On 14 February, the General Members’ Meeting of the Conference of Directors of Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions (LKDK) was held at Lietuvos Inžinerijos Kolegija Higher Education Institution. The meeting focused on issues relevant to the sector and future strategic plans. The event was attended by the Minister of Education, Science, and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania, Raminta Popovienė, along with Vice-Minister Dr. Regina Valutytė.
Ministry Leaders Emphasize the Importance of Cooperation
For the first time since taking office in December 2024, Minister Raminta Popovienė participated in the meeting, engaging with higher education institution leaders on their most pressing concerns. She encouraged collaboration to identify common solutions. Vice-Minister for Studies and Science, Dr. Regina Valutytė, outlined the Ministry’s upcoming plans for higher education.
One of the key topics discussed was the financing of the student enrollment system and its accessibility. The Ministry has committed to allocating state budget funds for centralized admissions in 2025, ensuring that higher education institutions will not need to allocate additional financial resources, as they did in 2024. Other important matters, including the legal regulation of higher education institutions and broader sectoral concerns, were also addressed.
“We are pleased that our first meeting with the new Ministry leadership was constructive. We discussed not only current issues but also long-term strategic directions that require ongoing dialogue. We believe that continued discussions will help us find the best solutions to strengthen the higher education sector,” summarized Dr. Lina Girdauskienė, President of LKDK and Director of LIK.
New Higher Education Leaders Received Membership Certificates
At the beginning of the meeting, both incoming and outgoing leaders of higher education institutions were formally recognized. A certificate of appreciation was awarded to Dr. Gitana Neverienė, former Director of Vilnius Business College and newly appointed Rector of Kazimieras Simonavičius University, in recognition of her years of service to the sector. Additionally, Vytautas Kirka, Head of Kolping Higher Education Institution, and Gabija Skučaitė, Director of Vilnius Business College, received LKDK Membership Certificates.
Dr. Lina Girdauskienė presented an overview of the current challenges in the higher education sector and explored opportunities to strengthen institutional representation at the national level. A key topic of discussion was research and development funding. It was agreed that incentive funding for applied science, experimental development, and/or professional arts should consist of two components — fixed and performance-based incentives. However, given the complexity of the issue, further discussions will be held to refine the proposed funding model.
Committee Activities and Future Prospects
During the meeting, each LKDK Committee presented updates on its activities and achievements. The Studies Committee continues to actively participate in discussions led by the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education, while the Research Development Committee is working on proposals for research and development funding.
The International Affairs Committee is currently addressing student migration challenges and strategies to enhance internationalization. Meanwhile, the Sports Committee reported on the results of the XXIV Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions Sports Games.