VU SR Parliament: Students' Representatives Elected to the Senate of Vilnius University

The meeting also saw the approval of the VU SR Parliament's and VU SR's annual activity plans, as well as the composition of the Legal Working Group of the VU SR Parliament.

New Team of Students' Representatives Elected

By decision of the VU SR Parliament, the following Students' Representatives will represent students' interests in the Senate of Vilnius University:

Povilas Virbašius (VU TF), Simonas Granskas (VU TF), Rokas Urbonas (VU CHGF), Tadas Lekšas (VU FF), Samanta Valiušaitytė (VU FsF), Emilis Mikulskis (VU TSPMI), Agata Bruzgul (VU MF), Gabija Smailytė (VU FlF), and Mindaugas Kaziukonis (VU IF).

Before the election, the candidates introduced themselves to the members of the Parliament, presented their experience and motivation, and outlined the issues they intend to focus on during their term. They also answered questions from Parliament members and guests about their readiness to represent students' interests, maintain communication with the student community, and cooperate with other Students' Representatives.

The participation of Students' Representatives in the Senate provides an opportunity to bring the student perspective into discussions taking place at the University. By examining proposals and documents submitted to the Senate, the representatives assess how planned decisions may affect students from different study cycles, study programmes, and academic units.

"Student representation in the Senate is not limited to attending meetings or voting. It is a continuous effort to understand different student experiences, assess the impact of upcoming decisions, and advocate for students' interests in a well-reasoned manner. It is important that the elected representatives maintain close contact with the community, as this is the only way to ensure that the real needs of students are addressed in the Senate,” says Uršulė Barkauskaitė, President of VU SR.

During the upcoming term, the elected representatives will participate in discussions taking place in the Senate and its committees, examine submitted documents, jointly develop students' positions, and submit proposals on issues relevant to students.

The activities of the Students' Representatives in the Senate will be regularly presented to the VU SR Parliament. An interim activity report is planned for December, during which the representatives will present their work during the first months of their term, the issues considered by the Senate, and their further representation priorities.

"Being a Students' Representative in the Senate means taking responsibility not only for expressing a position, but also for being able to explain whose experiences and needs that position is based on. I hope that the newly elected team will actively cooperate with one another, with VU SR Structural Units and other Students' Representatives, and that students will know whom they can turn to with issues that are important to them,” – says U. Barkauskaitė.

VU SR Parliament's Work Plan Approved

The VU SR Parliament's 2026–2027 academic year work plan was approved at the meeting. It sets out the Parliament's meetings for the current term, presentations on the organisation's activities, document reviews, and discussions on issues relevant to students.

At upcoming meetings, Parliament members will consider the work plans and descriptions of the committees' work, VU SR positions on the academic calendar and doctoral studies, and discuss issues related to students' mental health, resilience, and sustainable development. The Parliament will also receive updates on the activities of Students' Representatives in the Senate and the Board of Vilnius University, VU SR initiatives, and other areas of the organisation's work.

During the spring semester, discussions are planned on electoral reform, as well as a review of the implementation of academic and social positions and an evaluation of the Parliament's activities throughout the academic year.

"The Parliament's activity plan helps us anticipate the issues that will require greater attention throughout the year and prepare properly for their consideration. We aim for Parliament meetings to be not only about making decisions, but also about holding reasoned discussions based on the experiences of students from different academic units“, – says Povilas Virbašius, Chair of the VU SR Parliament.

VU SR Annual Activity Plan Approved

The Parliament also approved the VU SR annual activity plan for the 2026–2027 academic year. It sets out strategic objectives to be implemented across the University, as well as the activity areas of individual VU SR Structural Units, developed in response to the specific needs of students in different academic communities.

This academic year, VU SR will seek to establish an effective and consistent feedback cycle at Vilnius University that contributes to improving the quality of studies. The organisation also plans to strengthen its institutional memory and ensure that VU SR members use the methodological materials and activity tools accumulated within the organisation when planning and implementing activities.

Another area of the activity plan is strengthening the psychological resilience of the VU community. To achieve this objective, the organisation will seek to provide community members with knowledge and practical skills that can help them face challenges and act in crisis situations.

Composition of the Parliament's Legal Working Group Approved

The composition of the Legal Working Group of the VU SR Parliament was approved at the meeting. Artur Balšaitis, Lauryna Laurinaitytė, Andrius Viljamas Gontier, Gabrielė Kasperaitė, and Daniel Šematovič were appointed as members for a one-year term.

The Legal Working Group of the VU SR Parliament is a permanent body operating in accordance with the Rules of Procedure approved by the Parliament. It reviews the Articles of Association and Rules of Procedure of VU SR submitted to the Parliament, as well as the regulations of VU SR Structural Units, programmes, clubs, projects, and other organisational structures, together with other documents related to the regulation of the organisation's activities.

This ensures that, before decisions are made by the Parliament, documents are assessed from a legal perspective and in terms of their compatibility with other VU SR documents. It also allows Parliament members to familiarise themselves in advance with the comments and conclusions provided by the Legal Working Group.

The VU SR Parliament consists of representatives elected by the conventions of VU SR Structural Units (two from each Vilnius University Core Academic Unit), members of the Board, the President, and Vice-Presidents. The Parliament approves the VU SR budget and activity plan and considers and formulates the organisation's positions on key issues in higher education and other matters.