Vilnius University
Description of the scheme
The structure of Vilnius University is based on the Statute of Vilnius University and other internal documents and legal acts governing its activities, which are available here.
Vilnius University is the oldest national higher education and research institution in the country. The University enjoys autonomy guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on Higher Education and Research of the Republic of Lithuania, and its Statute, and by all lawful means safeguards and protects the freedom of culture, science, research, and teaching.
In order to understand how a higher education institution operates, we need to understand its structure, its governing bodies, their functions and interrelationships. Therefore, this scheme provides useful links to the main information sources and documents, which are updated whenever they change.
In its Statute Vilnius University establishes important provisions for all Vilnius University students. The Statute grants an important right and responsibility to the Vilnius University Students' Representation to represent all Vilnius University students. For more details, see Article 21(8--12) of the Statute of Vilnius University.
This description and the scheme will make it easier to represent students and to navigate the entire system. If you have additional questions, contact Vilnius University Students' Representation (VU SA / VU SR).
More detailed information about these entities can be found in the Statute of Vilnius University.
Rector
The Rector is a single-person governing body of the University and the head of the University. The Rector acts on behalf of the University and represents it, and is responsible for the implementation of the University's objectives, the effective organisation of work, the University's financial activities, and the proper management of its funds and property.
Council
The Council is a governing body of the University responsible for the strategic development of the University, the quality of its activities, its finances, and structural changes.
The Council consists of eleven members, two of whom are representatives delegated by Vilnius University Students' Representation. More information about the decisions adopted by the Council is available on the Council's information page.
Senate
The Senate safeguards the freedom of culture, science, research and teaching at the University, ensures collegial discussion of the University's general academic affairs and other issues directly related to the academic activities of the whole University, and adopts the legal acts necessary for their implementation.
The Senate of Vilnius University is composed of 46 members, 9 of whom are representatives delegated by Vilnius University Students' Representation.
Senate committees
To address particularly important issues related to science, the arts and studies, three Senate committees have been established: the Research Committee, the Studies Committee, and the Quality and Development Committee. Each committee examines issues in its respective field and submits its conclusions to the Senate.
Three standing committees are currently operating within the Senate:
Studies Committee -- deals with issues related to the delivery and quality of studies at Vilnius University.
Research Committee -- deals with issues related to the conduct and development of research at Vilnius University.
Quality and Development Committee -- monitors how the study quality assurance system operates and deals with issues related to the allocation of Vilnius University's internal resources and development.
Senate Collegium
To organise the work of the Senate, a Senate Collegium is formed, consisting of the Chair of the Senate, the Deputy Chair(s) of the Senate, the Chairs of the Committees and a Students' Representative. At meetings of the Senate Collegium, Committee Chairs present the issues considered in the Committees and planned to be submitted to the Senate, and the Senate's annual work plan is approved.
Senate commissions
Senate commissions are bodies set up by the Senate to help implement the University's aims and objectives. Senate commissions are accountable to the Senate.
There are currently seven Senate commissions:
Central Election Commission -- develops the procedures for elections to the University's governing bodies and ensures transparent and proper elections to the University's governing bodies. In its activities it is guided by the relevant regulations.
Central Academic Ethics Commission -- deals with disputes and issues related to breaches of academic ethics, and develops and continuously updates Vilnius University's Academic Ethics Code. In its activities it is guided by the relevant documents.
Central Dispute Resolution Commission -- examines complaints and applications between members of the University community that are not related to breaches of academic ethics. In its activities it is guided by the relevant documents.
Academic Protocol Commission -- develops and continuously updates the protocol for academic ceremonies and descriptions of academic events. In its activities it is guided by this protocol.
Commission for Emeritus, Affiliation and Honorary Titles -- examines and submits to the Senate for approval candidates for the titles of University Professor Emeritus, Affiliated Professor, Associate Professor, Researcher, Honorary Doctor, Alumnus and Patron. In its activities it is guided by the relevant regulations.
Rector's team (Small Rectorate)
Vice-Rector -- upon the Rector's proposal, the Council appoints one of the Pro-Rectors to serve as the First Pro-Rector -- Vice-Rector.
Pro-Rectors administer the area of University activities or management entrusted to them by the Rector. Each of them acts on behalf of the Rector in their respective field and helps to run the University. There are currently four Pro-Rectors at the University:
Pro-Rector for Research;
Pro-Rector for Studies;
Pro-Rector for Partnerships;
Pro-Rector for Organisation Development and Community Affairs.
Chancellor
The Chancellor assists the Rector in managing the University's resources, handling finances, ensuring internal order within the University, and providing the material and organisational conditions necessary for the activities of the University Senate and Council.
Advisors
The Rector may appoint advisors on various matters as needed.
Central administration
The University's central administration, which enables the University to carry out its activities, is divided into divisions, units, services and departments. The central administration consists of:
Rector's Office
Community Well-Being Division
Communication and Marketing Division
Civil and Occupational Safety Service
Finance Department
Department for Research and Innovation
Human Resources Division
Development Department
Strategic Planning Division
Student Affairs and Career Office
Study Administration Division
Study Quality and Development Division
International Relations Office
Legislative Division
Legal Division
Internal Audit Division
Procurement Division
The contact details of all these divisions can be found on the University's contact pages.
For Students' Representatives it is important to cooperate with almost all divisions operating at Vilnius University, as they can be partners who help improve students' university life.</>
Commissions and committees formed by the Rector
The Rector may set up commissions and committees to deal with important issues of the University.
Advisory Committee on the Award of Partnership Professor and Partnership Associate Professor Positions
The Committee submits its opinion to the Rector of Vilnius University on the award of partnership professor and partnership associate professor positions at Vilnius University. These positions allow prominent Lithuanian business representatives, diplomats and other leading experts in their fields with extensive practical experience to teach courses at Vilnius University. The Committee is guided in its work by the relevant regulations.
Commission for the Recognition of the Best Vilnius University Teachers
The Commission examines the activities of candidates and submits recommendations to the Rector on recognising candidates as the best teachers of the year. The candidacies of teachers proposed by Vilnius University students are submitted to the Commission for consideration by the administration of the relevant core academic unit together with the structural unit of Vilnius University Students' Representation. The Commission is guided in its work by the relevant description.
Vilnius University Academic Staff Selection Commission
The Commission examines and submits to the Rector of the University for approval candidates for academic positions to be held by teachers and researchers.
More information about the procedure is provided in the relevant description.
Commission for the Allocation of One-off Targeted Scholarships
This Commission decides to whom and in what amount one-off targeted scholarships are to be awarded for achievements in culture, sport, science or community activities. In its work it is guided by the relevant principles
More information about scholarships awarded by Vilnius University can be found:
Working groups formed by the Rector
The Rector may also establish working groups to deal with specific issues. Working groups are temporary bodies established until the necessary decision is taken (for example, for the preparation of the Statute, the introduction of modular studies, etc.).
Rektoratas
The Rectorate is an advisory body to the Rector composed of the heads of all the University's core academic and non-academic units and the President of the Students' Representation. The Rectorate discusses all major issues related to research, studies, finance and development, and submits conclusions to the University Council, Senate and Rector, which, within their respective areas of competence, take final decisions.
Vilnius University Core Academic Units (CAU)
Faculties, institutes, centres and schools are internal organisational units of the University in which all types of the University's core activities are carried out.
Their activities are based on model regulations for Vilnius University Core Academic Units.
At present there are fifteen Core Academic Units at the University.
For more details about the Core Academic Units, see the VU diagram (click on a CAU -- KAP in Lithuanian -- in the diagram to go to its page).
Vilnius University Core Non-Academic Units (VU CNAU)
These units are established to provide services that ensure the operation of academic units and to perform other non-academic functions of the University. The place of these organisational units in the University's governance structure is defined in the Model Regulations of Vilnius University Core Non-Academic Units, which are approved by the Rector.
All Vilnius University Core Non-Academic Units are listed here.
Model Regulations of Vilnius University Core Non-Academic Units.
Vilnius University Students' Representation (VU SR)
Vilnius University Students' Representation is the oldest and largest non-governmental, non-profit, non-political expert education organisation in Lithuania, representing students' interests at Vilnius University and beyond, fostering university culture and creating the most favourable conditions for students' self-expression.
VU SA / VU SR is the only students' representation that represents its students' interests at the national level.
A student is a person studying at a higher education institution in a particular study programme or in doctoral studies.
Pathway of a study programme
This section presents the process by which changes in study programmes are approved at Vilnius University.
The section consists of three subsections. The first explains which body of Vilnius University is directly responsible for the management of study programmes and into which two categories programme changes are divided. The second subsection explains which internal or external factors indicate the need to initiate a study programme improvement process. The last subsection presents scenarios for essential and non-essential changes in study programmes, highlighting the bodies of Vilnius University responsible for approving the planned changes.
Who is responsible for changes in a study programme?
A study programme is constantly improved so that it reflects changes taking place in the country and meets the expectations of students and teachers. Improvement of a study programme may involve various processes, from analysing students' feedback on the programme, which is needed for self-assessment purposes, to changing the course units of the study programme, its teachers or even its title. At Vilnius University, it is regulated that Study Programme Committees (SPC), which are directly responsible for study programmes, meet at least once per semester to discuss the direction towards a higher-quality programme.
More information about the functions of the Study Programme Committees is here.
Changes in a study programme are divided into essential and non-essential. Examples of changes:
Essential Non-essential changes changes
Study programme Course unit title title
Study programme Course unit aim and learning outcomes aim and learning outcomes
Scope of the Scope of a course unit in study credits study programme
in study credits
Duration of Transfer of a course unit to another semester programme
delivery
Study field or -- qualification
degree
Mode of studies --
Language of Language of course unit delivery programme
delivery
-- Course unit teacher, content, assessment strategy, literature
-- Introduction of a new course unit, removal of a course unit, or change in the type of a course unit (from elective to compulsory and vice versa)
When essential changes in a study programme are considered, a decision by the SPC alone is not sufficient; the changes must also be approved by other University bodies responsible for studies (shown in the diagram in the last subsection of this section).
How to initiate a change?
Every change to be initiated must have a clear basis on which the programme needs to be improved.
A student who sees problems in their study programme or has suggestions for its improvement can convey their opinion directly to the Chair of the SPC or to the Students' Representative on that SPC. The Committee can assess students' proposals not only qualitatively but also quantitatively. Therefore, it is recommended to raise issues that are relevant for a larger group of students, having coordinated them with the Students' Representative. The Students' Representative will carry out all the necessary actions from identifying the problem to preparing a proposal, submitting it to the Committee and representing students' interests during the meeting.
What is the pathway from an initiative to change a study programme to its implementation?
If a planned change to a study programme is non-essential, the specific problem is discussed at a meeting of the SPC, there is a discussion on the best solution and finally a decision is adopted. In some CAU cases, these decisions have to be approved by the CAU Council.
If an essential change to a programme is initiated, the decision adopted by the Study Programme Committee must be approved by the CAU Council, and then the decision goes up to the University's central body -- the Senate. The change is reviewed and approved by the Senate Studies Committee and subsequently given final approval at a Senate meeting. If at any stage one of the bodies does not approve the proposed essential change in the programme, it is returned to the previous body for revision. For example, if the CAU Council does not approve it, the issue goes back to the SPC; if the Senate Studies Committee does not approve it, the issue returns to the CAU Council, which often again returns the matter to the SPC for reconsideration.