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2023/2024 Spring Semester Exam Retakes

2023/2024 spring semester exam retakes will be held from the 3rd until the 16th of September.

Retake dates for BA students >

Retake dates for MA students >

 

The dates are constantly updated as soon as the professors announce them.

If you cannot find the date for the needed subject, please contact the professor and follow the information on Faculty's website.

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Vuk Vukotić has been awarded the 2024 Dominique Jacquin-Berdal Prize

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The Faculty of Philology at Vilnius University is pleased to announce that Vuk Vukotić has been awarded the 2024 Dominique Jacquin-Berdal Prize, established by the Association for the Study of Ethnicity and Nationalism (United Kingdom) and the "Nations & Nationalism" journal, for his article "Are languages and dialects inventions of nationalism? On the problem of totalising metalanguage". The prize encourages young scholars to publish original research on ethnicity and nationalism.

The abstract states: Scholars of nationalism generally acknowledge that what counts as ‘a language’ and what as ‘a dialect’ is determined by historical and political circumstance, that both notions are idealisations of linguistic practice rather than objective entities and that the reality of language is fuzzy and complex. However, they nevertheless continue to talk about (and analyse) ‘linguistic entities’ in the same way nationalists do: as homogenous, closed systems. Paralleling Brubaker's "groupist language", this paper proposes the notion of "totalising metalanguage" to signify all ways of talking about linguistic phenomena that reify them into unproblematically existing objects. I analyse the historical development of dialectology in Croatia and Serbia from the 19th century until today to show how dubious linguistic taxonomies have been presented in the discourse as objectively existing linguistic entities. The paper invites scholars of nationalism to seek alternative approaches to the language-dialect dichotomy than that offered by the outdated model of Joshua Fishman.

English Philology graduate Gabriel Mesecke Moore shares his inspiring story about his studies and four years in Lithuania

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The most common question I get at this period of my life is "Why did you decide to study in Lithuania?" The simple answer I always give, which by now I know by heart in both English and Lithuanian, is that I always wanted to study in Europe, and when I visited a few countries after high school I liked Lithuania the most. But for the most part, I was throwing a dart while blindfolded. I knew a good bit about Lithuania's culture and history and found it interesting, but not extremely moreso than, say, Poland or Estonia. The university having a relatively early admissions deadline and offering what I wanted to study (linguistics, as a part of English philology) was the greatest contributing factor to my decision to study in Lithuania and VU specifically.

But for the effects of this decision on my life today, its initial spontaneity could not be less relevant. Lithuania has become a second home for me - as I say, Lietuva yra mano antrieji namai. The language, culture (including some specific activities such as grybavimas, hunting for mushrooms), and lifestyle of the people here have become part of who I am. I often say that I've grown up in Lithuania - I came here when I had just turned 19, and, four years later, almost everything I know about the "adult" world has a Lithuanian hue. Many people, friends and strangers alike, have called me an "honorary Lithuanian", a title which they all-the-more earnestly give me when they learn I have no Lithuanian roots whatsoever. At the very least, I agree with them that I have become somewhat assimilated into the Lithuanian culture and society.

Lithuania itself has provided me with ample opportunities to enrich both my own life and that of others. In December 2022, Marc Okrand, the inventor of the Klingon language from Star Trek, came to the university to give a talk to the philology department about the creation of this language. I found his talk fascinating, having put my linguistic learning at VU to use in making my own language, but more importantly it allowed me to meet with the US embassy's entourage accompanying him. Through this encounter, I have eagerly sought out volunteering in areas managed by the embassy, such as talking about American culture to curious students around Lithuania and hosting an "English speaking club" at the International Ukrainian School in Vilnius, who I'm currently working with the embassy to get funding for science equipment for. This volunteering has made me friends all over, namely in Biržai, which I've visited numerous times and is by now the "second city" for my life in Lithuania. I've also had the great experience of participating in the VU ambassador program (you could say I'm VU's "ambassador" to the US), and in the course of it I've helped a number of incoming American students know what life and studies are like here at VU, and how to prepare themselves.

But another important component in the additions to and mutations of my character over the past four years is my university experience. No one finishes university with the same experiences fundamental to who they are as when they started, and for me, studying in a new country, this was all the more so. I would say the most salient lesson that VU has given me is how to properly think. Intellectual thought is moreso conducting science than making art; a scientific method of analysis can, and must, be applied to any such thinking for it to be worthwhile. Consistently doing research, studying for myself, and putting my thoughts into writing in my university career has instilled in me a meticulous, open-minded way of thinking, which I use for everything from making life decisions to writing long texts for any purpose. This aspect of the intellectual culture at VU is, in my limited experience with other universities, fairly unique, and certainly one of the most valuable, practical learnings students will come away with.

Perhaps surprisingly after all I've said, my goal from here is to study international humanitarian law back in the US. Living in Lithuania and learning its history, as well as being so close to the war in Ukraine and its effects (particularly teaching students from cities that are now rubble) has ignited me with a motivation and passion to use the rigorous academic skills that VU has instilled in me to improve, and intensively and invariably apply the international legal frameworks that are supposed to defend human rights. I almost feel that it would be selfish of me to go into a different, easier field that I have less passion for and can't help people as directly with. Put simply, I want to dedicate my career to helping the most vulnerable people of our era, in a lasting and consistently-applicable way. As for my decision to return to the US, having a career there is the most likely trajectory my life will take, so it makes sense for me to study for part of my education there. But we'll see what the future holds; maybe Lithuania will become my pirmieji namai someday.

The best advice I can give VU students, current or future (and really to anyone) is to make the most of every opportunity that comes your way. Even in my own time here, there are definitely things that happened to me that I could have made something of, and allowed to slip past me. You will almost always regret inaction more than a failed attempt. Whether it's talking to an interesting person, getting an assignment done in the time best suited for doing so rather than rushing later, or visiting a new place, life is full of ways to improve the standing of our future selves. And, while a student, that is the most important principle to follow.

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Five faculties of Vilnius University organise the international conference “Nurturing Critical Minds: Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Education and the Workforce”

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The Institute of Foreign Languages at the Faculty of Philology, in collaboration with the University of Western Macedonia (Greece), is organizing an international interdisciplinary conference titled “Nurturing Critical Minds: Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Education and the Workforce.” This event will occur at Vilnius University, Faculty of Philology, Lithuania, on 27–28 June 2024. The conference is also supported by various faculties of Vilnius University, including the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, and the Faculty of Philosophy.

The primary aim of the conference is to explore the development of critical thinking (CT), a crucial skill for university graduates in the 21st century. Critical thinking is essential for effective participation in society and success in professional careers. Educational institutions are tasked with equipping students with CT skills, which labor market institutions highly value for their ability to solve complex problems and offer innovative solutions. Consequently, university curricula must focus on developing both discipline-specific and general competencies.

CT development is a key learning outcome across various disciplines in university programs. Speaking about the reasons for organising this conference, the Director of the Institute of Foreign Languages, serving as Chair of the Conference Organizing and Scientific Committees Prof. Roma Kriaučiūnienė, emphasizes the importance of integrating general competencies into foreign language teaching and learning. This aligns with the Institute's research objectives, which include investigating how CT and general competencies are cultivated in language education. The conference was also inspired by the Institute's participation in the Erasmus+ project Think4Jobs, which addressed CT development in teacher education, foreign language teaching, economics, IT, and medicine.

Research by El Soufia and See (2019) highlights that explicit instruction of CT skills is most effective. Despite the emphasis on CT in higher education, these skills are often not taught systematically at the undergraduate level. The conference aims to raise educators' awareness of the need for explicit CT instruction and to explore the best methods for achieving this.

By adopting a holistic approach, the conference will examine the role of CT in various academic disciplines and its importance in the labor market. The interdisciplinary nature of the conference will bring together diverse perspectives on CT development in university education.

The Vice-Dean for Strategy and General Affairs of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Vilnius University Prof. Jurgita Markevičiūtė underscores the importance of CT in data sciences: “In today's world, we are surrounded by a wealth of data, which is easy to manipulate and draw false conclusions from. Teaching statistics with critical thinking enables students to go beyond memorizing formulas and procedures. It develops their ability to analyze data, interpret results, and draw meaningful conclusions while adhering to ethical principles.”

The conference aims to present research on CT development across various university disciplines, share best practices, raise awareness about the importance of CT, and highlight exemplary practices. It will serve as a platform for educators, researchers, and labor market professionals to explore innovative strategies, share insights, and collaborate on integrating CT skills into educational curricula.

The event programme

VU FilF Bachelor's and Master's diploma award ceremony

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Congratulations on defending your thesis and successfully completing your studies at the Faculty of Philology! Don't forget to pay the University and sign the Diploma Registration Register. More information about this >

The graduation ceremony will take place on 27 June, in two streams, for the graduates of the different programmes. The celebration will traditionally take place at St. John's Church at 10 am and will last until 3 pm. The estimated duration of each stream is 1,5-2 hours.

Facebook event >

Diplomas will be awarded to all in stream I from 10.00:

English Studies (Linguistics/Literature, Linguistics, Culture/Media Linguistics)
English Philology
Subject Languages (Law) (English/German)
Intermedia Literary Studies
Linguistics (applied/adjacent)
Lithuanian Philology
Lithuanian Philology and Estonian
Lithuanian Philology and Turkish
Anthropology of Literature and Culture
Polish Philology
Semiotics
Scandinavian Studies (Danish/Norwegian/Finnish and Swedish/Swedish)
Languages and Cultures of Northern Europe (Germanic/Scandinavian Studies (Norwegian)
German Philology.

For graduates of the following programmes.


In stream II, from 13.00, diplomas will be awarded to all:

English and other foreign languages (Spanish/Norwegian/French/Russian)
Spanish Philology
Italian Philology
Classical (Latin and Ancient Greek) Philology
Classical Studies
French Philology
Russian Studies (literature, linguistics, cultural/media linguistics)
Russian Philology
Translation (Italian/Latvian)
Translation (written/artistic translation).

For graduates of the following programmes.


The event will be photographed and the photos will be available on the Faculty's Facebook account.

Please also note that gowns are not a tradition of our University. You would look much nicer wearing university caps or even national dress. Caps can be purchased here > VU merchandise will also be sold during the celebrations.

The recommended dress code is formal.

Vilnius University, Faculty of Philology, has launched a new project "Redefining our understanding of being and language. Dialectical Games and Meanings of Being in Antiquity."

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Vilnius University, Faculty of Philology, has launched a new project "Redefining our understanding of being and language. Dialectical Games and Meanings of Being in Antiquity." The Faculty of Philology of Vilnius University is launching in 2024 the project "Redefining our understanding of being and language. Resetting our understanding of being and language. Dialectical games and the meanings of being in Antiquity.) NR. 10-036-T-0011. Dr. Luca Gili from the University of Quebec in Montreal will undertake a 24-month postdoctoral fellowship at Vilnius University under the supervision of Dr. Vilius Bartninkas, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Philology. The fellowship will involve an original research project and researcher qualification.

 

The aim of the project is to fill a gap in the scholarly literature by broadly exploring dialectical practices in the context of metaphysical debates from Parmenides to Aristotle. Objectives: 1) to investigate the linguistic use of the verb "to be" in the 5th century BC, using modern technology to determine whether there is evidence of existential use of the verb; 2) to explore the possibility of a new reading of Parmenides 8, where the qualification of "to be" is not related to an implicit subject or predicate, but rather to the connection between subject and predicate, thus developing a new interpretation of Parmenides' ontology; 3) to analyse Plato's dialogues on "being" in the light of contemporary debates on language and the errors in the use of the verb "to be"; 4) to explore Aristotle's discovery of the "categories" in the context of dialectical debates on "being"; 5) to organise a seminar on the medieval understanding of "being" in the context of the analysis of dialectical copula.

 

The project will be implemented within the framework of the 2022-2030 Development Programme Manager of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania, under the Development Programme of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania, under the Progress Measure No.12-001-01-02- 01 "Strengthening the innovation ecosystems in the Science Centres", the activity "Supporting the Science and SME projects awarded the European Commission's quality label and the projects awarded the European Commission's Quality Label and the projects awarded with the European Research Council, the European Research Council, and the Dissemination of Knowledge and the ERA, which received positive marks, but which, due to a shortage of funding, did not receive European Commission financing".

 

The amount of funds available for the project is €158616.45.

Project implementation period: 1 May 2024 - 30 April 2026

The project is funded by the Economic Recovery and Resilience Plan "New Generation Lithuania".

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Literature seminar "Manuel Lassala Sangermán: a Jesuit dramatist in the exile"

You are cordially invited to the Faculty’s Literature Seminar "Manuel Lassala Sangermán: a Jesuit dramatist in the exile", which will be held in English, and will take place on Tuesday, 21 May, at 5 pm in Kazimieras Būga Auditorium. 

This time our speaker will be our colleague from the Centre for Comparative Literature Studies Dr María Sebastià-Sáez.


The abstract of the presentation:


The aim of this talk is to present Manuel Lassala Sangermán through some of his private letters. Lassala (1738-1806) is included in the group of expelled Jesuits who were banished from Spain by King Carlos III in 1767. Lassala was exiled in Italy and was considered a Hispanic-Italian author. During the exile, Lassala maintained an active correspondence with his mother, Inés Sangermán, along with other family and friends. Some of the letters addressed the French Revolution from the point of view of a noble family, in addition to discussing family matters. Furthermore, Lassala developed his literary career during his exile. Thus, also an overview of his neoclassic dramas will be provided.


Biographical note:


Dr María Sebastià-Sáez is Assistant Professor at the Institute of Literary, Cultural and Translation Studies at Vilnius University and researcher at the MotherNet project, in collaboration with Maynooth University (Ireland) and Uppsala University (Sweden). Her main research fields are Classical Reception, Comparative Literature, Gender Studies and Motherhood—specifically in non-motherhood and uncommon motherhood models in classical reception.

 

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Seminar "Tactical Motherhood: Ideas about Femininity, Nation and Cultural Transfer around 1800 in the Writings of Amalia von Helvig"

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We are cordially inviting everybody to Jules Kelmann (University of Uppsala) seminar Tactical Motherhood: Ideas about Femininity, Nation and Cultural Transfer around 1800 in the Writings of Amalia von Helvig.


When: May 7, 13.00 /1 p.m.

Where:  Room 122.


Annotation:


With her biography shaped by mobility, and political and cultural changes, the German writer Amalia von Helvig, née Imhoff (1776-1831) is particularly suitable for examining the importance of gender and nationality as well as network contacts for the work and influence of women writers around 1800. Questions of nationality were notably actualised in relation to Helvig’s two visits to Sweden (1806–1810 and 1814–1816). Acting as a “cultural transmitter” (Petra Broomans) between Germany and Sweden, Helvig contributed actively to the reciprocal processes of nation building. In her many roles as a writer in different genres, literary agent and patron, reviewer and translator of Swedish authors, Helvig not only conveyed her image of the “North” to her German readership, but also was instrumental in shaping the way her Swedish acquaintances perceived Germany.

The interactions of gender, nation and authorship in Helvig's work were complex in their consequences: Helvig being a woman, a mother and an artist; a German living in Sweden; and a born aristocrat married to a bourgeois military officer, situated in fluctuating social, cultural and geographical milieus with their own aesthetic norms and ideals, has considerably shaped her work and its reception. However, Helvig and her works have not only been shaped by those intersections. Using the example of the topic of motherhood in her work, my talk will illustrate how Helvig tactically used the tension between the expectations in her different roles to shed light on contemporary norms, to question or confirm them, and even to subtly amend them. 

Jules Kielmann studied comparative literature with a focus in Scandinavian and German literature at Albert-Ludwig-University Freiburg, Germany. In 2023, she received her PhD in literature from Uppsala University. The dissertation Intersections: Gender, Nation and Authorship in the Work of Amalie von Helvig will be published at Universitätsverlag Winter, Heidelberg later this year. From September 2024, Jules will continue her research at the Institute of German Literature at Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany. 


This visit is a part of MotherNet project and has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 952366.

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