VU SR FMI Activity Report for July–October 2026

The new term that began in spring has become a time of growth for the VU SA MIF team. We are growing ourselves and growing our community. From July to October, the coordinators developed their competences in training sessions, set a new goal for this academic year and involved more than 400 first-year students in the life of the faculty. This year we are paying particular attention to student representation, so that the voice of every MIF student is heard and turns into real changes in their studies.

1. Developing and encouraging competences

•       On 10–12 July, the VU SA MIF team joined the VU SA summer training, attended by around 150 VU SA members in total. The training explored the work of VU SA, its role in the higher education system and the strategic directions of Vilnius University. In the area-specific sessions, the coordinators strengthened their knowledge of their own areas – from study quality and academic ethics to member engagement, event organisation and communication – and got to know the teams of other units. More about the training – here.

•       On 24–26 July, the team contributed to the VU SA strategic planning sessions, where, together with other units, the annual goals of the whole organisation were set: a consistent cycle of feedback on study quality, the strengthening of institutional memory and the psychological resilience of the VU community. This helped us to better understand how MIF's work fits into the overall direction of VU SA. More about the planning sessions – here.

•       At the VU SA MIF strategic planning sessions held in August, the team analysed the problems faced by the faculty's students, formulated the annual goal from them and prepared a detailed plan for its implementation. This year's goal is to identify, by 1 May 2027, the knowledge gaps of second-cycle students at VU MIF at the start of their studies and to prepare proposals for levelling competences. The goal will be achieved when the VU MIF Board of Studies approves the proposals with specific measures to close these gaps. Before the planning sessions, the problems of the student community were summarised into 18 problem areas, the goals of VU SA units from previous years were reviewed and a focus group was held, so the goal is based on qualitative and quantitative data.

•       On 30 June, the team held the VU SA MIF student mentor (kuratoriai) training, where the student mentors prepared to welcome the first-year students at the camp and to support them during the first weeks of their studies. The team also contributed to organising the VU SA central student mentor training.

•       In September–October, the coordinators took part in the VU SA Parliament, student representative and leadership training. There they explored the work of university and state institutions, representation processes and team management.

•       On 9–11 October, an off-site training for VU SA MIF and MIDI members took place, attended by more than 30 members. The most important part of the training was a simulation: the VU SA MIF and MIDI teams together organised an inter-representation LAN event, so the members tried out the work of their areas and cooperation between teams.

•       In October, the first meetings of the communication, marketing, organisational, IT, representatives', social, academic, international and administrative areas took place. There the new members learned what work awaits them this year and why cooperation between these areas is essential for successful events.

2. Student integration

•       The most important integration activity of the autumn was the VU MIF first-year student camp, attended by more than 110 first-year students. Before it, a team of student mentors was brought together through selections, sponsors were found and a communication plan for the camp was prepared. In the student mentors' social and academic sessions, the first-year students got to know their coursemates, the study procedures and the life of the faculty, and after the camp the team discussed what to improve next year. You can find moments from the camp here.

•       On 1 September, the first-year students, together with the student mentors and the VU SA MIF team, marched in the traditional VU procession. Before it, the team and the first-year students prepared the MIF procession attributes together, socialised with each other and helped the first-year students to start their study journey smoothly and comfortably. You can find moments from the procession here.

•       During the integration week, the work of VU SA MIF and the opportunities to get involved were presented to the first-year students, and at the VU SA MIF general meeting they got to know the team, its areas and the opportunities for representation. The team also took part in the VU SA integration festival “Ad Astra”.

•       The student mentors remain a support for the first-year students at all times and answer their questions about studies, timetables and university systems.

Integration of international students

•       This year, a great deal of attention has been paid to international students. The work of VU SA MIF was presented to the autumn semester Erasmus+ and long-term international students, they were directed to the information groups intended for them and are advised on any questions that arise.

•       We contributed to the planning and implementation of the VU SA event “VUnity”. The event created a space for local and international students to get to know each other and share their cultures.

•       On 30 October, together with VU SA MF, a Halloween event was held for the integration of local and international students. It was attended by 70 students, mostly from MIF and MF. The participants enjoyed the event, and local and international students had the chance to get to know each other and socialise informally.

3. Community well-being and inclusion

A strong faculty community is built not only in lectures. That is why VU SA MIF makes sure that students have opportunities to meet informally, feel safe and contribute to building the community themselves.

•       On the evening of 1 September, a BBQ evening took place, where first-year students and students from higher years could get to know each other informally and spend time together. You can find moments from the evening here.

•       On 5 November, the first-year students' event “Miciaus 9 gyvenimai” (“Micius's 9 Lives”) took place, organised by the first-year students themselves. In October, selections were held for the heads of the organisational, marketing, IT and communication areas, the selected heads were given the necessary information and materials, and the VU SA MIF coordinators made sure that the work moved forward and the areas worked as one team. In this way, first-year students not only integrate but also try out event organisation from the inside.

•       Meetings of the organisational, communication, marketing, academic, social, international, administrative, human resources and IT areas take place regularly.

•       Together with VU SA MF and VU SA CHGF, a blood donation campaign is being planned, inviting students to contribute to a noble cause.

•       Student safety has been taken care of: in the VU MIF building on Didlaukio St., together with the building administrator, sturdy emergency exit signs were hung in place of the stickers that kept falling off. In the building on Naugarduko St., the signs and shelter signs are being prepared.

•       VU SA MIF took part in the Alumni Festival and kept in touch with MIF alumni. Later, the President and the head of MIDI met with alumni and agreed on a joint VU SA MIF and alumni event.

•       In September, the VU SA MIF general meeting took place, for which the team prepared the agenda, activities and presentation, and on 11 September – the VU SA MIF extraordinary election conference, at which Gintarė Antulytė was elected to the collegial governing body (KVO).

4. Student representation

This year, representation is one of the most important directions of VU SA MIF. We aim for students' opinions to be consistently collected, passed on and turned into decisions at the faculty and the university.

•       23 student representatives hold 30 seats in 18 VU MIF bodies: in all 11 study programme committees (hereinafter – SPK), the Council, the Dean's Office, the Board of Studies, and the Dispute Resolution, Academic Ethics, Admission and Attestation, and Election Commissions. The representatives' contact details have been updated in the 2026–2027 register and in the ViSAK system.

•       The list of year-group leaders (seniūnai) has been put in order and a shared chat channel has been created. Important information reaches all year groups faster, and the year-group leaders can pass on their year group's questions straight away.

•       The first meeting of MIF student representatives was held, at which this year's work was discussed. The representatives introduced themselves to their bodies, told the first-year students about their work at the 1 September meetings and were introduced to the VU SA representatives' training on 26 September. Regular meetings of the representatives' coordinators take place, and the representatives are advised on an ongoing basis.

•       In some of the SPK, meetings have already taken place at which the results of the student surveys were discussed. The representatives have been tasked with filling in ViSAK and preparing mid-semester surveys, so they are currently preparing for the interim collection of feedback. So that last year's experience is not lost, some of the surveys of the SPK representatives of the 2025–2026 term have been analysed.

•       Implementation of the annual goal has begun: surveys of second-cycle students, lecturers and alumni, as well as focus groups, are being prepared on readiness for master's studies, difficulties at the start of studies and the competences needed. Their results will become the basis for proposals to the faculty. An analysis of the results of the VU student surveys has also begun.

•       Work has begun on establishing the VU MIF Student Scientific Society (SMD) – a place where students will be able to get involved in research activities and build connections with researchers. A working group has been formed, consultations with lecturers have taken place, and the society's concept and regulations are being drafted.

•       The President of VU SA MIF regularly represents students at the meetings of the VU MIF Dean's Office and Council. At the Dean's Office, a great deal of attention was paid to the decreased number of students admitted to the faculty and the strategy for future admissions. On 1 July, the Council approved the new composition of the Information Systems Engineering study programme committee, which also includes a student representative delegated by VU SA MIF.

•       At a meeting with the Director of the Institute of Informatics and his team, study matters relevant to students, events at the institute and directions for further cooperation were discussed.

•       At VU SA level, VU SA MIF representatives take part in the meetings of the VU SA Parliament and the VU SA Council. There, matters relevant to the whole organisation and to students are decided: from study quality to the approval of funding for camps and events.

You can find the contact details of all VU SA MIF student representatives here.

5. MIDI 2027

In autumn, preparations began for the next cycle of MIDI events – one of the most significant projects of the MIF community, in which many students get involved every year.

•       The core MIDI team was brought together and the MIDI general meeting took place, at which the team and this year's work were presented.

•       Selections of mentors and heads were held.

•       The team meets regularly, the work has been distributed among all members, and this year's MIDI events and cooperation proposals have been approved.

•       Organisation has begun of the event “Naktis su MIDI” (“A Night with MIDI”), to be held in November, the aim of which is to introduce students to the project and invite them to volunteer already now.

•       The MIDI team took part in the VU SA integration festival “Ad Astra” and the Alumni Festival: it presented its work, got to know new members of the VU community and kept in touch with former MIF students.

You can follow MIDI news here and MIDI IG.

6. Dissemination of information and marketing

•       Information relevant to students was constantly shared on VU SA MIF social media: from the first-year student camp and 1 September to general meetings, elections and members' news. This ensures that it reaches every MIF student in time.

•       A great deal of attention was paid to academic communication: information about the examination session period and the VU guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence was shared, and the VU best lecturers' election and the VU SA integration survey were publicised. Clear visual material was created for all of this information.

•       After the student representatives' photo shoot, introductions of the representatives were published on the VU SA MIF Instagram account, so that every student knows who represents them and whom to contact: in the faculty's bodies and in the study programme committees.

•       In the area of marketing, most attention was paid to cooperation with external partners: sponsors were attracted for the first-year student camp, and relations with long-term sponsors are maintained.

Summary

The first months of the term have shown that the VU SA MIF team not only cherishes traditions but also boldly creates new directions. We are actively pursuing the annual goal, we welcomed more than 400 first-year students, brought together a team of representatives for all study programme committees and began establishing the Student Scientific Society.

This is only the beginning. Every event, meeting or sitting brings together a united community in which the students' voice is heard and ideas turn into real changes. We thank everyone who contributed to this work. A strong community is built not by one person but by everyone together, so let us keep building it!

United for the students' future!