NUBiP of Ukraine and Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania) Discussed Prospects for Academic and Scientific Cooperation
On January 15, 2026, an online meeting was held between representatives of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine and Vytautas Magnus University (Republic of Lithuania). The event was dedicated to discussing opportunities for developing academic and scientific cooperation between the two leading higher education institutions in the fields of agricultural sciences, forestry, and ecology.
The meeting lasted over an hour and brought together university leadership, leading scientists, and international activity specialists. Participants exchanged presentations showcasing educational programs, scientific achievements, and current research projects of their institutions. Special attention was paid to the potential for joint research in the areas of sustainable forestry, bioeconomy, climate change, and agroecosystem ecology, as well as opportunities for expanding academic mobility.
The Ukrainian side was represented by Rector of NUBiP of Ukraine Vadym TKACHUK, who outlined the strategic priorities for the university's development and emphasized the importance of international partnership for modernizing education and science. The meeting was also attended by Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work and International Activities Oleksandr LABENKO, Head of the International Relations Office Maksym KLYMENKO, Head of the International Projects Office Oleksandr SOSHENSKYI, as well as Dean of the Mechanical and Technological Faculty Viacheslav BRATISHKO and others.
During the discussion, representatives of NULES of Ukraine highlighted the university's powerful scientific infrastructure, particularly the activities of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Forestry and Landscape-Park Management and the Boyarska Forest Research Station, which has over 100 years of history. The university's experience in forest fire monitoring, remote sensing, forest management, and development of methodological recommendations for fire risk reduction and monitoring of contaminated territories was emphasized.
The Lithuanian side was represented by Dean of the Faculty of Law and Chair of the Ethics Commission of Vytautas Magnus University Tomas BERKMANAS, Director of the International Cooperation Department and Institutional Coordinator of the ERASMUS+ Program Ilona KAZLAUSKAITE, Professor of the Academy of Education and Chancellor of the Academy of Education Lina KAMINSKIENE, Director of the Bioeconomy Research Institute of the Academy of Agriculture Rytis SKOMINAS, Associate Professor of the Department of Environmental Sciences of the Faculty of Natural Sciences Jūratė ŽALTAUSKAITĖ, Dean of the Faculty of Informatics and Coordinator of the FOREST 4.0 Project Tomas KRILAVIČIUS, as well as Professor of the Department of Music at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology Gediminas KAROBLIS.
During the meeting, Lithuanian partners presented Vytautas Magnus University as one of the leading higher education institutions in Lithuania, founded in 1922, which today unites over 8,800 students and 15 academic units, including faculties of natural, social, and humanitarian sciences, informatics, law, economics and management, political sciences and diplomacy, as well as the Academy of Education, Botanical Garden, Institute of Foreign Languages, and Institute of Innovative Research.
Special attention was paid to the activities of the Academy of Agriculture of Vytautas Magnus University, founded in 1924 and which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. The Academy includes faculties of agronomy, bioeconomy development, forest sciences and ecology, engineering, as well as the Bioeconomy Research Institute, has over 1,500 students and more than 350 academic staff, and actively cooperates with over 170 partners within the ERASMUS program.
During the discussion, the parties discussed in detail potential areas of cooperation, including joint research in the field of sustainable and close-to-nature forest management, establishment and use of marteloscopes, and assessment of forest ecosystem services. Particular interest was sparked by issues of digitalization of forestry in the context of the FOREST 4.0 concept, application of satellite data, artificial intelligence, and IoT for monitoring forest ecosystems and early warning systems for forest fires.
Significant attention was also paid to research on adaptation of agro- and forest ecosystems to climate change, environmental monitoring, assessment of pollution impact on the environment, as well as development of recreation and ecotourism in forest areas using educational and research stations of both universities.
A separate block of discussion was devoted to issues of developing educational programs and academic mobility, including opportunities for student and faculty exchanges under ERASMUS+ programs, development of joint courses in English, organization of summer schools for young scientists, as well as preparation of joint grant applications within the Horizon Europe program, in which Vytautas Magnus University has significant experience (Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020).
Summarizing the meeting, participants emphasized mutual interest in deepening the partnership and agreed to continue the dialogue with the aim of developing specific cooperation mechanisms in the identified areas. The meeting became an important step in the development of NULES of Ukraine's international partnership and will contribute to strengthening its integration into the European educational and scientific space.