In Kaunas – twice as many students from abroad

In the sister’s footsteps

The pandemia of the Covid-19, which had been disgraceful, had disintegrated the flow of foreign students to Lithuania and Kaunas, but soon it revived and even surpassed the former statistics.

Kartwell Rezo Musikashvili, who is studying marketing and international commerce at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), came here after winning the Lithuanian state scholarship. It was only obtained from the third time.

« A very calm city, » said the interlocutor, who lived in his hometown in Tbilisi.

The guy said that he likes Lithuanian, especially Lithuanian songs. He has already discovered great Lithuanian performers: Jessico Shy, Vaid Baumil. Lithuanian passion for sports, especially basketball, admires.

After graduation, he would like to stay in Lithuania, gradually looking for a job.

Oluwole Joshua adesina came to Kaunas to study on the trail known as her sister. In Kaunas, the quality of life and studies, the city itself.

Sister at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) graduated from new media and chose to study public administration and civil society at this university. Now he is already in the fourth year. You would like to pursue a master’s degree after her undergraduate studies.

The first impressions in Kaunas were strong – here the cold pressed. It has never been experienced before.

Surprised your health system and how active students are involved in practice.

Personal mission

Elmie Esterhuizen, a student at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), came from South Africa, Johannesburg. Lithuania and Kaunas say they have chosen because of the high quality and internationality of medical studies. In addition, studies in Lithuania are financially more affordable than in Western Europe.

« I am from a non -medicine family. When choosing this field, I seek more compassion in medicine, that medicine is more accessible. Patients may not always be able to fight for themselves. I want to be part of an important change, » she said and appreciated Kaunas

« Kaunas surprised me. I had never visited any of the Baltic States until then, so I had no specific expectations. I knew there would be cultural and other differences that I would have to live differently than I was used to. I was pleasantly surprised by the country, its beauty. Esterhuizen.

The girl says she did not stop that she had chosen Kaunas for her studies. « I was surprised by your health system and how active students are involved in practice, » the student mentioned. By the way, this is the first time she has experienced what four seasons mean. « In Lithuania, hot summer and cold winters, wonderful autumn with colorful leaves, flowering spring, » the interviewer said.

For her, Kaunas public transport was also new to her, but she says that the experience is only good, even though it was not taken several times where she expected.

In addition to medical studies, she has a personal mission of learning Lithuanian, and not just as much as it takes to lectures. « I want to better understand patients, their needs. This will help with communicating with doctors Lithuanians, other students and locals, helping to get to know culture, join local life, and my tribute to the community, » said Esterhuizen.

For her the most beautiful Lithuanian word is the river. The girl laughs that she not only sounds nice, but also short, easy to remember.

Focus: Ma Gutierrez Luna wonders why we tell the world so little about Kaunas. / Photo by Student Personal Archives

Worthy of the world’s attention

Maria Alejandra Gutierrez Luna in Kaunas – for the fifth year. The Master of KTU, the Faculty of Construction and Architecture, joked that Kaunas has a big drawback – it is easy to attach to it and then it is very unfortunate to leave.

The girl from Nicaragva was accepted to study in Greece and Italy, but chose Lithuania for shorter studies and a faster, more convenient admission process. A dormitory was also offered in Kaunas. This city seemed to her, and she felt like at home. Very nice and polite people. She also liked Lithuanian food, such as zeppelins.

The girl has not yet decided whether she will remain in Kaunas, Lithuania or will move to another country. If they received job offers, they would definitely consider them.

Ma Gutierrez Luna has known Kaunas for more than four years and wonders why we are about our city and what we have, unique, so little to advertise the world.

Pandemia did not affect

Professor Ingrida Janulevičienė, Dean of the Center for International Relations and Studies at the LSMU, estimated that the number of foreign students in this higher education institution is growing every year: 2024. 385 were planned and 425 young people were admitted.

LSMU did not feel reduced even during the quarantine period. Before the quarantine, 328 foreign students were admitted in 2019, in 2020. – 342. « Maybe we have even noticed a greater aspiration for young people to study health sciences so that they have knowledge in the future and can actively contribute to the stopmias themselves, » commented Statistics I. Janulevičienė.

Foreign students were admitted to 20 study programs in English. Most of the arrivals – from Sweden, Israel, India, Germany, Norway. Recently, the number of students from Sweden and Norway has been jumping, overtaking the United Kingdom and Ireland.

« We have students from 89 countries, it is already difficult to find a country on a map that would not be studying.

Most foreign students, according to her, are surprised when they see how many students are in the city, what are good conditions for studying, and how great university sports and leisure spaces are. Many students are involved in various university extra -curricular activities.

Understand: Eshuizen, like other students, is actively learning Lithuanian. / Photo by Student Personal Archives

The subtleties of teaching

The LSMU professor said that study programs are constantly being improved, and the subtleties of teaching are being sought to better convey study material to help students memorize it better, how to help them gain practical skills faster and at the same time as to engage a young person.

« A lot of efforts have been made by improving medical, dental, veterinary simulation centers – today we can boldly compete with the best universities of health.

She pointed out that both Kaunas Hospital and Kaunas Clinics, as a clinical base of the university, fully cover human health aspects, and that future veterinarians and animal science specialists face a variety of animal health problems in small and large animal clinics. The LSMU Wildlife Protection Center offers new unique opportunities for students to see and learn to rescue wildlife patients.

I was pleasantly surprised by the country itself, its beauty. And that Kaunas is a very clean, safe, green city. Here I found both historical and modern accents.

Arises every year

Audronė Račkauskienė, Head of the International Studies Division at KTU, also said that the number of international students at the university increases every year. « The numbers have not only returned to pre -warranty levels, but also increased. Comparing the 2019-2020 and 2024-2025 school year, the number of freshmen increased almost 2.5 times.

« The main markets remain the same. We are currently expanding and activating talent attracting activities in the geographical European space and Southeast Asia, » said A. Račkauskienė.

An annual survey of freshmen international students shows that the vast majority of students choose to study the quality of their studies (85 % identify this as the most important criterion), hoping for good career opportunities (76 %), livelihood (74 %), and academic reputation (72 %). Criteria such as study infrastructure, practice opportunities, cost of study, progress and ease of application are followed.

“We are trying to focus more and more attention to improving student integration (eg Lithuanian language and cultural courses, community mobile events together at Speak initiative), we are planning to offer newly host students even before arrival, to community through communication platforms. laboratories, library, etc., ”said the head of the department.

Choice: Oj adesina came to Kaunas after her sister. / Photo by Student Personal Archives

Contract with Mongolia

Ilona Kazlauskaitė, Director of the International Relations Department of VMU, compared that at the moment VMU’s regular bachelor, master and doctoral studies – almost twice as many citizens of foreign countries than in 2019. This school year a total of 1 162. Five years ago there was 665. 751 students from foreign partners’ universities were arrived (more than 501 in 2019).

Last September alone, more than 470 foreign citizens were admitted to VMU. Mostly from Ukraine, India, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan. 2019 accordingly – More than 240.

The geography of the countries from which students come to VMU are expanding every year. A total of 2024. Students from 79 countries around the world studied at the university degree programs.

« For the first time, we received a number of Moroccan candidates, and in the summer of 2024 we signed a contract with the Mongolian State Scholarship Fund for Mongolian Studies VMU and accepted the first student with the Mongolian state scholarship, » said I. Kazlauskaitė.

According to her, foreign students are attracted to Kaunas, good reviews of others here, a living student city, security.

Comment

Tadas Stankevičius

Director of Kaunas in

According to the information we collect, 2024. 4,684 foreign students studied in Kaunas (16 % of the total number of students).

The benefits of the city – assuming that foreign students spend € 800 a month and do it for ten months a year, they supplement the local economy by more than 37 million. euros. Excluding students of exchange programs (Erasmus) – including them, could increase up to $ 45 million. euros.

Another benefit is the ability of students to study and graduate students to supplement the labor market. Now they are still relatively small in Kaunas (5-10 %), but as the economic potential and salaries of the city grow, this part will increase with international migration into the city.

About universities – International universities become a business card of the city to attract more foreign talent, investment and world attention to the city. This undoubtedly improves the image of the city and creates a positive snowball effect by increasing Kaunas international competitiveness

During the study conducted by Kaunas in, 79 % Foreign students studying in Kaunas said they would recommend Kaunas as a study city for their friend.