VU Rector Prof. Petrauskas Led a Delegation to Canada to Strengthen Ties with the Lithuanian Diaspora

On 5–10 March, Vilnius University (VU) Rector Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas, together with a VU delegation, visited Canada. During the visit, he met with representatives of Canadian universities, engaged with the Lithuanian community in the country, and attended an event at which Canadian Lithuanian Dr Raimondas Zabieliauskas announced his commitment to donate €100,000 to the VU Endowment Fund.

The VU delegation included Pro-Rector for Partnerships Dr Artūras Vasiliauskas, Head of the VU Foundation Justinas Noreika, VU Foundation team member responsible for diaspora relations Lina Dusevičienė, and Giedrė Pociūtė, who oversees the Foundation’s philanthropic partnerships.

‘This year, I marked 11 March on my way back to Lithuania after a visit to Toronto, where we met with the local Lithuanian community and visited several universities. Together with the VU Foundation, we also took part in an event organised by the Canada–Lithuania Chamber of Commerce and used the occasion to announce more broadly that VU has obtained official charitable status in Canada. On this occasion, a new contribution by Canadian Lithuanian Dr Raimondas Zabieliauskas to the VU Foundation was also highlighted. We introduced the University and its study programmes at a community event held at the Lithuanian House. The second part of the visit focused on establishing closer academic ties with prominent Canadian universities, as Canada’s involvement in the Horizon initiatives will undoubtedly give them an even greater role in European research. Leading institutions such as McMaster University, York University, and the University of Toronto are eager to collaborate with our researchers. Contacts already exist in certain fields, and what we need now is stronger institutional support. To this end, we signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with McMaster University and discussed the framework for a similar agreement at the University of Toronto,’ said VU Rector Prof. Petrauskas.

During the visit, the delegation also met with Canadian Lithuanian Dr Zabieliauskas, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation. He committed to donating €100,000 to the VU Endowment Fund. This contribution will strengthen the VU Endowment Fund, whose investment returns help the University attract and retain talented early-career researchers.

The Rector and the delegation also visited the Toronto Maironis Lithuanian School, where they met with students, parents, and Lithuanian youth in Canada. They toured the Lithuanian Museum-Archives of Canada, met with its director, Danguolė Breen, and visited the adjoining Lithuanian cemetery. Later, they took part in the Lithuanian Independence Day celebrations with the Toronto Lithuanian community, during which Prof. Petrauskas delivered a lecture on the history of VU and the contemporary role of the institution.

On 8 March, the delegation attended Mass at the Lithuanian Martyrs’ Catholic Church, where the VU Rector addressed the parish community. Later, they visited the Toronto Lithuanian Scouts’ Kaziukas Fair and joined a guided tour of notable sites in Toronto.

On Monday, the Rector paid an official visit to McMaster University, where a ceremonial signing event was held with the deans of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Social Sciences, as well as the University’s Vice-Provost. The VU delegation also visited York University, where they met with the university’s Provost and the Vice-President for Research and Innovation. On Tuesday, the VU Rector met with representatives of the Office of the Vice-President International at the University of Toronto.

Egidijus Meilūnas, Ambassador of Lithuania to Canada, also attended events during the visit. VU expresses its gratitude to the Ambassador for his support, particularly in strengthening cooperation with Canadian universities.