International Week at the Faculty of Economics and Management, VMU
On May 5–9, 2024, the Faculty of Economics and Management of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) will host an international week, during which lecturers from all over the world will give lectures to students.
This event is a unique opportunity for VMU students not only to listen to relevant lectures in English, but also to get acquainted with the experience of higher education and approaches to economics, management, marketing, finance and management in various countries.
This year, we will welcome guests from 11 countries around the world: the Czech Republic, Moldova, Spain, Portugal, India, Tunisia, Egypt, the Republic of South Africa, the United Kingdom, Poland and Latvia.
Lecturers from institutions such as the Prague University of Economics and Business, the University of Cantabria, the Moldovan State University, Lovely University of Applied Sciences, the University of Johannesburg, the Latvian University of Life Sciences and Technology, etc. will share their knowledge and experience with students.
You can find the week’s program here:
We invite you to actively participate in lectures, gain knowledge, and take advantage of the opportunity to establish international academic connections.
VDUevf researchers and partners seek innovative solutions for a more sustainable European glass industry
Secured funding for the Horizon Europe project FlexCycle
The VDU research team, in a consortium with 11 other higher education institutions and businesses (led by Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia), has secured funding for a four-year Horizon Europe project titled “Flexible robotic solutions for the recycling of soft materials“ (FlexCycle) under the Horizon RIA action (call HORIZON-CL4-2024-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01). The project will advance the automation of soft material recycling, addressing the challenges of handling elastic waste such as textiles, cables, and fuel cell membranes. By developing adaptive robotic tools and AI-driven material models, FlexCycle aims to efficiently transfer recycling solutions across different soft materials, thereby reducing system implementation costs and promoting sustainability in line with the European Green Deal.
The VDU Faculty of Economics and Management team, led by prof. Renata Legenzova with the participation of assoc. prof. Akvilė Aleksandravičienė and assoc. prof. Jonė Kalendienė, will play a key role in assessing the socio-economic and environmental impact of soft material recycling automation contributing to the expansion of transdisciplinary scientific activities at our university.
Selection for the 2025 Double Master’s Degree is underway
The Faculty of Economics and Management of VMU is pleased to announce that all full-time Master’s degree programmes now offer the option of a double diploma. The double diploma programme allows students to obtain a Master’s degree in 2 years not only from Vytautas Magnus University, but also from one of the recognised partner universities in Belgium, Italy or Portugal.
The selection process for the Double Diploma is carried out by a committee of representatives of the VMU Double Diploma partners and VMU. To apply for a Double Degree, first year Master’s students should have the following documents:
- CV
- Cover letter
- Copies of the undergraduate diploma and the appendix
- Academic transcript reflecting the results of the 1st semester of Master’s studies at VMU
- Proof of C1 level of English language (a certificate from the Institute of Foreign Languages of VMU is suitable)
- Letter of recommendation (recommended)
send to asta.kyguoliene@vdu.lt by 21 February 2025
For more information on the Double Diploma please click here.
Sports Business Management Study Program Weekly Session in Kaunas
As every year, in January Kaunas becomes a center of unique experiences for students of the Master of Sports Business Management. This week-long session, organized by the Faculty of Economics and Management of Vytautas Magnus University together with the Euroleague Basketball Institute, is crowned with inspiring activities, practical insights and lectures from professionals.
A wealth of activities
During this week, students participate in various activities and excursions that allow them to get to know the behind-the-scenes of the sports industry:
Excursions: Kaunas Ice Palace, S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium, Lithuanian Basketball Federation, SFE Sports Center.
Lectures and discussions:
- Lukas Inokaitis (“Sports Tech Frontier: Engaging Fans & Sponsors”),
- Rolandas Skaisgirys (“Developing 3×3 in Lithuania”),
- Justas Kalinauskas (“Organizing elite sports events: challenges and success factors”),
- Edgaras Abromavičius (“eSports Development”),
- Justinas Liaudinskas (“Having fun delivers results”),
- Julius Sarapinas (“Surviving in sports management world”).
Žalgiris Organization Days
Two days of the session are dedicated to a close partner of the program – Žalgiris Organization. Students get to know the club’s activities in more depth and listen to presentations from club managers and specialists. Presentation topics include:
Organization of club activities (Paulius Jankūnas, Radvilė Krušinskienė, Mantas Vedrickas),
Branding and sales (Justina Sakalauskienė, Andra Kniukštaitė, Ignas Vyšniauskas),
Fan engagement products (Rytis Kazlauskas, Mantas Gineitis),
Public-private partnerships (Saulius Balnanosis).
Students also have the opportunity to understand the intricacies of event organization by watching Žalgiris matches not only as spectators, but also as sports management experts.
The culmination of the week
At the end of the week, second-year students defend their master’s theses and officially complete their studies – they are awarded diplomas. The week full of emotions becomes memorable not only because of the knowledge gained, but also because of the unique experiences and acquaintances that enrich each participant.
You can learn more about these studies here.
VDUevf contributed to the celebration of the International Investor Week in Lithuania
The Faculty of Economics and Management of Vytautas Magnus University (VDU) participated in the initiatives of the World Investor Week.
This global initiative, which aims to promote awareness of responsible investment, is celebrated in Lithuania on October 7-13.
In cooperation with the COURSERA platform, associate professor Asta Gaigalienė created a unique block of modules called “Financial Decisions: From Bias to Rationality”. After completing the four modules, which cover the topics of investment decision-making and financial markets, students have the opportunity to receive a digital Coursera and VDU badge as evidence of their competence.
This initiative is a great opportunity to improve investment skills and deepen financial literacy. You can find more about the initiative here.
A new study will reveal how socialization strengthens the financial resilience of young small businesses
In the European Union (EU) and Lithuania, small businesses constitute over 90 percent of all enterprises; however, more than half of such enterprises face difficulties or cease operations within their first year. The success of young small businesses heavily depends on the entrepreneur, who serves as both the founder and the primary generator of ideas, in making various strategic and daily business decisions. These decisions are significantly influenced by the entrepreneur’s knowledge, skills, values, and social networks, which form from early childhood.
Nevertheless, scientific and practical understanding of the entrepreneur socialization process, its key agents, and determinants remains limited. Additionally, sociocultural and other environmental characteristics within different societies affect how acquired knowledge, competencies, attitudes, and connections during socialization impact small entrepreneurs’ ability to successfully establish a business and position themselves in the market, as what works for one country or market may not apply to another.
Development of a Financial Resilience Model for Young Small Businesses
This September, researchers Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute of Vytautas Magnus University, led by Prof. Dr. Renata Legenzova, commenced three-year scientific research on the impact of entrepreneur socialization on the financial resilience of young small businesses (SOPFA). Based on this evaluation, a model assessing the impact of entrepreneur socialization on the financial resilience of young small businesses will be developed. This project has received funding from the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT), agreement No [S-MIP-24-71].
The research will not only define concepts of small entrepreneur, socialization, and financial resilience, or establish methods and criteria for assessing financial resilience, but will also have significant practical implications for small businesses in Lithuania and the entrepreneurs establishing them. The project will evaluate the financial resilience of young Lithuanian small businesses, identify peculiarities in Lithuanian entrepreneur socialization, and their impact on the financial resilience of young Lithuanian small businesses.
Recommendations for State Institutions
The Institute’s researchers will formulate both general recommendations for enhancing the financial resilience of young small businesses through entrepreneur socialization, as well as specific recommendations for Lithuanian small businesses and entrepreneurs. These will be valuable in the broader EU context and will highlight the socio-cultural nuances of the Lithuanian small business environment. The project’s findings and recommendations will also be directed to state institutions, financial resource providers, academics, and other stakeholders.
The research will not only employ the classical questionnaire survey method to assess the current state of financial resilience in Lithuanian small businesses and the peculiarities of entrepreneur socialization but will also utilize a unique methodology to provide theoretical depth and practical benefits to small Lithuanian businesses and entrepreneurs. The scientific methods applied include the measurement of a resilience index and its sub-indices, as well as a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach to evaluate the impact of entrepreneur socialization on the financial resilience of young small businesses.
Project Team – Experts in Financial and Economic Socialization Research
The research project team consists of members from the Department of Finance at the Faculty of Economics and Management, Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). They share similar research interests, such as financial and economic socialization, as well as the behaviour of market participants. The project leader, Dr. Renata Legenzova, a professor at the Department of Finance, focuses on research and experiments related to socio-economic, political, and financial stability, as well as sustainable growth. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asta Gaigalienė conducts research on financial literacy, taxpayer behaviour, and network analysis. Dr. Gintarė Leckė investigates the rationality of financial market participants’ behaviour and the process of financial socialization. The research group also includes Mantas Rimidis, a PhD student in economics, who has conducted in-depth studies on income inequality.
An international week was held at the faculty
The international week has ended at the Faculty of Economics and Management of VMU. Lecturers from all over the world visited and gave lectures during it. Among the guests, you can meet scientists from the Philippines, Turkey, Mauritius, India, as well as Turkey, Portugal, Spain, Georgia, Ukraine and other countries.
Representatives of Ernst & Young visited the faculty
An engaging and meaningful meeting with representatives of the international audit company “Ernst & Young” took place at the Faculty of Economics and Management of Vytautas Magnus University.
The guest visit not only gave the students the opportunity to get acquainted with the company’s activities, but also allowed them to get to know the various career prospects offered by this company. During the afternoon event, students had the opportunity not only to interact with the guests, but also to learn more about the various job positions, knowledge and skills needed to join an international team.
What’s more, during the event, various entertainment and information sessions were organized, providing students with even more information about the company’s activities and the opportunities offered. Some participants managed to receive valuable job offers, which showed that this partnership was not only informative, but also practically meaningful.
You can see more moments of the meeting recorded by Jonas Petronis by visiting the Facebook page of the Faculty of Economics and Management.
The future creators of the world of sports business are buzzing in the faculty
Traditionally, in the middle of January, first-years of MBA studies in Sports Business Management, conducted jointly with the Euroleague Basketball Institute, gather at the Faculty of Economics and Management for the second live session.
After the first day, when the students defended their coursework, their week will include educational tours of the various sports infrastructures in the city of Kaunas, an all-day familiarization with the Kaunas Žalgiris organization and the managers of various team departments, representatives of the sports business world from the Lithuanian Basketball Federation, the Lithuanian Football Federation , lectures of the Lithuanian Volleyball Federation and others.
The live session in Kaunas will be crowned on Friday evening, when students will watch the Euroleague matches in the arena, not only as spectators, but also as organizers.
You can find out more about Sports Business Management studies here.
