DAINIUS PAVALKIS, Professor at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Head of the Innovation and Development department of the Kaunas Clinics. Prof. Pavalkis is a Medical doctor, graduated at the Kaunas Institute of Medicine. From 1984-1986 he held a postgraduate research position at the Proctology Scientific Research Institute in Moscow, and between and 1993-and 1995 he served as an assistant in surgery at St. Mark’s Hospital, London, UK. From 1995-2005 Prof. Pavalkis was Director for surgery at the largest centre of its kind in Lithuania, the University Hospital – Kaunas Clinics, with responsibility of all clinical and administrative activities of all surgical specialties, intensive care and trauma. As a university professor he has published more than 280 research papers. The majority of these publications concern colorectal cancer, radio and chemotherapies, surgery, and quality assurance measures. Prof. Pavalkis has conducted five clinical trials, including one as principal investigator. This was a randomised clinical trial on “Preoperative chemoradiation versus Short term radiation alone with delayed surgery for stage II and III resectable rectal cancer”. Between 2012 and 2015 Prof. Pavalkis was Minister for Education and Science of Lithuania, responsible for all levels of education, science and research activities. Professor Pavalkis conducted many international research and science activities in different fields, giving priority to biomedical research and biotechnologies for health care. Horizon 2020, Erasmus+ and other EU programmes were finalised during the Lithuanian Presidency of the European Council while Prof. Pavalkis was Minister for Education and Science. Finally, Prof. Pavalkis was also responsible for the preparation of the Lithuanian Smart Specialisation strategy.