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Celebrate Georgian Language Days at Vilnius University! Discover the beauty, history, and artistry of the Georgian language with us. Join a special series of events organised as part of the project “I Love Georgian – My State Language!” and experience Georgian culture firsthand.

Event Programme:

April 25 | 15:00
Georgian Dictation Contest
(with the participation of the Georgian diaspora)

April 27 | 15:00
Calligraphy Masterclass

April 28 | 16:00–18:00
Final Event of the Project

Venue:
K. Donelaitis Auditorium
Faculty of Philology
Universiteto g. 5, Vilnius

Organised by:
Caucasus University
Vilnius University, Faculty of Philology, Institute of Foreign Languages, 

Supported by:
Lithuanian Writers’ Union
Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to Georgia
Georgian Calligraphers Association
Publishing House “Intellect”

Come and discover the richness of the Georgian language, culture, and traditions — everyone is welcome!

We invite you to submit abstracts for the Nordic Network of Intercultural Communication (NIC) 2026 Conference, which will take place at Vilnius University from 17 to 19 August. The conference is organised by the VU Faculty of Communication, in collaboration with the Faculty of Philology and the Faculty of Philosophy. The submission deadline is April 20, 2026.

Call for abstracts

The topic of this year’s conference is Intercultural Communication for Change. With this theme, we encourage discussion of intercultural communication as a way of engaging with change at multiple levels (individual, organisational, societal, and global), as well as of the implications of intercultural communication research for policy-making, institutional and educational practices, and everyday communication.

We invite contributions that explore intercultural communication as a process of (ex)change of meanings, understandings, values, and knowledge, and examine its role in contexts of transformation and uncertainty. We particularly welcome work addressing intercultural communication as a response to change, a driver of change, or a means of anticipating, managing, and potentially preventing disruptive forms of change, including crises.

We also encourage critical reflection on the relationship between intercultural communication research, practice, and policy, including possible mismatches between them and the ways research can (or should) contribute to changes in individual behaviours, professional practices, education, and public policy.

In addition to contributions addressing the conference theme, we also welcome proposals concerning other aspects of intercultural communication.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, transcultural, polycultural, cross-cultural, and intercultural encounters and relationships in the following areas:

• migration, mobility, inter-ethnic relations within societies, and transnational diaspora communication
• social work and public services
• local and international political contexts, public discourse, and governance
• organisations and workplaces
• business and tourism
• educational contexts, including student mobility
• language use, bi- and multilingualism, and language policy
• (social) media, digital environments and algorithms

We invite submissions from researchers at all career stages, as well as practitioners, across the social sciences and humanities.

Please note that the conference will be held in person, and online presentations will not be available.

Abstract Submission Guidelines

The deadline for submitting your abstract is April 20, 2026. 

• The conference accepts oral presentations only.
• Abstract submissions may include multiple authors.
• Abstracts should be submitted in English.
• Abstracts should not exceed 300 words in length, excluding references.
• Please include 3–5 keywords.
• Please provide author affiliation and contact details in the submission form.

All abstracts will be reviewed by the scientific committee.

Submit your abstract HERE.

The conference will be the 32nd conference of the Nordic Network of Intercultural Communication. NIC conferences have been organised since 1994 and are held annually in different cities across the Nordic and Baltic countries. The purpose of NIC is to promote cooperation among researchers and practitioners interested in intercultural communication in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The conferences are open to scholars and practitioners from around the world.

More information about the conference is available on the conference website at www.nicvilnius2026.kf.vu.lt

We invite you to a lecture by one of the most important and influential scholars of the Viking Age – Uppsala University professor Neil Price!

Neil Price’s research and major publications (his book Children of Ash and Elm was named The Times Book of the Year in 2020) have had a significant impact on shaping a more accurate and nuanced understanding of Viking Age society, identity, social norms, and religion—one that moves beyond long-established stereotypes. 

This lecture will be both engaging and insightful for those who still know Vikings only from films portraying them as raiding and ruthlessly violent seafarers, as well as for all lovers of quality cinema. Professor Neil Price also served as the principal historical consultant to director Robert Eggers on the historical action film The Northman (2022). 

About lecture:

Few periods in European history are as familiar, and yet as misunderstood, as the Viking Age. Images of warriors and raids have long shaped how the Vikings are remembered, but they reveal only a fragment of a far more intricate and varied past. Who were the Vikings beyond these enduring myths, how did their societies function, and what forces drove their expansion across the Baltic and beyond?

The Viking Age, from about 750 to 1050, saw the Norse world reach from eastern North America to the Asian steppe. For centuries, however, the Vikings have been viewed through interpretations shaped by later societies, which rarely reflect the richness or sophistication of their culture. 

This lecture explores the Vikings through their own political life, their cosmology and religion, and the material world that structured their daily existence. Although often associated with seaborne violence, the Vikings also carried ideas, goods, technologies, and beliefs to the peoples they encountered, and were themselves changed through these contacts.

The lecture will be given in English on March 9th at 17:00 in Room 92 (Zigmo Zinkevičiaus) at the Vilnius university Faculty of Philology.

More information: https://shorturl.at/8E7Z6

Credit: Linas Vaitonis

On March 3, a meeting of the Faculty community with the Rector of Vilnius University, Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas, took place in the V. Krėvė Auditorium. The Rector was accompanied by Vice-Rector for Research Prof. Gintaras Valušis, Vice-Rector for Studies Assoc. Prof. Valdas Jaskūnas, Vice-Rector for Organizational Development and Community Affairs Prof. Vilmantė Pakalniškienė, Vice-Rector for Partnerships Dr. Artūras Vasiliauskas, and Chancellor Raimundas Balčiūnaitis.

Presenting the Vilnius University 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, its development process, key objectives, and ambitions, the Rector highlighted issues particularly relevant to the Faculty of Philology community. These included the quality of research activities, the improvement of study programs, the contribution of philologists to strengthening the resilience of Lithuanian society as a space for ideas, and the upcoming 450th anniversary of Vilnius University. He also emphasized that the Faculty is already implementing some of the goals of the new strategy, such as study mentorship initiatives.

During the discussion, participants both in the auditorium and online raised questions regarding research quality assessment criteria, the possibility of establishing a center of excellence, plans for strategic partnerships with universities in Scandinavia and the United Kingdom, the redistribution of teaching workloads, mentorship for early-career lecturers, the challenging working conditions for researchers, and the future use of the former “Littera” bookstore premises.

Summarizing the nearly two-hour meeting, Dean Prof. Mindaugas Kvietkauskas thanked the Rector and his team for presenting the Strategy and invited members of the community to actively engage in the development of the new Faculty action plan.

The questions raised were not merely formalities. They reflected genuine concern for future plans, international engagement, the strengthening of the academic community, and the changes that matter to us all.

Thank you to everyone who participated for your insights, open dialogue, and shared sense of responsibility.

Unlock the Secrets of Manuscripts: From Ink to Digital Text

Are you a student or researcher working with historical manuscripts in Western European languages? Join us for a seminar dedicated to eScriptorium, a powerful open-source platform for Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) and OCR of rare fonts.

Why eScriptorium?

While similar to Transkribus, eScriptorium stands out as a non-commercial, community-driven alternative. It is completely free to use and operates on a decentralized model, where research communities host their own instances to maintain control over their data and workflows.

In 2025, the Center for East European Jewish Studies (Faculty of History, VU) launched its own dedicated instance of eScriptorium for research and educational purposes. This workshop is your gateway to utilizing this infrastructure.

What to Expect:

During this session, we will explore the core principles of the platform using high-quality open-source models available for:

• Languages: French, Latin, Spanish, English, German, Italian, and Occitan.
• Special Feature: A specialized model for rare German historical fonts.

We will cover the essential workflow steps:

1. Segmentation: How the AI identifies layouts and lines.
2. Transcription: Automatic conversion of handwriting into digital text.
3. Correction: Best practices for refining and exporting results.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is primarily designed for students and researchers dealing with Western European manuscript traditions. At the end of the session, we will discuss how interested researchers can join and utilize the VU instance of eScriptorium for their own projects.

Event Details:

• Time: 15.00 on March 2, 2026
• Registration: https://forms.gle/HY53vovUhMGx33Ur5
• Venue: A4 computer class in the VU Faculty of Philology  (see https://www.flf.vu.lt/zemelapis)
• Language: English

Discover a free, community-driven path to digital paleography!

At the 18th meeting of the Arqus Rectors’ Council on 13 February, two new Arqus joint study programmes were approved. The Joint Bachelor’s Programme in Physics for Technology has been developed by Vilnius University together with the University of Granada, the University of Padua and the University of Wrocław, while the Joint Master’s Programme in Translation, Technologies and Artificial Intelligence will be delivered by Vilnius University in cooperation with the University of Granada, the University of Graz and the University of Minho.

The Joint Master’s Programme in Translation, Technologies and Artificial Intelligence aims to prepare highly qualified specialists capable of working at the intersection of translation, digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and of shaping the future of multilingual communication in the era of artificial intelligence.

The curriculum integrates jointly developed modules created by the four partner universities and offers structured mobility opportunities. Students will engage with advanced AI-based translation tools, language technologies and project management practices, while critically examining the ethical, legal and societal implications of artificial intelligence. The programme will culminate in a joint research-based Master’s thesis and is designed to foster innovative thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration and leadership in technology-enhanced language services.

Prof. Mindaugas Kvietkauskas, Dean of the Faculty of Philology at Vilnius University, highlights the broader institutional significance of the initiative:

“The new Master’s programme in Translation, Technologies and AI, developed by the Faculty of Philology together with partner universities of the Arqus Alliance, naturally strengthens the international dimension of our Master’s studies, fosters collaboration and enhances the Faculty’s visibility in the international academic environment. Modules co-created with our colleagues abroad and structured mobility opportunities will enable students to experience genuine academic community in an international setting, while the Faculty will educate specialists capable of operating in the global market of language services and technologies, where intercultural expertise, technological competence and the ability to work in multilingual teams are increasingly valued.”

Through its participation in both programmes, Vilnius University continues to expand its internationally integrated study offer within the Arqus Alliance framework, strengthening cooperation with European partners and reinforcing its commitment to high-quality, internationally oriented education.

VU Counseling and Career Centre invites you to join Future Skills Pentathlon. It’s a unique training program based on experiential and reflective learning and focused on working on five competencies: cooperation, responsibility, interculturality, problem solving and openness to change.  

This program will be carried out in cooperation with our partners: SEB, Western Union, Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania.  

You will:

1.  Discover your strengths in a team. Get to know your own and your teammates’ personality types, explore the roles you naturally excel in, and reflect on key collaboration skills such as active listening, giving feedback, and staying positive. You’ll also learn about the different stages of team development. 
2.  Understand your sense of responsibility. Assess how you take responsibility on personal, team and social levels, recognize where your limits are, and discover whether you respond to challenges with a proactive or reactive mindset. 
3.  Grow your cultural awareness. Evaluate your intercultural competence by exploring two useful models—intercultural sensitivity development and the culture map—to better understand how to overcome stereotypes and work effectively across cultures. 
4.  Sharpen your problem-solving skills. Learn the IDEAL problem-solving model through practical case studies, practice identifying the real problem, and understand what typically gets in the way of effective decision-making. 
5.  Embrace change with creativity. Through improvisation activities, you’ll discover how open you are to surprises and change—all while having fun.

You‘ll enjoy the experience while connecting with students from diverse courses and specialties, expand your network and share insights in a secure environment, embracing diverse and enriching opinions.

The training program consists of: 8 weekly workshops focused on five key competencies; 2 consultations with a career counsellor: the first as part of the selection process, and the second for career development; structured reflection through the e-learning course Future Competencies.
 
Scheduled dates:  

• February 19
• February 26 
• March 5
• March 12
• March 19
• March 26
• April 2
• April 16

Sessions are held from 15:00 to 18:00 and on April 16 from 17:00 until 19:00. The times of the consultations will be arranged with each participant individually. All sessions will be held on-site; however, locations will vary. 
 

The number of participants is limited; therefore, priority will be given to the most motivated students, but all VU students – Foreign and Lithuanian – are welcome to register! 
 
Participants who complete the Future Skills Pentathlon, part of the Achieve More program, and submit a reflection will receive the Achieve More program certificate.

Registration is open until 17 February. In case of high interest, registration may be stopped earlier. 
 
Don’t miss your chance – register now! Please register here.