Kaunas University of Technology

Kaunas University of Technology (abbreviated as KTU, ) is a public research university located in Kaunas, Lithuania. Established in 1922, KTU has been one of the top centers of Lithuanian science education. According to Lithuanian National University Rankings conducted in 2021, KTU was the second best university in Lithuania. The primary language of education is Lithuanian, though there are courses that are taught jointly in Lithuanian and English or solely English.

History

Early years

The origins of KTU are in the University of Lithuania established on 16 February 1922. On 8 June 1930 the university was named Vytautas Magnus University. The university then consisted of seven faculties consisting of the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy, Faculty of Evangelical Theology, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Technology. The beginning of 1940 saw the reorganization of Vytautas Magnus University with The Faculties of Law and Humanities being transferred to the University of Vilnius.

World War II and the Soviet era

On 21 August 1940, following the Soviet occupation, the university was renamed to the University of Kaunas. In the autumn of 1940 the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences was transferred to the University of Vilnius. After the German occupation in 1941, the university was once again renamed to Vytautas Magnus University with 5 faculties: Theology, Philosophy, Technology, Civil Engineering and Mathematics. On 17 March 1943, the university was closed.

On 13 November 1944, the Soviet government reopened the university and, until 1946, it operated under the name of Kaunas National Vytautas Magnus University. In June 1949 the Faculty of History and Theology was closed. In 1950 the University of Kaunas was reorganized into Kaunas Polytechnic Institute (KPI) and Kaunas Medical Institute. Throughout the Soviet era, the KPI resisted Russification and, in particular, kept teaching in the Lithuanian language.

Under the influence of Perestroika, the government of Lithuanian SSR reinstated the school's university status. In 1989, Vytautas Magnus University was re-established as a separate university from KPI. In 1990, KPI renamed to its current name of Kaunas University of Technology.

Since 1990

Following the restoration of independence, the institution rapidly adopted the Western standards. In 1992, the university, in accordance with the Law on Science and Education, started implementing a two-level degree program of higher education and a new procedure of awarding research degrees and academic titles. In 1998, the university joined Magna Charta of the European Universities and became a member of the European University Association and the International Association of Universities.

Education

Kaunas University of Technology has 122 study programmes, of which 48 are Bachelor’s, 54 are Master’s, 19 are Doctoral and 1 – non-degree student programmes. 56 of them are taught in English. University has more than 9,000 students, of which more than 6,600 are Bachelor’s, 2,000 are Master’s and 320 are Doctoral students. 6.5 percent of them are foreign. All of that fits into 9 faculties of KTU. KTU also engages in research of physical, technological and social sciences, and experimental development, while research of biomedical sciences and humanities is also promoted. All of that fits into 8 research institutes of KTU.

Institutes

* Biomedical Engineering Institute
* Institute of Aviation & Aeronautical
* Food Institute
* Institute of Architecture and Construction
* Institute of Environmental Engineering
* Institute of Materials Science
* Institute of Mechatronics
* Kazimieras Baršauskas Ultrasound Research Institute
* Health Telematics Science Institute

Education in English

The following programs are offered entirely in English for bachelors and masters levels.

Bachelor's level programs

*Faculty of Chemical Technology
**Chemical Technology and Engineering
**Food Science and Technology
* School of Economics and Business
** Business Digitalization Management
* Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
** Electronic and Electrical Engineering
** Intelligent Robotics Systems
** Renewable Energy Engineering
* Faculty of Informatics
** Artificial Intelligence
** Informatics
* Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
** Materials Physics and Nanotechnologies
* Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design
** Aviation Engineering
** Mechanical Engineering
** Mechatronics
** Vehicle Engineering
* Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities
** Communication Studies and Information Management Technologies
** New Media Language
** Public Governance and Civil Society
* Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture
** Architecture
** Civil Engineering

Master's level programs

* Faculty of Chemical Technology
** Applied Chemistry
** Chemical Engineering
** Environmental Engineering
** Food Science and Safety
** Industrial Biotechnlogy
* School of Economics and Business
** Accounting and Auditing
** International Business
* Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
** Biomedical Engineering
** Control Technologies
** Electronics Engineering
** Energy Technologies and Economics
* Faculty of Informatics
** Artificial Intelligence in Computer Science
* Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
** Materials Physics
** Medical Physics
* Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design
** Aeronautical Engineering
** Industrial Engineering and Management
** Mechanical Engineering
** Mechatronics
** Sustainable Management and Production
** Vehicle Engineering
* Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities
** Public Policy and Security
** Translation and Localization of Technical Texts
* Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture
** Architecture
** Structural and Building Products Engineering
* Panevėžys Faculty of Technologies and Business
** Control Technologies

Events

*In 1998 the KTU Regional Business Incubator was established. It is the first technological business incubator in Lithuania, providing support to enterprises interested in starting new businesses.
*In 2008, Rymantas Jonas Kažys was awarded with the National Award for Partnership Advancement for creating technologies of supersonic measurement and diagnostics and for the commencement of European scientific research and practice.
*In 2010, Jurgis Kazimieras Staniškis, head of the Institute of Environmental Engineering, was awarded the Baltic Sea Award 2010. Staniškis is currently the only Lithuanian scientist to receive this award.
*In 2010 an agreement on the Integrated Science, Studies and Business Center (Valley) of Santaka sponsorship of the first investment project was signed. The implementation of this project will result in the establishment of a world-class National open-access R&D Center within the KTU Student Campus in Kaunas. The Center will primarily focus in such areas as sustainable chemistry, mechatronics, information and communication technology, and sustainable energy resources, which are a substantial part of the Lithuanian economy and comprise a significant part of its export.
*On the 13 October 2017, Klaus Schwab, head of the World Economic Forum, became the 45th Honorary Doctor of Kaunas University of Technology for "spreading the knowledge on economy and innovative ideas, for fostering social entrepreneurship and support for young businesses, and for his contribution into developing the concept of the Fourth Industrial Revolution".

References

External links

Official website of Kaunas University of Technology

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Universities and colleges in Kaunas
Architecture schools
Technical universities and colleges in Lithuania
Science and technology in Lithuania
Scientific organizations based in Lithuania
Educational institutions established in 1922
Universities and colleges in Lithuania
Universities in Lithuania
1922 establishments in Lithuania