About Vytautas Magnus University
Established in 1922 (re-established in 1989) Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) is the public institution implementing liberal arts study policy based on the Harvard study model and relevant research activities aimed at contribution to the society, as well as global community.
Aside from 46 BA and MA full-time degree programmes in English, together VMU offers 138 study degree programmes, as well as integrated studies of law and postgraduate for 9433 students. The University offers doctoral studies in 23 diverse fields of natural, technological, agricultural, social sciences and humanities for 320 PhD students.
Studies at VMU are organized by 9 faculties (Informatics, Natural Sciences, Economics and Management, Law, Political Science and Diplomacy, Social Sciences, Humanities, Arts, Catholic Theology) and 3 Academies (Agriculture, Education, Music). Academic and research infrastructure as well refer to VMU Kaunas Botanical Garden, Institute of Foreign Languages and Innovative Studies Institute; 9 departments, 8 university centres; and other divisions; Students’ Representative Council.
In VMU the research capacity is achieved by uniting scientific human resources under the thematic clusters and institutes seeking to assure the interdisciplinary approach, broad scope, high impact, accessibility of research outcomes. VMU has been involved in H2020, COST, Erasmus+, Nordplus, LIFE, Interreg activities as well as national European Structural Funds’ projects as a project partner and coordinator (over 200 EU ongoing projects in the fields of biotechnology, biophysics, bioeconomy, agriculture, creative industries, law, education, sociology, psychology, computational linguistics, bilingualism, etc.), therefore the scientists have accumulated solid experience in international scientific research and project management, holding memberships of national and international professional associations of diverse scientific areas and fields.
The main strength of research at VMU is our ability to respond to an increasingly globalised and competitive landscape prompting the dynamic formation of new research priorities and facilitating ongoing improvements in research performance at both national and international level. We have been engaged as a partner and coordinator in various Horizon 2020, Jean Monnet, COST, Erasmus+ and NordPlus programmes, as well as research projects within the Global Grant and Smart Specialisation programmes conducted by the Research Council of Lithuania and the European Structural Fund. Nationally, our research has received the top evaluation scores among higher education institutions in Lithuania. We are a leading university in the fields of Humanities, Arts, Social and Biomedical Sciences.
At present, 36 research journals are published at VMU. 10 research journals are included in Clarivate Analytics Web of Science and (or) Scopus databases. 14 journals are published together with other Lithuanian and foreign institutions.
VMU Faculty of humanities has innovative, modern infrastructure for research and studies. Vytautas Magnus University has around 30 study, research and arts centres:
• Andrei Sakharov Research Centre for Democratic Development
• Arts Centre
• Centre for Asian Studies
• Centre for Enterprise Practices • Centre of Computational Linguistics
• Centre of Multilingualism
• Demographic Research Centre
• Energy Security Research Centre
• Institute of Education Sciences
• Institute of Foreign Languages
• Institute of Innovative Studies
• Lithuanian Emigration Institute
• VMU Arts Gallery 101
• VMU Botanical Garden
• VMU Theatre
• World Lithuanian University
• and many more.
Laboratories and Computer Classes
The university also has over 50 laboratories and computer classes, such as the audiovisual technology laboratory, media lab, sound studio, laboratories for biotechnology, environmental science, 3D modelling, neuroscience, intelligent systems, microsynthesis, HPLC and UPLC, capillary electrophoresis, microbiology, biochromatography, miniaturised bioreaction, etc.
VMU is a member of diverse EU associations and international organisations of higher education and research such as the European University Association, the European Association for International Education, the Baltic Sea Region University Network, European Distance and E-Learning Network, etc. The University having over 500 Erasmus+ partners in 60 states has signed over 200 bilateral collaborative agreements covering 42 countries in Europe, Asia, South and North America, North Africa, China.
More info: https://www.vdu.lt/en/
Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) and the INBETS project
In the INBETS project, the main activities of the VMU are related to the preparation, testing and application of Entrepreneurship Education Programs, and the implementation of trainings based on them, which are focused on the development of competencies in business transfer and takeover processes. Three training programs have been developed. Entrepreneurship Education, (562 hours) Train the traineers for Entrepreneurship Education (18 hours) and Business Successors Training (18 hours)
Entrepreneurship Training Educational Program, which purpose is to train people to become entrepreneurs to increase the number of well-qualified young entrepreneurs in all BSR countries, so that sufficient numbers of qualified entrepreneurs are available for the growing number of SMEs looking to takeover, also ensuring an innovative, successful continuation of the company by the next generation.
Vytautas Magnus University, one of INBETS BSR partners, has prepared this comprehensive Entrepreneurship Training Education Program, which consists of 6 individual modules covering a total of 562 hours. All modules focus on entrepreneurship skills and competences, and to be lectured through widely used methods, fostering specialization, general and specific competences in management and general social competency.
The main learning objective of Entrepreneurship Training Educational Program is to give the target group the knowledge and skills they need to be able to become entrepreneurs, successfully manage business or transfer business to potential successors. That should be provided through following modules of the prepared curricula:
1) Determining Corporate Competitiveness;
2) Developing Corporate Government Strategies;
3) Innovation Management;
4) Basic Computer Skills, Bookkeeping;
5) Preparing, Completing and Evaluating Start-up and Takeover Activities;
6) Human Resources Management & Vocational Education Knowledge.
Depending on the individual needs of the trainees, only individual modules or the complete training course can be completed.
INBETS BSR aims to examine, further develop and design innovative and transferable models and tools for facilitating small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) business transfers, make them widely available and implement them in companies. One of the main tools to achieve these goals is to strengthen institutional capacities of existing business support organisations (BSOs) for successful business transfers by qualifying permanent staff of BSOs as transfer coaches. This modularised concept, curricula and documentation for Train-the-Trainer activities was developed for the purpose of implementation of Train-the-Trainer seminars with staff from BSOs and experts from transfer partners in order to qualify them as transfer coaches. The aim of the training is to familiarize the participants with all the tasks of consulting and promotion of business transfers.
The target groups of Train-the-Trainer Seminar were:
· Teachers and lecturers from universities / colleges, chambers, training institutions, etc., who are involved in the training of entrepreneurs;
· Advisers to Chambers and other business development agencies involved in advising, coaching and promoting business transfers and start-ups.
The main learning objective of Train-the-Trainer Programm and Seminar is to give the target group the skills they need to become permanent qualified business transfer coaches, which means that:
· The participants should be able to get an overview of the main topics of entrepreneurship education and to be able to assess which competences are necessary for the communication of this content;
· The participants must have pedagogical skills and experience that will be refreshed and supplemented by the training on pedagogical issues of entrepreneurship education;
· The participants should get to know the whole process of training and coaching of potential founders and transferees;
· The participants should be enabled to independently carry out the training and coaching on the basis of curricula and teaching materials.
A. Training as an Entrepreneur – introduction and explanation of main training content, divided into 6 Modules:
A1. Determining Corporate Competitiveness;
A2. Developing Corporate Government Strategies;
A3. Innovation Management;
A4. Basic Computer Skills, Bookkeeping using Commercial Software;
A5. Preparing, Completing and Evaluating Start-up and Takeover Activities;
A6. Human Resources Management & Vocational Education Knowledge.
B. Pedagogy as well as Coaching and Consulting Process:
B1. Pedagogical questions procedure and examination of training to become an entrepreneur;
B2. Design and instruments of the consulting process for company transfers.
The second Programm prepared by VMU is Business Successors Training Educational Program , which aims to provide the knowledge and capacity building of those with business practices or business education necessary for the successful management of business transfer processes, in order not only to keep existing SMEs but also to increase their market value through innovative, successful business growth.
Vytautas Magnus University, one of INBETS BSR partners, developed this Business successors education training program for business successors (buyers, sellers, heirs), which consists of 3 separate modules (Determining the competitiveness of companies and developing strategies, Legal environment and business transfer logistics and Financial optimization in business transfer processes) lasting a total of 18 hours. All modules focus on the essential skills and competencies necessary for a successful business transfer process, highlight the basic issues of business transfer and their practical solution scenarios, and allow participants to choose training modules that meet their needs.
