/ HOW TO SURVIVE AND NOT TO GET BORED IN KAUNAS / 004 DISCOVER VYTAUTAS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY 007_ We Were and Still Are Waiting for You to Come! 009_ Vytautas Magnus University – When? Where? Why? 012_ Facts and Figures About the University Survival guide: 014_ International Office – Ready to Help You How to survive and not to get bored in Kaunas 016 SURVIVAL GUIDE 018_ Arriving 019_ Incoming Student’s To-Do List Before Coming to VMU ? 059 Where to Eat Out and Have a Drink? 020_ Lithuanian Customs & Consular Information 064 Where to Spend Evenings & Nights? 023_ Reaching Kaunas & Travelling ored 068 What Should I Visit in Kaunas? B 026 Studying 072 Places Worth Your Attention @ VMU 2 027_ How to Design the Study Schedule? et 3 G 075 Kaunas for Keen Theatre Goers 028_ System of Credits & Grading @ VMU O 078 Information for Passionate Cinema Goers 030_ Lithuanian Language Courses T 080 Online News in [En] and [Ru] 033_ Library & Its Reading Rooms ot 080 Learn [Lt] is Easy if You Know How 034_ Academic Year – What & When? N 082 Culture Which Surrounds You in Kaunas 036 Living ow 084 Before You Leave 037_ Incoming Student’s To-Do List After Coming to VMU H 085 Incoming Student’s To-Do List Before Leaving VMU 038 Things You Should Know About the Dormitory of VMU 040 Life in a Dormitory – Some Rules, Tips & Tricks ? 042 Health Care and Insurance 086 DISCOVER KAUNAS 089 Inspiring Modern City of 600 Years of History 044 Mentors Programme at VMU 045 Students’ Union & Lithuanian Student ID Card 090 Virtual Community of Tourists & Their Remarks on Kaunas urvive 045 Computer Facilities, Intranet S O 047 How to Get Where You Want – Public Transport 094 DISCOVER LITHUANIA T 048 Important Information About Drugs, Alcohol & Smoking 096 Main Facts and Figures ow 049 Practical Safety Advice & Tips 098 When Do Lithuanians Mourn or Celebrate H 050 Language & Communication 101 Main Dates of History 053 How to Cash Money – Banks & Cards 102 Nature of The Land 054 Where yo Spend Money – Shopping Places 105 Features of The Nation 056 Raw Facts for First Time Comers 106 Tourism Information Centres 01/part 01/part We Were and Still Are Waiting for You to Come! Vytautas Magnus University – When? Where? Why? Facts and Figures About the University International Office – Ready to Help You WE WERE AND STILL ARE WAITING FOR YOU TO COME! Vytautas Magnus University is open for academic community from all over the world. Each year more than 60 (2007/2008) of students and a number of teachers from different international universities come to VMU and enjoy their time here. The university offers 17 full-time graduate programmes in English and 2 programmes in German and Russian. Over 350 semester- 6 long courses in all the faculties and schools 7 are offered in English for students from foreign countries, also for exchange and visit- ing students. Each semester at least 4-5 courses in all pro- grammes are taught in English, if 3 or more foreign students participate in these courses. It is also possible for an exchange student to study any of the offered subjects individually, do research projects and get consultations. VMU also offers 17 foreign languages courses, including Lithuanian, Latvian, Japa- nese, Hindi, Turkish, Arab, Ancient Greek, Norwegian, Finnish languages and many others. Studying at VMU also renders a great opportunity to learn Lithuanian language, become acquainted with Lithuanian culture, literature, art, history and politics. International students also have an opportu- nity to travel around Lithuania and other two Baltic States (Latvia and Estonia), students also often decide to visit St. Petersburg (Rus- sia) and Helsinki (Finland). VYTAUTAS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY – WHEN? WHERE? WHY? 8 9 In February 1922, the Lithuanian Govern- ment of Ministers decided to establish the University of Lithuania in Kaunas. The ceremonial opening of the university took place on February 16, 1922. On June 7, 1930, the university was named Vytautas Magnus University. It was closed during the Soviet occupation. The act of re-establishing Vytau- tas Magnus University was proclaimed on April 28, 1989. During the university’s first decade the number of students and teachers grew more than twenty times. It has become the centre for academic work in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Political Science and Law, Fine Arts, and Catholic Theology in Kaunas. Vytautas Magnus University is the only university in Lithuania having the Faculty of Catholic Theology. Modern programmes have been expanded in Information and Computer Science, Environmental Sciences, Biology, Mathematics and Physics. The key features of the present day Vytautas Magnus University are modernity, liberality and sociality. The core values of the University include academic freedom, autonomy, liberal system of studies, university culture, wide humanitarian-social and linguistic prepa- ration of students, well-balanced studies, research and administration. The university stands out for its well-rounded university education which facilitates the development of broad-minded personalities and formation of civil society and demo- 10 11 cratic state. Liberal system of studies allows students to create their own study plans, to decide when and what subjects to study. Students are also offered the opportunity to complete a minor programme along with their major programme and to get their BA degree with a certificate in this minor specialty. Great attention is being paid to teaching foreign languages and students are offered the opportunity to study sixteen different lan- guages at the Centre of Foreign Languages. The university has ten faculties with 70 study programmes. Substantial attention is devoted to the devel- opment of international relations. Students can take an advantage of student exchange programme and study abroad in one of over 80 universities in Western Europe, the USA, Japan and other countries. To increase international student and teacher mobility is a strategic goal of the University. FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY around 7000 Bachelor & 2000 Master students; over 250 PhD students; around 100 Professional development students; over 500 teachers and researchers; over 16 000 alumni (after 1989); 70 BA and MA study programmes; 17 foreign languages courses; 10 faculties; 12 situated in 15 buildings; 13 150 partner universities around the world; member of 9 international organizations & associations; member of Campus Europae university network. In the future, Vytautas Magnus University is seen as Artes Liberales University with its unique system of liberal studies, openness to the world, dissemination of liberal thought and high qual- ity of studies. INTERNATIONAL The general quality of studies in OFFICE – VMU 10% percent of incoming students rated as normal, 60% as READY TO good and 30% as very good. HELP YOU 95% of students stated that they got enough general information before leaving home from the International Office of VMU. The service offered LLP/Erasmus programme is administered by the IO staff of VMU by the International Office. The office acts as 90% of students rated an advisor and coordinator for incoming and as very good, 10% outgoing students and university teachers, thought that it was organises informational Erasmus seminars good. 14 for university staff and students, deals with 15 administrative matters of the programme and publishes promotional leaflets, guides, booklets. During their study at VMU 90% of students lived in the Postal Address: university’s dormitory, 10% K. Donelaičio g. 58 stayed in apartments together LT-44248 Kaunas with other incoming students. Lithuania Visiting Address: Staff of the International Office after each semester asks incoming S. Daukanto g. 27, Rooms 301–305 students’ opinion concerning the LT-44249 Kaunas communication efficiency, study Lithuania quality, accommodation and related Tel: +370 37 327 986, +370 37 327 989 topics. The questionnaire of the Asked about their accommoda- Fax +370 37 327 989 last year revealed some interest- tion, 20% of students stated that E-mail: [email protected] ing details so we have decided to they got what they had expected, share some with you. 30% said that accommoda- Office hours tion was better than they had Monday – Thursday expected before the arrival and 40% answered that their accom- 8:00 – 12:00, 13:00 – 17:00 modation in Lithuania was much Friday better than they had expected. 8:00 – 12:00, 13:00 – 15:45 02/part 02/part Arriving Studying Living Before You Leave ARRIVING Incoming Student’s To-Do List Before Coming to VMU Lithuanian Customs & Consular Information INCOMING Reaching Kaunas & Travelling 1. Before your studies at Vytautas Magnus Uni- STUDENT’S versity, please send to the International Office at Vytautas Magnus University (mailing address: K. TO-DO LIST Donelaičio g. 58, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania) all required documents on time (deadline for BEFORE COMING Autumn Semester – June 30, deadline for Spring Semester – November 30): Application Form, Learning Agreement, Accommodation Form, TO VMU Transcript of Records, copy of passport or your ID card. 2. Be sure that your travelling document (passport 19 or ID card) is valid! Traveller’s document validity must exceed 6 months the validity period of Tem- porary Residence Permit or Visa. 3. Get the health insurance (in Lithuania, the Euro- pean Health Insurance Card is also valid). 4. Contact your mentor at Vytautas Magnus Uni- versity and inform him/her about your arrival date if you want to be met in the bus/railway station or in the airport. 5. If you have any questions or problems do not hesitate to contact your coordinator or mentor at Vytautas Magnus University. LITHUANIAN CUSTOMS & CONSULAR INFORMATION VISAS AND TEMPORARY RESIDENCE PERMITS FOR VISAS AND TEMPORARY RESIDENCE PERMITS FOR Information prepared according to CITIZENS OF EURO PEAN COUNTRIES CITIZENS OF NON-EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES http://www.cust.lt An EU citizen can enter Lithuania with The citizens of countries that need a visa for No restrictions are applied to any goods pur- a valid travel document (ID card or pass- entering Lithuania have to obtain it while chased or carried when travelling inside the port).