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Intercultural Sensitivity is all around

Lithuania National unijon of Students  was partner on European Seminar for developing intercultural competencies for youth. For 7 days 35 youth workers, leaders and volunteers were working together on partnership project – seminar titled „Intercultural Sensitivity is all around” – Seminar on developmental model of intercultural sensitiveness and how it can be put into youth work practice in Zagreb, Croatia between 02-08 October 2015. Together with the host organization from Croatia ( European Way), participants came from 9 programe countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, R.Macedonia, Sovenia. The overall aim of the seminar was to train youth workers, youth leaders, teachers, social workers, etc. on use the Milton J. Bennett model in their daily work and lives in order to improve their intercultural competence to work with different target groups e.g. minorities, immigrants, roma young people etc. Non formal education methods were shared, tools and techniques how they Skaityti plačiau

Time to place students at the heart of learning and foster an inclusive society in Europe

BRUSSELS –How can Europe improve teaching and learning? What are the effects of European higher education reforms on students across Europe and how can we promote and value again active citizenship, intercultural understanding and human rights education? To answer these questions, the 30th European Students’ Convention will gather in Brussels over 100 student representatives from over 38 European countries between 28th and 30th September. Participants will discuss along with EU policy-makers, NGOs and higher education professionals the effects of European higher education reforms on learning and teaching and how to apply the student-centred learning approach. Mr Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, European Commission will also attend the conference on 29th September. It’s time to position students in the driving seat of the learning experience. The passive transmission of knowledge has proved to be ineffective. Instead, the student-centred learning approach aims to develop learner autonomy and independence Skaityti plačiau

ESU calls on the European Commission to exclude both public and private education from TTIP

In 2013 the governments of the  European Union (EU) member states mandated the European Commission to negotiate the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Since then, already 10 rounds of negotiations have taken place, with the last one in mid-July  when particularly services where tabled for discussion. Even though the European Commission (EC) and the US have faced heavy criticism from the civil society for the lack of transparency in the negotiation process, there are still among other points, public services, such as education that have been negotiated behind closed doors. It is clear that the levels of secrecy for TTIP surpass the usual practice. With adopting the resolution, the European Parliament (EP) gave the green light to continue the negotiations, but also voted the Helga Trüpels’ amendment which calls the European Commission to exclude non-profit educational services from the scope of the TTIP. Recently the European Commission has published Skaityti plačiau

Students review the globalisation of higher education in Europe

KAUNAS – International students should not be considered as a source of revenue but as a part of society and have access to necessary support systems, according to the over one hundred student representatives that participated in the European Students’ Convention from 20 to 22 September. During the convention, the delegates of national unions of students drafted a declaration, reviewing a communication presented by the European Commission entitled “European Higher Education in the World”. This draft document will be officially presented at the upcoming board meeting of the European Students’ Union (ESU) in Zagreb, Croatia, from 25 November to 2 December. The participants defined the fundamental role that education plays within societies and discussed whether that was reflected in the EU’s communication. The students pointed out several things that they would have liked to have seen done differently, but also praised a few elements that they believed to be positive. Skaityti plačiau

Unity of students in Baltics is a must!

TALLINN/RIGA – Representatives of Council and National office of the Lithuanian National Union of Students (Lietuvos studentų sąjunga – LSS) visited counterparts in Estonia and Latvia on July 4-7, 2013. During the visit National Unions of Students in Estonia (Eesti Üliõpilaskondade Liit) and Latvia (Latvijas Studentu apvienība) alongside with local student representatives were visited. LSS President Paulius BALTOKAS says: “This time, while Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union is taking place, role of LSS and entire student body of Lithuania is particularly important in terms of the European Union and our strategic partners in Estonia and Latvia. Historically, independent student movement in Baltics was one of fostering powers during the late Perestroika and re-establishment of independence in these countries, what makes a clear evidence for our long-term collaboration. In this regard we decided to pay visits both to national and local student unions in neighbouring countries.” This Skaityti plačiau

Study: Three out of Four Students Notice Cheating in a Formal Academic Exercise

VILNIUS – Lithuanian National Union of Students (Lietuvos studentų sąjunga – LSS) represents a study “Index of Academic Integrity 2013”. The main goal of the study, which was performed for two years in a row, is to discover the state of academic dishonesty in Lithuanian Higher Educational Institutions and to find out more effective ways to fight against academic cheating. LSS President Paulius Baltokas says: “Academic dishonesty is a serious and yet common problem of Lithuanian higher education. By the representation of this study we are hoping not only to pay attention on this problem, but also to emphasize the consequences of this process than development of cheating decreases the quality of higher education, stimulates diploma devaluation, compromises system of higher education. In order to fight with this problem, academic communities need to join their forces together and to do it purposely“. Results of the study demonstrate most of the Skaityti plačiau

Lithuanian National Union of Students elects new President

KAUNAS – The new leader of the Lithuanian National Union of Students (LSS) has been chosen. Paulius Baltokas has been elected to replace former President of LSS Dainius Diksaitis. Paulius Baltokas has been an active member of Vytautas Magnus University Students’ Union since 2009. He became a member of Control Committee (Committee for Internal Audit) of LSS in 2010 and was elected as the President of Vytautas Magnus University Students’ Representation in 2011. While being the leader of  Vytautas  Magnus University Students’Representation he also contributed to the activities of the Counsil of LSS. The election of the new President of LSS took place in Kaunas last Saturday, April 6. Student representatives were choosing between two cadidates – Migle Liorancaite and Paulius Baltokas.

Enhancing students´ representation in Belarus: Reflections from Lithuania

VILNIUS – A new Belarus Student Representatives Exchange Scheme will be launched this spring, aiming at major topics related to student representation in the region and beyond such as the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), Student Participation in the Higher Education Governance, Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Enhancement of the Academic Integrity. This Exchange Scheme will provide students’ representatives with the skills and know-how on how to advocate students´ interests efficiently. In addition, it was recently decided to establish a permanent assistance platform to consult and support around thirty local student initiatives at various universities in Belarus. That decision was made following an evaluation of the collaboration among Belarusian students and their counterparts in Europe. “The European Students´ Union (ESU) has a crucial role to play to ensure the continuity of the dialogue and to strengthen student representation in Belarus. We should never underestimate the contributions individuals and National Skaityti plačiau

Only every fourth Lithuanian HEI is open for students with special needs

VILNIUS – The recent study, carried out by the Lithuanian National Union of Students, says, only every fourth Higher Educational Institutions (both universities and universities of applied sciences) fully fits students with special needs. On the contrary 25% of auditoriums and a third of administrative premises completely do not fit students, faculty and administration with reduced mobility. This year the most of students with special needs study at the Vytautas Magnus University – 138 students (last year – 127), Vilnius University – 91 (last year – 97 students), Šiauliai University – 63 students (last year – 53), Lithuania University of Educological Sciences – 54 students (last year – 57) and Mykolas Romeris University with 53 students (43 of them in 2012). President of the Lithuanian National Union of Students Dainius Dikšaitis says: “In these four universities almost a half of all students with special needs in Lithuania are studying. Still Skaityti plačiau

Students are protesting against the government decisions made behind closed doors

VILNIUS – Today the Seimas of Lithuania became a scene for theatrical protest, where students appealed to the Government decisions concerning higher education policy being made behind closed doors. Dainius Dikšaitis, President of the Lithuanian National Union of Students claims the newly adopted Government Programme does not fulfill the interests and needs of students. “Lithuanian National Union of Students, representing higher education students in Lithuania, appealed to enhance the constructive dialogue with the stakeholders and decision-makers in field of higher education, both prior to the Seimas Elections and right after the announcement of results. Nevertheless the activism and publically announced interest of students, the presented programme of the 16th Government, concerning the higher education reform, were adopted without any consultancy with the academic community of Lithuania and being opposite to the interest and needs of the latter. Our goal is to enhance the decision-making power of students no matter of Skaityti plačiau