Based on the Strategic Plan of Vilnius University 2018–2020, the strategic project “Openness to Equality and Diversity” is being carried out to develop community-motivating conditions for staff and students. The project aims at creating a long-term strategy for diversity and equal opportunities in the University and at implementing its key provisions with regard to staff and students. The University seeks to promote diversity and ensure equal opportunities for all regardless of gender, race, nationality, citizenship, language, origin, social status, faith, beliefs, convictions, age, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, religion, family status, intention to have a child (children) or any other grounds of discrimination.
The Community Development Department of the Central Administration is responsible for the formulation of measures of the equal opportunities policy at the University. One of the goals of the unit is to ensure equal opportunities for the University’s community members.
Vilnius University diversity and equal opportunities
Strategy for the Period of 2020–2025
The aim of the strategy is to create a study and work environment at the University that promotes individual, social and cultural diversity and ensures equal opportunities for members of the University’s community.
Particular attention shall be paid to ensuring equal opportunities in the areas of disability, gender equality, different cultures and social status through the implementation of the following objectives:
- Strive for dignified, need-oriented and high-quality study and work conditions at the University for people with disability;
- Strive for gender equality in individual areas of science and studies at the University through implementing gender equality plans with respect to students and staff and through pursuing gender balance in the University’s governing bodies;
- Promote cultural diversity in the University and seek equal inclusion of foreign students and staff in the University’s community;
- Search for ways to enable people experiencing social exclusion due to financial or other social circumstances to pursue higher education at the University;
- Develop measures that help members of the University’s community better balance study and (or) work commitments with personal commitments (maternity, paternity, caretaking of relatives, etc.);
- Develop anti-discrimination measures at the University to reduce direct and indirect discrimination on all the prohibited grounds of discrimination, enshrined in the legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania, and to foster an organisational culture that values diversity and respects each member of the University's community.
You can find the document of Vilnius University Diversity and Equal Opportunities Strategy 2020–2025 .
Implementation Plan for the Period of 2020–2022
You can find the document of Vilnius University Diversity and Equal Opportunities Strategy 2020–2025: Implementation Plan for the Period of 2020–2022 .
Analysis of Diversity and Equal Opportunities in Vilnius University
To access the study “Analysis of Diversity and Equal Opportunities in Vilnius University in 2018–2019”, please click .
The main aim of the study is to determine the status of equality and diversity in the University in 2018–2019 and to figure out the direction in which equality and diversity should be pursued in the University’s community. The report is comprised of three main parts: the discussion of the principles of non-discrimination and equal opportunities in the Lithuanian legal framework, the evaluation of the implementation of equal opportunities in the University and the presentation of the data in accordance to the grounds of discrimination laid down in the Law on Equal Treatment of the Republic of Lithuania and in the Labour Code of the Republic of Lithuania.
Monitoring of Diversity and Equal Opportunities Situation in Vilnius University
To access the study “Monitoring of Diversity and Equal Opportunities Situation in Vilnius University in 2020”, please click here.
The aim of this monitoring is to figure out the situation of diversity and equal opportunities in VU. The first part of this monitoring report presents the data according to the grounds of discrimination established in the Law on Equal Treatment of the Republic of Lithuania and the Labour Code of the Republic of Lithuania. ). Monitoring on the basis of these grounds of discrimination was selected in order to capture the diversity at the University that already exists, to rethink how it could be consciously increased and expanded and at the same time to ensure the implementation of equal opportunities. The second part of the monitoring report presents activities and international projects in the area of equal opportunities. The report on the diversity and equal opportunities situation ends with conclusions.
VU Gender Equality Plan
Vilnius university Gender Equality Plan 2021-2025 has been approved in the Senate on 14 of December, 2021. Gender Equality Plan is an institutional policy instrument designed to promote cultural, systemic and structural change within the organisation in order to achieve favourable learning and working conditions for women and men. VU Gender Equality Plan commits to a consistent and systemic approach to gender equality principles implementation in the following areas: organisational governance and decision-making, staff management, research, experimental development and studies, organisational communication.
VU Gender Equality Plan has been developed in a project “Supporting and Implementing Plans for Gender Equality in Academia and Research 2019-2022” (SPEAR) funded by Horizon 2020. Also, it is one the activities in gender equality field of VU Diversity and Equal Opportunities Strategy 2020-2025, approved by Senate Decision No SPN-6 as of 18 February 2020. Gender equality is considered as one of priority areas when implementing the Strategic Objective to “Strive for gender equality in individual areas of science and studies at the University through drafting and implementing gender equality plans with respect to students and staff and through pursuing gender balance in the University’s governing bodies”
You can find VU Gender Equality Plan here.
Trust Line
The University seeks to develop and ensure an organisational culture that enables everyone to feel safe and accepted, to foster his/her individuality and to realise his/her potential. Each of us has a responsibility not to, through actions and words, contribute to creating a hostile environment for an individual person or a group.
If you have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment as well as discrimination based on gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity or any other basis of discrimination, we encourage you to report it to the Trust Line. Each case will be investigated by experts in their field, guaranteeing complete confidentiality.
Trust Line: Dr Rūta Ruolytė-Verschoore (e-mail: ).
