Minister of Education gets university network optimization proposals

Juozas Augutis, rector at Vytautas Magnus University and head of the Conference of Lithuanian University Rectors, told BNS that the proposals would now be evaluated by a group of experts.

“The last proposals came in only yesterday. We were told about what would be done with those proposals next and that a working group would be appointed,” he said after meeting with Deputy Education and Science Minister Giedrius Viliūnas.

The rectors suggested that experts from foreign countries with experience in streamlining their higher education networks should be invited to join the working group.

Augutis said that the vice-minister had promised during the meeting that a specific plan would be ready by around Easter.

Trade unions, universities, municipalities, business institutions and research centers have submitted a total of 44 proposals to the ministry.

Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis and Education and Science Minister Jurgita Petrauskienė said in January that only up to five universities could be left in the country. They stressed, however, that the number was not yet final.

Lithuania currently has 14 state universities and several tens of the so-called universities of applied sciences.