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Vilnius University and the University of Hamburg have signed a double degree agreement, offering German Studies students the unique opportunity to obtain a diploma from both institutions.

From 2025 onwards, students enrolling in the Bachelor's programme in German Studies at Vilnius University will be eligible for the double degree. This agreement is the result of four years of close cooperation between the two universities, with the launch of a joint degree being one of the partnership’s key goals. Until now, students could spend a semester in Hamburg, but the new programme opens up even broader international opportunities.

'Vilnius University seeks to expand its cooperation with leading international universities in both research and education. We have good news for students of the Faculty of Philology: this academic year we are launching another double degree programme. From 2025, bachelor’s students of German Studies will be able to earn a double degree from Vilnius University and the University of Hamburg. We are delighted with our partnership with this prestigious academic institution and the new opportunities it brings for our German Studies students,' said Vilnius University Rector Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas.

The University of Hamburg is one of the most prestigious universities in Germany and has been awarded the status of 'Exzellenzuniversität' (Excellence University). It is renowned for its innovative research projects, strong academic networks, and commitment to building a sustainable future in the digital age.

Skaistė Volungevičienė photo

This new double degree programme will give students a significant competitive advantage in their academic and professional careers.

Contacts:

Vilnius University, Faculty of Philology – Assoc. Prof. Dr Skaistė Volungevičienė
University of Hamburg – Prof. Dr Heike Zinsmeister

Vilnius university / Ugnius Bagdonavičius photo

To mark the 400th anniversary of the first publication of Matthias Casimirus Sarbievius's most famous collection of Latin poetry, Lyricorum libri tres, 2025 has been declared the Year of Baroque Literature in Lithuania. Sarbievius, a neo-Latin Jesuit poet from the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, was known as the 'Christian or Sarmatian Horace'. His theoretical ideas on poetry and rhetoric are still valued, inspiring new research on Baroque literature and authors. This anniversary therefore provides an opportunity to explore the scope and diversity of Baroque literary culture, an area that has attracted considerable interest in recent decades, both academically and in popular culture. To mark this occasion, the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore and the Faculty of Philology at Vilnius University have organised an international scientific conference entitled 'Ratio, affectus, sensus: Literary Baroque Culture in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania'.

Vilnius university / Ugnius Bagdonavičius photo

After welcoming conference participants from around the world, Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas, the rector of Vilnius University, noted that the prominent Baroque poet Matthias Casimirus Sarbievius was an alumnus, and professor of our University. In his presentation, he emphasised the spirit of internationalism that has prevailed at Vilnius University since its foundation.

'Vilnius University has been an international learning hub since the very outset of its founding. The first professors came from Bohemia, the first rector was Polish, a Portuguese scholar wrote the oldest surviving dissertation, the longest-serving rector was Spanish, the first law professors were from Germany, while the first professors of medicine hailed from France and Austria. Sarbievius also belonged to this international community of distinguished thinkers who shaped the identity of the university as a 'universitas magistrorum et scholarium,' emphasized Professor Rimvydas Petrauskas, Rector of Vilnius University.

Vilnius university / Ugnius Bagdonavičius photo

This multidisciplinary conference aims to stimulate discussion about the literary culture of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during the 'long 17th century' (from the end of the 16th century to the mid-18th century). This historical period is associated with dramatic changes and a general cultural crisis and is often described as contradictory, characterised by constant tension between reason and emotion, strict structure and passion. Considering this, we invite you to examine Baroque literature through the lens of the dynamic interplay between reason (ratio), emotion (affectus) and the senses (sensus), evident in various genres of the period and their subsequent reception that preserved the Baroque spirit.

Yesterday, the new Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain, His Excellency Fernando Fernández-Aguayo, visited the Faculty of Philology. In addition to the Dean, Prof. Dr Mindaugas Kvietkauskas, the meeting was attended by the faculty's lecturers in Spanish language and literature, Prof. Dr Miguel Villanueva and lect. Claudia Medrano González and Assoc. Prof. Dr Aistė Kučinskienė, a postdoctoral fellow from the University of Madrid, Silvia Peterssen Fernández, the Deputy Ambassador of Spain to Lithuania, Alejandra Rubio del Barrio, and the Ambassador's Assistant for Cultural Affairs, Greta Jurkūnaitė, who is also a Master's student at our faculty.

The Ambassador and his Deputy emphasised their desire to continue successful cooperation with the Faculty. They expressed a wish to organise Spanish film screenings, contribute to the preparation of Spanish Culture Week and maintain the Spanish literature shelf in the Česlovas Miloš reading room.

We were delighted to welcome H.E. Fernando Fernández-Aguayo and to mark the beginning of a new period.

Congratulations to the students who chose to devote part of their summer vacation to science! This year, nine students, supervised by lecturers from the Faculty of Philology at Vilnius University, completed a internship funded by the The Research Council of Lithuania. We are proud of them and our lecturers.

"The student summer internship is a wonderful opportunity for young academics to experience the challenges and joy of being a scientist. It is great that this LMT programme is so successful," says Assoc. Prof. Dr Giedrius Tamaševičius, Vice-dean for Research and Development at the Faculty of Philology at Vilnius University.

Students and lecturers of the Faculty of Philology, from left to right: Iveta Ivanauskaitė, Assoc. Prof. Dr Nijolė Juchnevičienė, Assoc. Prof. Dr Aistė Kučinskienė, Dr. Deividas Zibalas, Fausta Bauer, Kornelija Mikalauskaitė, Dr. Eleonora Terleckienė, Deinoras Petrauskas, Dr. Antanas Keturakis, Dr. Tomas Riklius, Assoc. Prof. Dr Laura Vilkaitė-Lozdienė, Justė Pečkaitytė, Assoc. Prof. Dr Vytautas Ališauskas, Vilius Mėdžius. Domantas Zaluba (@VU Faculty of Philosophy), Palina Salei (@Vytautas Magnus University), Pijus Makselis, and doctoral student Simonas Baliukonis were unable to attend the photo shoot, but we would also like to mention them.

We wish everyone many more discoveries in the field of science. 

The Faculty of Philology at Vilnius University would like to remind all our students of the wonderful opportunities presented by the current mobility programmes, and would like to share with you Iryna Neschotna‘s letter about her Erasmus+ experience in Melbourne, Australia.

Hi everyone! I’m Iryna, a third-year student of English Philology at Vilnius University. My third year of studies I have started with an amazing adventure: a bilateral exchange at the University of Melbourne in Australia. 

It has now been more than a month since I began my studies here, and every week continues to bring something new and exciting. I’ve already gone through some of the first midterms, which makes me feel more settled into the academic rhythm and community. For this semester, I chose four subjects: Writing for Screen; Literature, Adaptation, Media; Intercultural Communication; German 4. Each of them is different in style and content, yet all are equally engaging.

The academic experience itself has been fascinating. At first, I found German 4 a little intimidating. Unlike Vilnius University, the University of Melbourne does not strictly follow the European framework after the German 2 level, so the material and approach felt unfamiliar and slightly more complex to grasp quickly. However, thanks to the advice and encouragement of my course coordinator, I decided to continue at this level. Looking back, I can confidently say it was the right decision – every week I feel my German improving, and the challenge has turned into motivation. 

Another highlight of my studies is Writing for Screen. Before arriving here, I had only a general interest in screenwriting, but now I find myself deeply immersed in it. Reading professional screenplays, analyzing them together with classmates, and pitching our own creative ideas has been both fun and inspiring. What excites me the most is the final assignment: writing my very own screenplay. I’ve already started brainstorming concepts, and the process is giving me a fresh perspective on how stories come to life on screen.

The lecturers here are incredibly approachable and supportive. No matter how small or complex the question, they always make time to help. This open academic culture creates a sense of comfort and encouragement as you’re never afraid to ask for clarification or to express your thoughts, opinions or ideas. What I find particularly unique in Melbourne is its multicultural environment. Both in classes and outside, I meet people from all over the world, each with different cultural backgrounds, yet everyone is eager to listen, understand, and connect. This diversity makes classroom discussions richer and everyday communication much more rewarding. It feels like the whole city is a hub of global exchange. I especially enjoy the smiling and coffee culture! 

The campus itself is another story. The Parkville campus is enormous compared to what I am used to, and it offers countless opportunities beyond academics. Students can spend their free time at the university gym or swimming pool, participate in societies and clubs ranging from sports to arts to social causes, or simply relax in the Central Business District nearby, which is always full of life. Every week, new events are organized from academic workshops and cultural festivals to casual social gatherings,  making it easy to meet people and broaden your horizons, building a useful network.

Of course, my exchange experience is not only about lectures and assignments. Whenever I am free, I explore Melbourne and the wider region with friends. During just a month and a half, I have already experienced so much. I traveled the breathtaking Great Ocean Road, where every turn of the coastline seemed like a postcard. I visited several national parks and had the unforgettable experience of seeing wild koalas and kangaroos in their natural habitat. A trip to Sydney was another highlight as I attended a performance by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, admired the iconic Harbour Bridge, and even went on a whale-watching tour where we were lucky enough to spot two whales. Moments like these truly feel magical and special. 

Despite a busy academic schedule filled with assignments and tests, I try to balance my studies with new adventures. For the next two weeks, I already have exciting plans, such as traveling to Phillip Island to watch the famous penguin parade, browsing through vintage shops in Melbourne, and hiking in a national park with my friends. 

Looking back at everything I have experienced so far, I cannot put into words how grateful I am for this opportunity as none of this would have been possible without the support of Vilnius University, and I am truly thankful for the chance to live and study in Australia. This is a once-in-a-lifetime journey, and I am determined to make the most of it.

Lastly, I would like to encourage each of you to be brave and adventurous, apply for an exchange, step out of your comfort zone, and allow yourself to discover new opportunities. Studying abroad is not only about academics; it is about learning to see the world differently, building lifelong friendships, and gaining experiences that shape who you are and who you can become in the future.

Registration for the spring 2025-2026 international exchange program is open until midnight on September 15.

Erasmus+, Bilateral, and ARQUS, COIMBRA Exchange Application for 2025/2026 Spring Semester

We are very pleased to announce the publication of the book ''Language Variation, Change and Standardisation'', edited by Gintarė Judžentytė-Šinkūnienė, an Associate Professor of Semantics and Dialectology at the Faculty of Philology, Vilnius University. This publication from Cambridge Scholars Publishing present this book as a ''collection of interesting and relevant research papers on language variation, change, and standardisation in some Indo-European languages and beyond. Focusing on both theoretical and practical issues, it is unique in that it offers a rare combination of language variation, change, and standardisation, rethinking the relationship between language variation and standardisation. The book provides a new framework for the study of language standardisation that takes us beyond the still dominant normative monolingualism. Some research concludes that there is always a conceptually unbridgeable gap between the notion of language change and the notion of standardisation, and that some language varieties are the source of human power and an essential sign of identity for those who have them in their heritage. This book aims to continue the dialogue with scholars, stimulate interest in language, and foster discussion on current language issues between academics and the public.

 Vilnius university / Ugnius Bagdonavičius photo

“Looking at the title of this book, I feel a personal connection to all three terms. I first started working on language change while writing my dissertation—in the second part, I explored how Latvian local adverbs formed and how their system evolved. Later on, I became interested in how spatial reference is created using deictic words in the Baltic languages. The word “variation” really showed itself in all its colors. I still smile when I remember a woman from the Skuodas district pointing to a museum and saying, “This here, that one there, and the one over there—that’s the museum. I’m sure there’s no other museum like it in all of Lithuania.”

My interest in standardisation came a bit later when I had the chance to visit the printing house of the Evangelical Lutheran weekly Svečias. I’m really grateful to all the authors of this book who worked together to successfully combine all three terms—language variation, change, and standardisation—into one cohesive volume," – noted Gintarė Judžentytė-Šinkūnienė.

Vilniaus universiteto nuotrauka

In the 2025–2026 academic year, Vilnius University students are invited to take part in the Arqus Plurilingualism Module, which offers the opportunity to begin learning Lithuanian, Norwegian or French at A1 level. Alongside this, participants are encouraged to continue practising a foreign language they already know through informal activities such as the Arqus Café. The module brings together formal courses, informal learning opportunities and theoretical perspectives on language and culture, enabling students to reflect critically on their own learning strategies and cultural experiences.

The programme runs from September 2025 to January 2026 and is delivered online via Microsoft Teams and MOODLE. It comprises 150 academic hours (50 contact hours and 100 hours of independent work) and is free of charge. Students will receive 5 ECTS credits, participants from other Arqus universities will be awarded a certificate of participation. Registration is open from 1 to 16 September.

This year’s module builds on the pilot organised in 2024–2025, which focused on Lithuanian language and culture. Participants of the pilot combined A1 Lithuanian courses with lectures on Lithuania’s culture, language and politics. As one student reflected: “Overall, the multilingual module has provided me with valuable insights into language acquisition, cultural adaptation, and literary representation. Understanding different learning styles has allowed me to reflect on my own approach to language learning. Exploring Lithuania’s sociolinguistic landscape has deepened my awareness of historical influences on multilingualism. Finally, learning about women’s literature in Lithuania added to my cultural knowledge of the country I am now living in. This module has not only enhanced my academic knowledge but also enriched my personal perspective on language and communication in diverse contexts.”

By joining the 2025–2026 module, students will not only gain new language skills but also broaden their cultural horizons and take part in a wider European dialogue on multilingualism. For registration, click here.

2024/2025 spring semester exam retakes will be held from the 2nd 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.

If you have any questions, please contact us at