On 1st July, three renewed higher education institutions are starting to operate. Starting today, Alytaus kolegija joins Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution (HEI), Vilnius College of Design and Technology joins Vilniaus kolegija Higher Education Institution, and Kauno technikos kolegija and Kaunas College of Forestry and Environmental Engineering become one higher education institution – Lithuanian Engineering Higher Education Institution. This is one of the last steps in the process of strengthening the network of state higher education institutions initiated by the Government.
In Kauno kolegija HEI Alytus Faculty, it is planned to implement a community college concept that has not yet been tested in Lithuania. The faculty will provide services to the surrounding community of the Alytus region, and its activities will be based on the principles of lifelong learning: higher education studies will be conducted, formal and informal education activities for students will be implemented in the STEAM open-access centre, research works and projects will be carried out, and qualification and retraining services will be provided.
‘Already this year, the Kauno kolegija HEI Alytus Faculty will offer new study programmes to applicants. We listened to the needs of self-government and regional employers, and we heard them. Pre-School and Pre-Primary Education, Social Work studies are starting in Alytus this year, we are already noticing interest in these programmes. In the region, we will develop the idea of ​​a community college, when the offered formal and informal education programmes meet local needs,’ shares the Director of the Kauno kolegija HEI Dr Andrius Brusokas.
He notes that this reorganisation creates value for the region – it is believed that the culture of community and quality fostered at Kauno kolegija HEI for many years will give a new boost to Alytus County, students, and lecturers. The funds allocated for the state reform will make it possible to make a complex contribution to the development of scientific applied research, the consolidation of study programmes and other solutions that are important in solving the general problems of the education system.
‘In our case, state investments for the consolidation will be concentrated in the coming years for the Foodtech and Health Innovation Hub. The centre will focus on food and healthy lifestyle research and innovation development. We intend to focus on finding solutions for IT and robotics in the fields of medicine and food science, we will develop health-friendly food products,’ says the Director of Kauno kolegija HEI.
He notes that the centre’s planned activities, which respond to the concept of sustainable food systems, will contribute to the goal of reorienting towards a more efficient and sustainable agro-food system to ensure sustainable food production and healthy human nutrition.
‘We are planning that the centre’s applied scientific research will include a coherent and integrated chain of solutions: cultivation of food raw materials, food production, food packaging, safety and analysis, automation, digitalisation, environment and energy, storage, including robotic food sorting and waste management solutions,’ says Dr A. Brusokas.
Prepared according to the information of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport
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