On 12–13 May 2027, Vilnius will become the hub of the European applied higher education community as it hosts the 36th EURASHE Annual Conference, “European Applied Skills, Knowledge & Regional Innovation Forum 2027.”
The conference will be organized by the Conference of Directors of Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions (LKDK), with Vilniaus kolegija Higher Education Institution (VIKO) serving as the main venue.
The event will take place during Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, giving it additional political significance. It will provide an important opportunity to strengthen Lithuania’s visibility in European higher education and innovation policy. This will be the first time that the EURASHE Annual Conference is held in Lithuania during the country’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Main Conference Themes
The conference will focus on the role of applied higher education in strengthening the competitiveness of European regions. The programme will address the following key areas:
- developing practical skills and implementing the Pact for Skills across regions;
- enhancing regional productivity through applied higher education;
- the role of professional higher education institutions as hubs of regional innovation ecosystems;
- partnerships with industry, municipalities, and the UAS4EUROPE network;
- knowledge valorisation and policy recommendations for European Union institutions.
Strategic Importance for Lithuania
According to Dr Lina Girdauskienė, President of the Conference of Directors of Lithuanian Colleges (LKDK), the event will strengthen the visibility of Lithuania’s higher education sector-particularly the professional higher education sector-across Europe. It will foster new international partnerships and create opportunities for closer cooperation with European colleges and networks of universities of applied sciences.
EURASHE Conference in Lithuania – Presentation Video: