From 22 to 26 April 2024, Anastasiia Zarzhytska, an International Relations officer, took part in International Staff Week 2024 hosted by Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania.
During the Staff Training Week, she became acquainted with the university, the country and its culture, established new professional contacts, exchanged experience with colleagues, and strengthened cooperation between Khmelnytskyi National University and Vytautas Magnus University.
The International Teaching and Training Staff Week 2024 gathered 112 participants from 41 countries.
The rich socio-cultural programme included two specialised intercultural communication competence trainings delivered by Nemira Mačianskienė, a series of presentations, guided tours of Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden, Kaunas and Vilnius, a presentation of the project DON@: “Empowering Newcomers through Donation Opportunities”, as well as Lithuanian language and culture workshops by Teresė Ringailienė.
An intercultural food fair, offering traditional dishes and snacks from around the world, became a vivid and practical example of cross-cultural exchange.
On 25 April, following the successful completion of the academic mobility programme, a ceremonial closing event was held in the Great Hall of Vytautas Magnus University, during which certificates were awarded to participants. The event was accompanied by a performance from students of the university’s Academy of Music.
On Friday, participants had the opportunity to attend two major events:
- The International Academic Forum “The Idea of the University in the Age of Transformation: What Role for the Humanities?”;
- The International Forum “The Idea of Europe”, attended by Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania, and Andrzej Duda, President of Poland.
“I am sincerely grateful to Ilona Kazlauskaitė, Konstantinas Kurževas, and especially Eglė Daukilaitė for the valuable experience of academic cooperation and the opportunity to discuss prospects for further collaboration with colleagues from different countries. Undoubtedly, the practice of participating in the Erasmus+ programme will serve to expand cooperation vectors with international partners,” noted Anastasiia Zarzhytska.