WHO WE ARE ?
Vilniaus kolegija / Higher Education Institution (VIKO) is the largest accredited professional higher education institution in Lithuania, established in 2000. Its mission is to provide modern, practice-oriented studies that meet European standards and contribute to students’ professional growth and social well-being.
VIKO brings together approximately 6,800 students and 650 educators across 9 faculties, offering 58 study programmes in fields such as business, health care, engineering, informatics, pedagogy, design, and creative technologies. The employability rate of VIKO graduates is 97%, reflecting strong cooperation with national and international enterprises and organisations.
Recognised for its focus on applied sciences and interdisciplinary education, VIKO promotes creativity, sustainability, and digital transformation. Annual academic events, such as “Culture and Education Challenges in the 21st Century”, strengthen collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers.
VIKO actively participates in Erasmus+, Horizon 2020, COST, and INTERREG projects and is a member of networks such as EURASHE, SPACE, ENPHE, and PEN-Worldwide. Through research, innovation, and knowledge exchange, the institution enhances its teaching capacity and supports Lithuania’s economic and social development as a socially responsible, future-oriented education institution.
WHY WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROJECT ?
The project offers an excellent opportunity to enhance transdisciplinary teaching and learning by combining technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship. It aligns with VIKO’s strategic focus on developing digital, green, and social competences, and supports the integration of micro-credentials and flexible learning pathways to improve employability and lifelong learning opportunities for students and professionals.
Participation also enables knowledge exchange and collaboration with European partners who share similar goals of modernising higher education. Through this cooperation, VIKO aims to co-create and pilot innovative educational models and digital resources that can later be scaled across its faculties and study programmes.
OUR ROLE IN THE PROJECT
Vilniaus kolegija / Higher Education Institution (VIKO) plays a key role in the TransInnovate project as the leader of Work Package 4 – Course Pilot and as a co-contributor to all other work packages. VIKO’s main responsibility is to coordinate and implement the international pilot course, testing and validating the transdisciplinary capacity-building programme developed in previous phases.
Drawing on its strong expertise in applied sciences and interdisciplinary education, VIKO will organise and host the international pilot in Vilnius, combining virtual and in-person learning sessions. It will ensure the smooth delivery of the course, manage participant recruitment, certification through micro-credentials, and coordinate the evaluation of pilot results.
VIKO will also participate in the pilots with other partners, providing methodological support, adapting materials, and continuously monitoring quality. As a co-leader in quality assurance, VIKO contributes to the evaluation framework, ensuring that all project outcomes meet high academic and professional standards.
In addition, VIKO supports dissemination activities by sharing project outcomes through its extensive national and international networks, including EURASHE, PEN-Worldwide, SPACE, and others.
Through these activities, VIKO ensures that TransInnovate delivers practical, high-impact results, strengthens the integration of technology, arts, and humanities in higher education, and supports the long-term sustainability of transdisciplinary teaching across Europe.
OUR TEAM
Mrs Rima Bačiulytė (Head of Project Department) is an experienced higher education professional with over 25 years of expertise in entrepreneurship education and training. She currently leads the Project Department at Vilniaus kolegija / Higher Education Institution (VIKO) and has played a key role in developing innovative teaching and learning practices in Lithuania. Her academic work focuses on entrepreneurship education and experiential learning, and she lectures on the subjects “Education for Entrepreneurship” and “Entrepreneurship Education Practice”. Mrs Bačiulytė actively collaborates with education leaders, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, and other national agencies to support the development and sustainability of modern educational approaches. She has extensive experience in training educators and students, conducting research on entrepreneurship education, and co-authoring several publications and books dedicated to the advancement of entrepreneurial competences and innovative pedagogy.
Mr Marius Ignatonis (Project Manager) is an experienced education professional with nearly two decades of expertise in project management, entrepreneurship education, and international cooperation. He works as a Project Manager at Vilniaus kolegija / Higher Education Institution (VIKO) and serves as President and co-founder of the Lithuanian Practice Enterprise Association (LIBA). Since 2016, he has managed and implemented over 25 national and European projects in educational innovation, digital transformation, sustainability, and applied research. His professional experience covers all stages of the project cycle, from concept development and budgeting to implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of results. Through long-term collaboration with students, educators, and policymakers, Mr Ignatonis has developed a deep understanding of educational systems and modern learning methodologies. His leadership and strategic vision contribute to advancing quality and innovation in higher and vocational education in Lithuania and internationally.