The strongest universities in the Baltics will cooperate with CERN

Important | 2018-06-20

Eight universities from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have established the Baltic Group, which will collaborate with The European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN. Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) is one of the institutions in the Group.

The memorandum of understanding was signed in Geneva, Switzerland in the end of last month. This is a unique agreement in history of CERN as previously no any country had a chance to coordinate the regional position on juridical basis with the globally renowned research and innovations organisation.

Kaunas University of Technology, Riga Technical University, University of Latvia, Vilnius University, Estonian National Biochemistry Institute, Tallinn University of Technology, University of Tartu and Riga Stradin University are the members of the Baltic Group.

“KTU’s participation in the CERN Baltic Group is opening up numerous possibilities for our researchers, teachers, students and social partners to participate in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in particle physics, accelerators processes and other areas together with colleagues from Latvia, Estonia and other Lithuanian universities”, says Kristina Ukvalbergienė, KTU Vice-Rector for Studies ad interim.

According to her, on the basis of this Agreement, joint master’s and doctoral study programmes will be built, which will integrate the strongest competences of the institutions involved. This will allow the students from the universities in the Baltics to acquire knowledge and skills essential for developing further relationships and cooperation with CERN.

Lithuania is the first Baltic State to acquire the associate membership at CERN; Latvia and Estonia are awaiting for approval of their status.