations and networks: the European Higher Education Institutions Association EURASHE, the European Network for Business Studies and Languages SPACE, the European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education ENPHE, the League of Institutes of the Arts ELIA, Veterinary European Transnational Network for Nursing Education and Training VETNET, CDIO Initiative – a worldwide network of academic professionals, industry representatives and engineering leaders, and the Comenius Association, an international network of European institutions of higher education specialized in Teacher Training and Social Education. It should be noted that VIKO staff occupy important posts in the boards of these organizations.

Over the past nine years more than 900 students of various study programmes participated in the mobility programmes. More than 1,100 lecturers and other staff were on teaching visits and staff exchange. (see Figures 6 and 7.)

Since 2000 more than 200 foreign students have come to Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences on Erasmus programme base and lectures have been delivered by almost 400 teachers coming from foreign HEIs.

While evaluating VIKO international activities, along with the enumerated achievements, it is necessary to mention the existing gaps that impede the further development of internationalization, that is, the lack of programmes in a foreign language, insufficient choice of courses in foreign languages; insufficiency of teachers’ readiness to work in a multicultural environment and foreign language knowledge, as well as the lack of projects and programmes diversity and the infrastructure, being a subject of improvement.

A new phase in VIKO development is associated with an emphasis on the importance of studies internationalization and on all the departments’cooperation to improve that sphere of activity.

Figure 7. VIKO teacher mobility in the years 2003-2011.

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TASKS

2.1. DEVELOP INTERNATIONAL STUDIES.

The international studies organization is related to the preparation and execution of modern programmes in a foreign language, as well as a wide range of academic staff competencies. To meet this task it is needed not only to prepare modern programmes in a foreign language, but it is necessary to optimize the management of the institution, study organization, student support system and study infrastructure.

The international studies organization is also related to flexible forms of education and international partnership. Currently, the most popular form of studies becomes the joint form of studies. It is desirable that the joint studies would be available to every faculty student at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences.

2.2. DEVELOP THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF THE STUDY PROCESS.

The study process internationalisation is primarily focussed on the development of local student competences and needs. Simultaniously, this is a step in helping to attract more foreign students. The study process internationalisation is one of the indicators of the studies quality provided by the institution.

Expanding the internationalisation of VIKO studies, each faculty of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences must prepare the elective subjects or modules taught in foreign languages of a minimum one semester duration, 30 credits scope. This opens up the possibilities for a wide range of interdisciplinary studies, and cooperation with partners. A flexible option of these modules provision should be noted. Proper conditions should be provided for students either to choose a semester of studies at HEI abroad or a semester of the chosen course in a foreign language at their own educational institution. It is appropriate to organize international weeks and intensive courses both during the academic year and summer.

While developing the internationalisation of the study process, it is necessary to provide as many opportunities as possible to improve the students’ foreign languages knowledge. It is desirable that while studying at VIKO, students would have an opportunity to learn two foreign languages.

For the evaluation of study internationalisation, the European Commission has established the ECTS and DS Quality Label Award. In 2010 Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences was awarded the DS Quality Label in appreciation of its Diploma Supplement quality. The current VIKO target is to get the ECTS Quality Label which is the indicator of all VIKO studies and its internationalisation. The next aim will be to strengthen one more factor, encouraging internationalisation via an attraction of foreign researchers, scholars and teachers.

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2.3. DEVELOP A NETWORK OF INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.

To ensure the quality of international activity it is necessary to carry out a strategic partnership assessment. It is necessary to develop a system and methods to evaluate the partnership’s priorities and direction, durability and mutual benefit.

In order to successfully develop international relations and attract foreign countries’ students to study the whole study course, it is needed to develop partnerships with Asian and African countries’ HEI, enterprises, and various intermediary organizations. This development should be carried out, first of all, after assessing these organizations level and reliability. It is also intended to enter into relations with HEI and enterprises of America, Australia and Oceania countries, to develop common academic, scientific - practical and project work.

In the future, it would be necessary to continue to develop membership in professional associations and international networks. It is desirable that VIKO would be represented in all major European higher education associations, and each faculty would be actively involved in the international professional organisations, uniting its basic study programme specialists.

2.4. DEVELOP STUDENTS AND ACADEMIC STAFF MOBILITY.

Students’ academic mobility and internship are one of the study quality indicators. It shows the willingness of students to compete in the international education and labour market. VIKO must continue to consistently and strategically develop its personnel mobility especially that of the academic one, defining mobility staff, countries of destination and institutions mobility priorities.

2.5. FOSTER DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ABOUT VIKO INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

It is necessary to develop a dissemination strategy at the international level, to identify target groups, compile an action plan, and foresee the implementation indicators. It is necessary to participate in international education fairs, exhibitions, particularly, in the countries that are active in offering their students to choose all of their studies abroad. It is also necessary to exploit the potential of other organizations that can assist in the dissemination of information, for example, the Lithuanian representative offices abroad, embassies, international trade and other associations, mobile staff and students, joint Lithuanian higher education initiatives.

An overall, targeted, well-organized collective and individual participation of Lithuanian HEI in fairs and other international events is an important activity that can raise the export of Lithuanian higher education, internationalization, visibility and prestige level.

OBJECTIVE

DEVELOP APPLIED R&D INNOVATION ACTIVITIES AND PROFESSIONAL ART

3/

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Science is a key source of economics and society innovations that affects the competitiveness both in the country and the international arena. Science leads to the development and achievements of economic and social progress and quality of people living standards.

However, research, consultancy and artistic work do not take a proper priority place at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences. Over the past few years, the teachers conducted an annual average of about 100 studies related to the issues of teaching process, professional training, and labour market needs.

Publications are the main criteria for the assessment of scientific activity. In 2008 - 2011 VIKO lecturers published annually, on an average, 35-45 articles in Lithuanian periodicals, and foreign scientific journals. Specialised publications, which share good experience, comment on the legislation or summarize the projects results, publish 15-20 articles of VIKO lecturers annually. Thus, publishing activities at VIKO are not sufficient as well.

Recently the income from applied research and consultancy varied (in 2008 - 268 thousand litas, in 2009 - 151 thousand litas, in 2010- 479 thousand litas, in 2011 - 489 thousand litas). This fluctuation is determined by the number of contracted research, and the qualification development courses.

Artistic activities, as an integral part of the HEI performance, are usually initiated by individual teachers‘ inspiration, rather than the institution‘s strategic goals. On the other hand, artistic activities are relatively recently, equated with the scientific ones in Lithuanian higher education, thus the traditions of artistic performance evaluation are not fully formed.

The aim of the strategy is to contribute to the regional and national development by scientific research, technologies and innovations; to build a knowledge society based on national and international best practices, and develop professional art. Scientific and artistic activities at VIKO should be developed on the basis of relevance, internationalisation, and interdisciplinary approach.

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TASKS3.1. DEVELOP AN ENVIRONMENT, FRIENDLY TO APPLIED RESEARCH, AND PROFESSIONAL ART THAT ENCOURAGES INTER-INSTITUTIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION.

Work motivation and perspective are essential for the success of the scientific development. VIKO strives to improve the research management system, which will help to ensure an individual or a group of individuals’ creativity, initiative, enthusiasm and freedom of action.

A monitoring system is an essential prerequitsite for the assessing of the strategy implementation. The monitoring system helps to pursue VIKO common goal of assessing and reporting on performance, effectively planning and using the financial and human resources. The aim will be to improve the monitoring system of applied research and artistic activities.

Institutional performance evaluation system is a major tool of applied research and artistic activities implementation. On the international arena the scientific production is characterized by the indicators of publication, patenting and licensing performance. Usually the largest amount of publications belongs to research institutes and universities. Universities of applied sciences focus on the experimental and consultancy work. For this reason, in these institutions the indicator of the amount of publications cannot be applied universally. At the national level evaluation criteria are not harmonized. VIKO will actively participate in the development of scientific and professional art performance evaluation system of professional higher education sector, and improve this performance evaluation at the institutional and faculty levels.

While solving the problem of scientific and artistic activities funding, politicians must find the answers to the follwing questions: what to finance, what funding priorities to choose, how to finance, how to allocate resources for science and art, in order to ensure accountability and cost efficiency. In accordance with the General Research Grant Regulations VIKO will improve the allocation of this activity financial funding.

Financing on the competitive base guarantees a more accurate assessment of research and artistic activity costs, encourages teachers to plan targeted research and artistic activities, to cooperate and compete with each other. This creates prerequisites for a higher quality of this sphere performance. VIKO will create preconditions for financing of academic or artistic activities on the competitive base for lecturers and artists actively involved in these activities.

Teacher in-class and after-class activities should be evaluated by institution / faculty / department priorities, job requirements, teachers’ personal skills and interests. Certifying a lecturer, it is necessary to evaluate not only his/her general activities, but the level of his/her plans implementation as well. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize and formalize teacher in-class and after-class activities ratio.

Joining the research, carried out at individual departments or faculties into programmes, integrates the knowledge of different science areas and fields, strengthens the scientific competences, helps avoid duplication of topics, and increases the dissemination of scientific knowledge. VIKO applied research development will be based on a programmatic approach.

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3.2. DEVELOP APPLIED RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL ART, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTITUTION, REGION AND THE COUNTRY’S NEEDS.

Applied research, as one of the priorities of VIKO planning, is one of the main preconditions for successful performance. Priority research types for the institution are as follows:• social field studies on the base of which the study process is developed, the education quality is improved and the academic staff competence is increased; • labour market needs and business environment studies, significant for the country economy, particularly for those industries, which have dominated the region;• technology field studies, focussed on specific themes of intellectual work and agrochemical sphere research; • a research carried out by participating in international programmes or special projects, and contributing to the integration into the European Higher Education Area.

VIKO research groups and groups of artists, engaged in their activities, in many cases, integrating education and science, or cultural activities, combining several departments’ forces, usually operate as a project. Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences will promote the development of interdisciplinary applied research cooperation between faculties.

Strengthening of science, art and economic links is a priority of VIKO activities. An educational institution can be regarded as a strong one in applied research perspective, if it can use the results of its research or competence practically i.e. receives applied orders of Lithuanian or foreign entities or a state. VIKO will strengthen the search for public administration, education and cultural institutions, enterprises and companies’ outsourced activities.

One of the science and business strengthening measures is science and technology parks and incubators for the arts. The main objective of these integrated structures is to increase the region or certain local territory competitiveness by promoting its members’ quality and innovation culture through knowledge and technology transfer from their creation point to the companies and the market, actively promoting new innovative partnerships, and enterprise set-ups. Currently in Lithuania there already exist 9 technological parks, and 9 art incubators. Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences actively co-operates with Visoriai technological park. In future this activity will be expanded and activated.

The Government of the Republic of Lithuania by its adopted concept of Integrated Science, Studies and Business Centres (Valleys) Development, aims at an international-level research, studies and knowledge economy clusters to speed up the knowledge society creation and to strengthen the long-term Lithuanian economic competitiveness framework. There are currently set up five integrated research, studies and business valleys. VIKO foresees to collaborate and, on the basis of its own competence, participate in the activities of the valleys.

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3.3. INCREASE VIKO SCIENTIFIC AND ARTISTIC POTENTIAL BY SEEKING HIGH RESULTS OF SCIENTIFIC AND ARTISTIC PRODUCTION ASSESSMENT.

Researcher mobility is one of the competence enhancement as well as scientific and artistic networking assumptions. In this way it is possible to find viable business niches. A common activity is bringing people together and improving their mutual understanding and there occurs a synergistic effect due to different cultures, traditions and thinking styles. VIKO will encourage the mobility of both experienced teachers and artists and those who lack international experience, and their participation in internships abroad and international conferences. Foreign language proficiency is a modern scientific world necessity. VIKO lecturers will be encouraged to learn foreign languages, their development will be supported.

Permanent strengthening of generic and specific as well as scientific research and artistic activity competencies of VIKO teaching staff is an integral part of the assumption of institution scientific and artistic potential increase. There will be strengthened a professional development of scientific and artistic activities, teachers will be encouraged to doctoral studies. The students are the future scientific potential. Its formation starts with their studies. VIKO management will support teachers and student collaboration, Student Fellowships creation and encourage their activities.

Small limited resource countries such as Lithuania, with a view to economic growth, should primarily focus on the emerging global knowledge-based configuration and usage. It is necessary to join into international research. In addition, the participation in international projects, programmes raises the prestige of the country and is the source of financial support provided to science and art. VIKO will promote teachers’ integration into the European Higher Education and the European Research Area, in the European Commission, and the European Union Framework Programme projects.

3.4. ENSURE AND DEVELOP THE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, APPLIED AND ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES DISSEMINATION AT REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.

The applied research activity dissemination includes a scientific output – articles in scientific journals, popular science publications – publishing and consultancy. VIKO teachers and researchers will be encouraged to publish articles in international journals and national scientific journals as well as to publish in open access. VIKO will hold high – level international conferences. Artists and performers will proclaim VIKO name at prestigious and international events.

Textbooks, study books and other course materials are an important part of the study process. VIKO will strengthen the publishing activity.

Consultancy means an organisation of professional development courses, workshops, practical seminars, legal regulations, projects, programmes expertise, regional firms, institutions and organizations, and the Lithuanian authorities counselling; VIKO teachers with the help of existing competencies and skills will actively develop this activity.

While carrying out research and managing projects, it is necessary to comply with the statutory requirements and ethical principles. If the research or project experimental groups or the object of research is ethically sensitive, the ethics committee approval is required. It is expected to foster an ethical culture of the research.

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IMPROVE THE COMPETENCES OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES ACADEMIC STAFF

4/OBJECTIVE

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While expanding VIKO academic staff competences by 2020, it is expected to follow the European Commission documents (communique), to take into account the experience of other universities and rely on trends of the current VIKO situation analysis.

The European Commission Communique 567 of September 20, 2011 “The Agenda of the European higher education systems modernization. Economic growth and employment support” states that, “the restructuring of higher education and modernization depends on teachers and researchers competence and motivation. For Europe to develop, attract and retain qualified employees of higher education, it is necessary to ensure better working conditions, including fair and transparent recruitment procedures, more qualitative initial preparation and ongoing skills development, better recognition of educational achievements or those in the field of research.”

The guarantee of VIKO development is its human resources. The management of academic staff includes: personnel selection, distribution and content of the work setting; actions coordination, adjustment and diverting; staff needs analysis, performance results evaluation; training, education, motivation, and involvement in the decision- making. This will be achieved by raising the staff qualification, ensuring promotion, stimulating the community members, introducing innovative methods of studies, updating staff, ensuring a fair reward for their work and improving the working environment and conditions.

According to the data of October 1, 2011, Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences had 959 employees, including 478 teachers (see Fig. 8). Distribution of academic staff in the current position in 2011: 51 Associate Professors, representing 10.67% of the total number of teachers, 398 lecturers - 83.27% and 29 assistants - 6.1%. 62 teachers have received their doctorate degree, which represents 12.97% of the total number of teachers.

Recently, it is noticeable a certain teachers ‘getting younger’ trend. Compared with the previous years, the number of teachers up to 40 is increasing and the number of teachers over 60 is decreasing .Teachers up to 40 comprise 35%, and teachers over 60 -20% of the total number of teachers. Teachers’ average age is decreasing, from 48.3 years old (in 2007) to 46.5 years old (in 2011).

In VIKO there work teachers-practitioners and staff of universities and other educational and research institutions. In 2010/2011 VIKO employed 120 teachers - practitioners, 40 - university professors, 28 from other higher education institutions and 1 from a foreign institution.

The number of teachers enrolled in doctoral studies is constantly growing (see Figure 9). In 2011, 22 teachers studied for a doctor’s degree. Doctoral theses were defended by four teachers.

VIKO is inseparable from the processes ongoing in Europe, from global development prospects, technological, social and cultural development, as well as modern economic and governance models assimilation. The institution’s activities success and quality will be determined by its staff competence, responsibility, creativity and openness, and values prevailing in the society.

In order to attract and retain qualified academic staff, VIKO will seek to ensure an adequate academic environment and support, to enable staff participation in internships, conferences, and seminars; to support and expand their scientific and artistic competence, to improve qualifications, and be able to learn and progress throughout their life; to create conditions to unfold the progressively important personal values, to become an astute and active member of the society, as well as an active full-fledged participant in the European education and research area.

In order to optimise the academic staff structure, improve their qualification, enlarge the staff motivation capacity, and strengthen the community identify as well as its relations with partners, VIKO will seek to execute the following tasks.

Figure 9. The number of teachers enrolled in doctoral studies.

0

5

10

15

20

25

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Figure 8. VIKO staff in the year 2011.

50%

17%

10%

12%

11%

Service Maintenance Staff

Campus Staff

Administrative Management Staff

Teaching Aid and Engineering Staff

Teaching Staff

42

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TASKS

4.1. BALANCE THE ACADEMIC STAFF COMPOSITION, ACCORDING TO VIKO STRATEGIC ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES.

For the academic staff composition rationality it is necessary to improve the selection and recruitment procedures, creating an opportunity to attract the best, critically thinking, eminent teachers and researchers. It would make it possible to provide the studies with teachers with the education degrees and those who have sufficient practical experience and ensure their balanced distribution in the fields of studies, and even in the study areas. Improving the competition to hold a post of a teacher, VIKO must follow the principles of openness and transparency, to achieve harmony between the staff development and studies and applied research development.

VIKO must seek the rationality of its academic staff composition, not only by improving competition to hold a post of a teacher, but also by an application of modern personnel management system - staff training (self training), and involvement in decision making.

It is necessary to periodically perform analysis of a need for the staff and their functions according to VIKO and individual faculties specifics as well as Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences development itself; to implement a career management system which helps to link the staff career aspirations with VIKO goals and needs; to train VIKO teachers who would promote the human values that enable students to strive for personal, professional and organizational success.

4.2. OPTIMIzE AN INTEGRAL AND FLExIBLE TEACHING STAFF qUALIFICATION SYSTEM OF LIFELONG LEARNING.

VIKO teachers’ in-service training system must disclose and foster innovation and creativity, critical thinking, entrepreneurship and promote progress and leadership, a civil way of life. It has to create a space for an open, creative and civic personality.

It is necessary to develop continuous and regular academic staff training and invest in it. Academic staff in-service training system must help teachers develop their competences, skills, deepen and expand knowledge and improve excellence. All of that is necessary for the realization of goals and objectives of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences. Also, the teacher must be able to acquire new competences and skills that keep expanding his/her career prospects.

Academic staff will be encouraged to improve their professional, methodological and scientific expertise: update, enhance and expand professional knowledge and develop teaching, research, and artistic performance skills and learn how to develop a better understanding of entrepreneurship and the business world by learning foreign languages and improving the use of information technology skills. It is necessary to improve the teaching staff in-service training, achievements, studies, applied research and practice as well as their integration recognition. This should be reflected in the objective assessment of teachers’ work by certification commissions.

While optimizing the academic staff in-service training system there must be used various forms of training: internships in foreign and domestic academic and research institutions, industrial placements in enterprises and organizations, courses, seminars, organized training events; inviting competent domestic and foreign personnel managers, as well as providing teachers with creative holidays.

Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences, understanding a continuous necessity for changing and teaching and learning, must create an effective identification and planning system of staff training needs, install an automated accounting system of personnel in-service training.

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4.3. INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ACADEMIC STAFF MOTIVATION SYSTEM.

VIKO which has formed its academic staff must try to retain the competitive, responsible, and creative employees. In order to achieve that, one of the basic academic staff policy objectives is teachers’ motivation, which is one of the most important determinants of employee performance, strengthening and promoting to act in such a way that the staff and the authority would achieve the set goals and meet each person’s needs.

It is necessary to improve a model of academic staff motivation which could encourage them to progress and seek better work results; enlarge their loyalty and satisfy teachers‘ professional development needs. This would guarantee higher staff salaries, status, prestige and respect.

A special attention should be paid to teachers‘ evaluation, which must be held at least once a year. It is important to systematically carry out the academic staff loyalty and motivation research to find out what stimulates them to work better or behave in one way or another.

The measures of academic staff motivation model need to be differentiated, taking into account qualifications, scientific, artistic competence, and active participation in VIKO community activities. It is important to foresee effective financing mechanisms, and to effectuate the system of a differentiated pay for outstanding achievements; plan and provide attractive career prospects, develop social support measures to ensure better working conditions and to apply non-cash incentive forms.

4.4. STRENGTHEN THE IDENTITY OF VIKO ACADEMIC COMMUNITY FOR EACH OF ITS MEMBERS TO BE FULLY AWARE OF THE INSTITUTION OBJECTIVES AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR IMPLEMENTATION.

It is necessary to search for the agreement in seeking the sense of community and trust culture. Only then it would be possible to take the responsibility not only for oneself but also for the changes of the institution and be responsible VIKO owners. The community should be concentrated, self-governed, willing and able to build a common future where everyone has the power to solve problems and make progress. The community concentration and self-governance, social participation and recognition would be expressed in various running boards, committees, local organizations, the working groups of strategic drafting, participation in associations, even not related to the professional activities.

While strengthening the academic community identity, there should dominate the responsible, tolerant and widely available public space of VIKO, involving members of the academic community and its various groups. The public space should be open, transparent, and the information, which creates value for the community - comprehensive, detailed, evidence-based and quality. In this public space there must be respected the person’s dignity as well as tolerated different opinions and beliefs. It is desirable that there would dominate the community need to participate in public communication with respect for tolerance, citizenship and democratic values; as well as fostered and nurtured criticism and the debate culture.

Good academic staff awareness should be an integral part of management, so the information accuracy, timeliness and quality of dissemination are very important, the latter being affected by the increasing flow of information related to VIKO structural changes and the changes in the external environment. The academic achievements of the community members are famous not only for each person individually, but also for his/her colleagues and for the whole VIKO community in general. This should be valued as Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences presentation to the public, raising the image and exclusivity formation.

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4.5. ExPAND THE COOPERATION OF ACADEMIC STAFF WITH SOCIAL PARTNERS, SEEKING TO IMPROVE THE qUALITY OF SERVICES, THEIR AFFORDABILITY AND VERSATILITY.

Expanding the academic staff cooperation with the education and research institutions, employers’ organizations, associations, labour market firms VIKO will seek a higher teaching staff competence, studies, applied research and artistic performance quality.

By developing the system of co-operation with social partners, VIKO should seek the cooperation to take place in the framework of a social dialogue, based on contracts, continually analysing and assessing the state of social cooperation.

In the European Committee Communiqué 158 of April 2, 2009 “ New partnership of Universities’ Modernisation. EU forum Universities and Enterprises dialogue” a special attention is paid to HEI and enterprises cooperation, as well as strengthening the academic staff competences, particularly, entrepreneurship training competence. The Communique states that the most successful knowledge and expertise circulation between universities and enterprises occurs when a common co-operation and mutual understanding system is created. Taking this into consideration, there will be developed the partnership and cooperation with business, looking for additional new forms of cooperation, including partnerships, joint projects and exchanges of people, making it possible to train entrepreneurship and to understand the business world better.

Cooperation with the social partners will be carried our by exchanging information and experience in order to improve the provided information and advisory service quality, their accessibility and comprehensiveness about the labour market structure, content and professional needs change, the pathways of professions and qualifications acquisition, work and career opportunities at local, regional and national level. It is necessary to activate the public relations and guarantee the provision of objective and timely information about essential changes in VIKO activities and the community life events to the social partners.

IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF PROFESSIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION STUDIES AND APPLIED RESEARCH

5/

46

OBJECTIVE

47

Infrastructural development is one of the key factors for the institutional development. Current higher education cannot function effectively without modern information technology and modern material base to ensure supportive development of studies, applied research and art.

Until 2020 a special attention will be paid to a rational development of VIKO Baltupiai academic campus. In the central territory of the campus there will be concentrated VIKO faculty buildings as well as studies and artistic activities potential. Increasing the efficiency of VIKO management it is foreseen to relocate the central institution administration which is now distributed in several faculty buildings, to the renovated building at 58, Saltonišių Street.

It is expected to get the infrastructure development funding from various sources: the state investment programme, real estate renewal programmes, and private investors. The EU investments will be attracted by executing the EU Structural Funds projects. As the received state budget funding is insufficient to timely renovation and development of study infrastructure, it is expected to more efficiently use VIKO assets in order to generate the necessary resources for the study environment modernisation. In order to improve VIKO studies, applied research and art development infrastructure it is expected to solve the following tasks.

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TASKS

5.1. ESTABLISH VIKO CAMPUS IN BALTUPIAI.

The strategic and, in financial sense, the most ambitious goal of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences, leading to its further development, is the establishment of VIKO Campus in Baltupiai. The concentration of faculties in the common area should provide physical preconditions for the further functional restructuring VIKO departments, and improve faculties’ interaction. The modern study base cherished in Baltupiai academic campus will allow VIKO to successfully realise its mission and will become the whole institution calling card.

The establishment of VIKO academic campus will begin with the reconstruction of the building in 82, Didlaukio Street, acquired by VIKO in 2010, adapting it to the activities of Arts and Design and Technology Faculties. In the future, after the preparation of the detailed plan of Baltupiai academic campus undeveloped areas, it is planned to build a new auditoria builing, including a new information center - a modern library. In the academic campus area there will be gyms, library reading rooms, canteens, training theater and dance halls of the Faculty of Arts, student dormitories. Students will be able to live and study spending less money for transport and wasting no time to travel to the faculty. In addition to the academic buildings, green space will create a pleasant, healthy and safe recreational environment.

While further developing biomedicine and technological sciences infrastructure at the Faculty of Agrotechnologies in Buivydiškės, it is planned to establish a new biotechnology laboratory, and food technology practical training center, as well as animal health laboratories complying with the EU standards and provide them with modern equipment.

5.2. RATIONALLY USE AND EFFICIENTLY IMPROVE VIKO INFRASTRUCTURE, ENSURING AN INTENSIVE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS STUDIES AND APPLIED RESEARCH.

In order to ensure rational and efficient use of VIKO assets and the execution of a real estate renewal programme, it is intended to create ergonomic work areas and good study conditions for all VIKO employees and students. The aim will be to consistently renovate VIKO buildings and their energy systems, to modernise thermal units, replace windows and insulate walls. It will also ensure the rational and the quality maintenance of buildings, civil engineering and territories. In parallel, VIKO will foster the environment, create recreational areas and adapt the available infrastructure for the disabled.

The essential upgrade of VIKO studies and applied research infrastructure will be the acquisition of modern educational and laboratory equipment. While implementing the project financed by the EU Structural Funds”The Modernisation of Training Base for Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences Study Programmes of Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering and Computer Science” until the end of 2012, it is intended to renew all equipment and furniture of the laboratories and training centres of the Faculty of Electronics and Informatics and Informatics as well as to buy new IT equipment.

For the implementation of another project, financed by the EU Structural Funds “The Creation of Infrastructure for the Training of Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutical Professionals and R & D Activities and (BIOTEFA-C / D) Renewal” it is planned to acquire an important modern laboratory equipment necessary to carry out chemical analysis.

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Executing the project financed by the EU Structural Funds “ Infrastructure Modernization of Landscape Study Field Practical Training and Research” in 2012 it is planned to reconstruct the Field Laboratory of the Faculty of Agrotechnologies, to build a new modern greenhouse, to equip a training-practical centre on the training nursery territory with fully equipped nursery parts and plant collection. This will directly contribute to students’ practical skills training and increasing VIKO internationalisation. There will be improved the nursery collector structure, extended range, seeking to make it a great place for students to know the plants, to acquire practical skills in breeding and maintenance of nurseries.

Infrastructure renewal and modernisation will directly contribute to the students’ practical skills improvement and increase of the Faculty internationalisation, as on the updated practical basis there will be able to practice VIKO students as well as other foreign students studying under the Erasmus exchange programme. The simulated practical training base will enable researchers to perform customized applied research.

5.3. CREATE AND DEVELOP IT-BASED INFORMATION PROCESSING AND ExCHANGE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE VIKO.

The development of information and digital technologies is a modern science and technology development engine. The creation and development of high-speed digital communication networks, joining academic science and study institutions, open up the opportunities for effective cooperation of new applied research and study areas. It is expected to rapidly expand the network development of Lithuanian science and education institutions under LITNET GEANT-programme. The progress and targetted use of information technologies provide the opportunities for the radical upgrade of studies and scientific research process.

The specifics of VIKO information technology use is determined by the geographical lay-out of faculties, administrative buildings, and dormitories. Eight faculty and administrative buildings and the dormitories are located in different areas of the city of Vilnius. Therefore, the information exchange is based on the establishment and continuous development of information technology infrastructure. The computer network is developed by increasing the speed of data transfer from the local computer network of VIKO offices and improving security of information transmitted. Local computer networks of all departments, using an optical cable technology, are connected to the LITNET network. All the workstations have a quality Internet access through the LITNET network. In VIKO there are installed Nagios systems for monitoring network service availability; additional sub-systems, which enable us to efficiently provide information about the network segments interference, to network servers and services administrators. There is expanded the scope of the CACTI system applications for the monitoring of server and network segments load. The CACTI system allows to monitor the CPU employment, number of processes, data flow level, packet delay and delay distribution, disk storage usage, number of users connected, the number of requests received, the number of not serviced requests, at some point, the number of active users and others.

In each VIKO department there are acting local computer networks, divided into smaller fragments. Currently all VIKO computer network consists of 1,379 workstations. In classrooms, conference halls and other facilities there are installed more than 150 stationary multimedia devices. At the Faculty of Electronics and Informatics there is installed the SUN end-system with 60 workstations, tailored to teaching and learning according to the new technologies. A virtual bank functions at the Faculty of Economics.

The project of wireless access to computer networks is further developed. In December 2011, VIKO started the provision of EDUROAM service. EDUROAM service is a roaming service which allows the different organizations involved in the project, to apply a single wireless user authentication system. Wireless access network will be expanded to a full coverage of all VIKO buildings.

Computer network technology resources provide a possibility to use a part of them for the IP telephony, which currently includes more than 200 telephone subscribers.

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VIKO implemented a virtual teaching and learning environment Moodle, which is currently used by about 60% of the teachers. As an additional distance learning tool there are equipped two mini-video conference studios, connected to the LieDM network.

There is executed a permanent management of VIKO e-mail accounts, as well as creation, modification, destruction, and other properties change. A detailed guidance is provided to users in identifying and using e-mail.

The e-mail users who installed “Outlook Web Access” programme are enabled to access their mailbox from anywhere in the world from any workstation with the access to the Internet.

The introduced postal system “Roundcube” allows students to quickly and conveniently send, read and manage electronic messages from any location at home, VIKO, or public Internet access.

A wide range of VIKO training programmes is served by a variety of software used. The main part of it includes equipment for student teaching (learning). In addition to the well-known Microsoft, Oracle, Lotus, Unix, Sybase, Borland, Linux and other software products there are used many specialized applications such as Steinberg WaveLab to compose music, arrange and write notes, Optitex for automated garment construction, Matlab for laboratory research measured data processing, SPSS for statistical data processing, and many other applications.For accounting and personnel management there are used several accounting programs: STEKAS - accounting and payroll and personnel data processing program STEKAS - salary. Student finance is processed using STEKAS Plus subsystem.

Currently different workstations have more than 60 different installed titles of software applications.The basis for VIKO Information technology development is a free access to the information necessary for the

training process, progressive internal information environment, and quality access to external information sources in the country and abroad.

To pursue this goal, it is necessary to develop a data transfer network infrastructure, periodically update technological equipment of computers network, to develop the usage of communication tools, to create and implement new information systems and subsystems as well as to integrate the currently used systems into a single comprehensive information system.

It is necessary to transfer maximum of study, management and administration information into the electronic environment and to ensure an integrated information services provision. It is important to continually analyze the used information systems functionality and, where possible, integrate them, allowing their users to exchange information between themselves. Developing the IT infrastructure, it is needed to develop and implement a centralized electronic repository. An important step will be to create a database of electronic documents, the existence of which will allow to take stock of students’ theses and to carry out plagiarism checks. It is necessary to install a document management system that would allow the development of e-administration services. This means computer-based management of the organization, which includes the procedures according to which operational programmes are prepared, information is exchanged, processes are regulated and a sort of check is carried out, how much the completed activities comply with plans and tasks. In addition, it is proposed to develop VIKO community portal idea. It is expected that all services and information will be available within one access point. The aim should be to maximize the usage of network resources for data transmission by voice, video and other means.

It is necessary to constantly expand organisational IT application means, providing students, lecturers and other employees with the possibility to use the country and other international organisations information.

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5.4. EqUIP MODERN VIKO LIBRARY AND CENTRAL ARCHIVE.

The new Central Library installation is necessary for the information infrastructure development. A well-equipped modern library, which is planned to be established in Baltupiai academic campus area, would not only meet the needs of the academic community, but also would provide a supportive information environment for all the academic process

VIKO library includes the Central Library and eight faculty libraries. The territorial fragmentation of faculties is a problem which prevents the library from its performance optimisation and resources conservation. VIKO Central library, without reasonable accommodation, cannot properly fulfill the foreseen tasks.

The library’s internal infrastructure is good enough –in faculty libraries there are created cosy and comfortable work places for the library staff and users, as well as equipped general, and requiring necessary equipment, online reading halls; available printing and reproduction equipment helps to expand the service supply for consumers.

From 2003 in the library there is installed and every two years updated Library Information System (BIS) Aleph 500th. There are currently functioning Gathering, Catalogueing, Publishing, and Search modules; the access to the Statistics module is also available.

The basic library fund consists of books, although the library subscribes to the periodical publications consistent with the study programmes in different languages. Lithuanian Scientific Library Consortium (LMBA) won EU SF project “eMoDB.LT: Electronic science databases opening up to Lithuania (2009-2012), so VIKO library users have an access point for the global electronic databases. This project is extended for the period of 2012 – 2015, that is why one of the most important tasks of the library remains the user training of these resources application.

With the expansion of electronic publishing in the future, depending on changes in VIKO study programmes, it is intended to change the content and quality of the fund, to train and encourage consumers to use electronic resources, to change library infrastructure, reducing the storage space and expanding teaching (learning) - rest areas, modern designed spaces, tailored for group or individual work tasks.

In the future, the existing in the library IT equipment will also be kept updated: it is intended to buy a modern book distribution - return equipment, protective gates in the open funds, to train personnel to work in a modern library, to constantly improve the library staff qualification.

VIKO library provides for the maximum use of all ALEPH 500 SPS opportunities, as well as launch of Circulation module, installation of updated BIS ALEPH 500 products, introduction and development of VIKO teachers’ publications database (PDB) and participation in other Lithuanian academic e-library (eLABa) activities in support of Lithuanian virtual library creation tasks and LALN development.

Library is representing VIKO and participating in Lithuanian Academic Libraries Information Infrastructure for Science and Higher Education Support and Development (LABIIMSPP) Consortium, the Lithuanian Scientific Library Association (LMBA), Lithuanian Professional Higher Education Institutions Library Association (LKBA) activities. There will be developed further library’s internationalisation and cooperation with foreign partners.

After the renovation of VIKO administration building in 58, Saltoniškių Str. it is planned to establish VIKO central archive in it.

INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INSTITUTION MANAGEMENT

6/

52

OBJECTIVE

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LEGISLATION

Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences is governed by the Republic of Lithuania Law on Science and Higher Education (2009, 2012.), VIKO Statute (2011) and other laws of the Republic of Lithuania and Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences. VIKO governing bodies are VIKO Board and the Academic Council, as well as the sole governing body – the Rector. The advisory body of Rector is rectorate, the composition of which is determined by the Rector himself. By the statute, there are implemented the main changes in the HEI Management – VIKO is transformed into a public institution. Modifications and additions to the law made in 2012 that regard the Law on Higher Education and Research, adopted in 2009, validate the Academic Council as the Office of Academic Affairs, whereas VIKO Board is the body-oriented institution that deals with strategic, financial and economic issues.

VIKO MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences consists of Electronics and Informatics, Economics, Business Management, Health care, Agrotechnologies, Pedagogy, Design and Technology, and Arts Faculties, departments and labs, as well as centres, offices and departments necessary for the study process and infrastructure service. Faculties are headed by the Deans. Faculties have self-governance institutions – the Faculty Councils. VIKO lecturers are now operating in faculties’ key study and science and methodological work units – departments.

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HUMAN RESOURCES

On January 1, 2011 at Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences there worked 984 employees, from them 493 academic staff, and 491-supporting staff. Due toVIKO territorial fragmentation, functions duplication is inevitable, which is particularly obvious in the household maintenance of the departments - this fact is illustrated by the relatively large number of employees in the infrastructure.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

The main financial resources of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences consist of the state budget funds programme and a special education development programme funded by the provided services fees. In 2010 State budget financing accounted for only 78.3% compared with 2008 when the best since 2006 level of funding, has been achieved. This decrease was caused by the announced State budget-saving programme during the economic downturn. 2009 was the year of the scientific and educational funding reform when for the students, admitted to the state-funded places since 2009, there has been introduced a “basket” approach in the budget allocation.

The State Budget funding per student and that of the programmes financed by the provided services fees, decreased by almost 7%, taking into consideration the reduction in the number of students. In 2011 per - student funding, compared with 2009 decreased by11% (see Figure 10). VIKO student per capita funding dynamics is shown in Figure 11.

The state budget concluded the largest part of the funding source in the period of 2006 - 2011 - 61%, the fund of the revenue programmes of VIKO provided services fees accounted for 26%; the EU ESF funds and the international projects funds accounted for 6% of VIKO financial sources, the fund of student financial aid and dormitories restoration programmes, financed from the State Higher Education Fund, made 6 %, and other legally obtained funds - 1% (see Figure 12).

The largest part of the State budget cost programme of Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences belongs to the wage costs, employees’ social support and social security contributions - a total of 86.6%, incentive grant funds - 6.4%. Cutting the basic funding, the fund, designed for the use of goods and services, in the estimate structure accounts only for 7.0%.

Most goods and services costs shall be covered by the Special Education Development Programme funds. These expenses make up 43.7% of this programme structure.

From VIKO provided service programme funds tangible and intangible assets have been acquired for 994.4 thousand litas which made up only 1.8% of VIKO property value.

Fig.10. The financing of VIKO activity from the resources of State Budget and Special Education programmes for the period 2006-2010.

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011plan

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

25326,727569,1

3503333481

27437,1 26703

13648,314305,711637,511836,511334,411679,8

The programme of state budget funding

The special education development programme

55

56

27437,1/61%11748,8/26%

469,6/1%1251,3/3%

591,7/1%2438/5%

1452,9/3%

Figure 12. VIKO sources of financing in 2010.

Education and science administration

Special education development

Student financial support

International projects

Support, charity and other funds

Dormitories renovation

ES ESF

FUNDS STRUCTURE OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES IN 2010

Figure11. VIKO per - student funding in the period 2006-2011.

THE PER-STUDENT FUNDING

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20110

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

3970 4260

5380 55505180 4990

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NATIONAL RESOURCES

Tangible and intangible assets that are owned and used in accordance with the Public Trust and the market value of which has been estimated by the independent property appraiser and which amounts to 2838.6 thousand litas, that is, four times lower than the carrying value, has been invested in the formation of the capital of the owner of the public institution, Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences. Undue reduction in the state budget funding programme has reduced already little property renovation and upgrade options of VIKO earned fees for the services, so the outdated equipment and laboratory equipment are used in the study process.

Vilniaus kolegija / University of Applied Sciences is one of the public institutions of Visoriai Information Technology Park shareholders.

Commercial inventory, the market value of the assets of which amounts to 3638.8 thousand litas, that is, two times lower than the carrying value, has also been invested in shaping of the capital of the owner of the public institution, Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences.

VIKO becoming a public institution, the real estate, which value is 26872.5 thousand litas, has been transferred to manage, use and dispose in accordance with the state property trust agreement for 20 years.

PLANNING SYSTEM

VIKO planning system consists of the publicly announced Stratigic Development plan for the period of 2009 – 2013, as well as the annual budget composed in accordance with the principle of programming. For the management of projects of strategic importance there is formed VIKO Centralised fund, and other budgetary funds are allocated to faculties and units.

APPROPRIATENESS OF ACCOUNTING

VIKO records are organized in accordance with the Republic of Lithuania legislation on accounting and financial report preparation, the Public Sector Accounting and Financial Reporting Standards (VSAFAS), the head of the VIKO accounting and bookkeeping chart of accounts.

Reports are published on VIKO website.

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

At VIKO there is installed and registered, as independent, a local area network; computerized all working places; computer classes are being run. All employees have access to the Internet and email services.

INTERNAL CONTROL AND AUDIT

Comprehensive supervision of VIKO activity and improvement is guaranteed by the Quality management and internal audit departments.

VIKO management efficiency will increase by solving the following tasks.

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TASKS

6.1. IMPROVE VIKO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, SEEKING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE INSTITUTION ACTIVITY.

The integrated development strategy of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences until the year 2020 and its implementation plan have been prepared, VIKO becoming a public institution.

VIKO strategical planning and management provision must become the principle which would help create optimal management model and facilitate organizational (self ) development and management potential.

In order to reduce management costs caused by VIKO territorial fragmentation and some functions duplication, it is necessary to carry out the analysis of the functions performed by units and to determine their place in VIKO governance structure. This work is planned to be started from Baltupiai academic campus and housefold management structure optimisation.

Modern lifestyle changes require that control system would be able to adapt to the constantly changing environmental conditions and to properly respond to new challenges, so that is why VIKO must become a lifelong learning organization, focussed on strategic capacity building and development.

The demographic “pit” will become a challenge for Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences, which will require new management solutions.

6.2. SEEK EFFICIENT USE OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES IN IMPLEMENTING VIKO OBJECTIVES AND TASKS.

Insufficient funding of executed programmes requires a transparent and efficient use of the existing and new material and financial resource management mechanisms which would ensure:

• efficient and rational management and use of the state budget, EU funds, the private sector financial resources and other legally acquired sources;

• development of services diversity, provided by units;

• effective legal and administrative system of assets management;

• internal audit and financial control methodology and its practice, oriented to legal, economical, efficient and effective use of resources;

• strengthening of the administrative capacity of staff, working in the financial control and internal auditing;

• accounting and financial reporting accuracy.

6.3. IMPLEMENT AND IMPROVE EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION SYSTEM.

Although the largest part of VIKO executed programmes assignations belongs to the wages and to their related expenses, in 2010 an average salary of all categories of staff was even 273 litas less than the average national salary.

The newly created financial motivation system should encourage the initiative of the employee and the obligation to search for helpful to him problem-solving techniques and to depart from the usual routine of action.

In VIKO motivation system the encouragement of EU projects development funding and the creation of terms for the activities in these projects as well as the participation in various international and other projects, should be one of the main sources of payment for additional work.

In VIKO becoming a public institution, there is created and then continuously improved, a staff salary, promotion and training system that will allow Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences to be attractive for young, promising individuals to work in. It will also seek to increase a high social status in the society for the employees engaged in the intellectual activities.

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Provisions of the Law on Higher Education and Research requiring from each higher education institution “to have an internal study quality assurance system, based on the study quality assurance provisions of the European Higher Education Area, and the quality improvement strategy approved by the HEI itself,” raises the need to re-evaluate study quality assurance processes and create and install a new internal education quality assurance system based on international quality management standards.

The main objectives of internal study quality management system are: to define the responsibility, authority, and cooperation with internal and external stakeholders, to manage the documentation, to record and store the data on the quality of the work fulfilled, to carry out periodic inspections, to improve the system, to develop staff, (staff self-development), to systematically increase the competitiveness of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences.

VIKO has developed the quality improvement strategy; faculties have prepared the plans of operations quality improvement, established by the management system of the quality of administrative staff responsibility.

VIKO quality management system is based on:

• Integrated development strategy of Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences until the year 2020;

• Provisions for the National Education Strategy for 2003-2012;

• Strategy of Lithuanian regional policy until the year 2013;

• European standards and guidelines seeking to ensure the internal quality of HEI activity;

• The qualitative change provisions for the European Higher Education Area, formulated for the period 2010 – 2020 (Louvain Communique).

Quality management is defined in a universal method “plan - do - check - act”. The cycle begins with the planning of the improvement measures. The planned measures are implemented. When the measures are implemented, the acquired result is checked. If the result is reasonable, the actions are taken under the identified method. However, if the result is not satisfying, the cycle starts from the beginning.

STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION AND qUALITY ASSURANCE

BASIC PROCESSES:

• Studies and lifelong learning;• Scientific and (or) artistic activities;• Impact on regional and country-wide development

DO

NACIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF VIKO ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY PROCESSES

PLANNING

AUxILIARY PROCESSES:

• Strategic management process;• Human Assets Management; • Tangible and intangible resources management

Mision, vision and values determine VIKO organisational structure and lead to the strategic objectives which define the desired activity. These objectives are measured by the indicators, setting the specific sought values. In turn, the indicators are related to the initiatives taken in order to reach the specific values of the indicators, ensuring the movement towards the objectives set. The initiatives are a framework of the resource allocation and coordination, eventually turning into a concrete action programme.Open to innovations, a flexible, constantly changing higher education institution, harmoniously combining the labor market needs with the development of perspective scientific and artistic study fields.The higher education institution, which has achieved international recognition, is successfully integrating into the  European Higher Education Area.

IMPROVE

MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT

DEVELOPMENT

CHECK

In assessing Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences activity spheres, there are analyzed and evaluated its interface with the relevant components of the strategic management. The internal quality assurance system is implemented by the self-evaluation, which is a milestone in self-assessment. Before starting a self-assessment, the self-assessment process is planned, and data are collected and systematized. In the institution there is carried out an inside indicators comparison of various activity spheres of different departments. Also VIKO performance indicators and those of other HEI are compared.

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS:

• harmony of VIKO autonomy and social responsibility;• research and development, innovations and regional development;• study efficiency;• competences, staff and finance management;• the mutual interaction and sustainability of the evaluated activity spheres;• the performance principles available to the public and quantitative and qualitative performance

indicators set on their base.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES:

• Study improvement, study programmes quality assurance, rational students learning outcomes assessment, student support assurance;

• Compliance of structural changes with the studies, research, and (or) artistic activity needs;• process management, decision-making efficiency, accountability distribution and reporting,

resource allocation, and stakeholder involvement;• human resource needs analysis, compliance with the strategic plan implementation,

qualification improvement, involvement in decision making;• the academic ethics provisions and their assurance procedures;• rationality of the fund use;• management of material resources (infrastructure).

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THESE INDICATORS ARE GIVEN IN THE VIEW OF VIKO VALUES AND VISION FOR THE YEAR 2020. EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING

OF THE INSTITUTION IS DETERMINED BY THE qUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM, LIFELONG LEARNING STRATEGY AND

STUDIES AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES.

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VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES HAS DEFINED THE FOLLOWING DECISIVE SUCCESS FACTORS AND INDICATORS UNTIL THE YEAR 2020:

THE MOTIVATION RATE OF THOSE ADMITTED TO STUDY AT VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES:The amount of the serial number requests of the admitted students has been divided by the amount of the admitted students – 3.0.

EMPLOYMENT:Percentage of previous years’ graduates who are employed– 93.0 %.

RATE OF DROPPED OUT STUDENTS:Students drop out – 12.0 %.

COMPLETION OF STUDIES:Percentage of graduates with a Professional Bachelor’s degree – 60 %.

STUDY PROGRESS: Students who in the first and second year of their studies have obtained a minimum of 45 cr. - 75%.

STUDENTS’ OPINIONS ABOUT SUBJECTS:1/2 responses of the questionnaire on the feedback of the teaching and subject quality were rated as “excellent” and “good”.

LEVEL OF THE INFORMAL EDUCATION SERVICE PROVISION:The ratio of the informal training recipients and the students in Professional Bachelor study programmes is 1/3.

VIKO GRADUATES WHO PARTICIPATED IN qUALIFICATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMMES: Graduates, who have developed their qualification in accordance with the lifelong learning programmes, represent 5% of the current year graduates.

INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY:The number of outgoing students annually increases by at least 10%. Outgoing – incoming student ratio is not larger than 3:1. The number of outgoing teachers and staff annually increases not less than by 8%. The number of incoming teachers and staff annually increases not less than by 5 %.

NUMBER OF PUBLICATIONS:Publications’ share per one teacher FTE– 0.3.

STAFF qUALIFICATION: Teachers who have received doctoral degrees- 14%.

DECISIVE SUCCESS FACTORS AND INDICATORS

The qualitative provisions for the study process change worded in the European Higher Education Area for the period of 2010 - 2020 (Louvain Communiqué) emphasised that “the more collected data by more perfect methods will help to assess how well the tasks, set in the social, employment, mobility, and other spheres, are fulfilled, and will be the framework of further reviews and benchmarking”.

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• Integrated Development Strategy of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences until the year 2020;• Implementation Plan of Integrated Development Strategy of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied

Sciences until the year 2020.

The Implementation Plan of the Integrated Development Strategy of Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences until the year 2020, covering sustainable development of all faculties, is drawn up in accordance with VIKO mission, vision, key priorities for the modernization of studies, development goals and objectives, outlined in VIKO Integrated Development Strategy until the year 2020.

Monitoring of the implementation of VIKO Integrated Development Strategy until the year 2020 is a process during which the progress in implementing the strategy is being assessed. The monitoring group, appointed by the Rector, supervises the development of the Integrated Development Strategy and Action Plan (until 2020): analyses the achieved results, problems and challenges, arising from the implementation of the Action Plan, captures the best practices and refuses those not being justified; makes proposals on how to achieve better results.

The changed priorities of VIKO activity and the information collected during the monitoring, allow the adjustment of the Integrated Development Strategy and the Action Plan, their correction or change.

The progress results, of VIKO Integrated Development Strategy Implementation Plan until the year 2020, are presented in the annual report of the Rector. The report is considered by the VIKO Board, and the final report is approved by the institution Academic Council.

MONITORING OF THE INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES UNTIL THE YEAR 2020 IMPLEMENTATIONVIKO strategic planning system consists of:

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Since 2009 Lithuanian state and private professional higher education institutions have been ranked. In 2012 Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences became the highest ranked institution for the third time. The VIKO students, teachers and administrative staff hold international exchanges with more than 124 foreign universities from 28 countries.

At present, Vilniaus kolegija/ University of Applied Sciences

• is the largest University of Applied Sciences in Lithuania, that takes a leadership position in the professional higher education area;

• has 8 faculties and off ers 48 study programmes;

• trains professionals in biomedical, agricultural, physical, social and technology sciences, humanities and arts;

• there are more than 7.5 thousand students and 470 teachers, 49 of them with PhD;

• responsibly develops new study programmes which are in demand on the labour market and comply with its requirements.

VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/ UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (VIKO) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2000 BY MERGING ACADEMICALLY STRONG PROFESSIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS OF THE CITY OF VILNIUS WHICH HAVE MORE THAN 70 YEARS OF HISTORY.

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF VILNIAUS KOLEGIJA/UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCESUNTIL THE YEAR 2020