Wołkonowski: A number of inaccuracies in the Lithuanian university ranking occurred

The Vilnius University still leads in the nationwide ranking of the best universities, which for the 16^th time has been published by the weekly “Veidas”. The Vilnius branch of the University of Białystok comes bottom of the list.

The Kaunas University of Technology advanced from 3^rd to 2^nd place, interchanging with the Vytautas Magnus University. The Mykolas Romeris University came in forth, preceding the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. The Faculty of Economics and Informatics of the University of Białystok came bottom of the ranking list.

Since last year both private and public universities have participated in the aforementioned ranking.

“This is our debut, as we have taken part in the ranking for the first time. Our previous requests concerning the permission to compete in the ranking were refused for various reasons. Thus, it is the first step forward for our branch” – commented professor Jarosław Wołkonowski, the dean of the Vilnius branch of University of Białystok.

The professor found a number of inaccuracies in the assessment criterions. One of the most basic ones concerns the number of the lecturers employed in the Vilnius branch.

“We employ 20 Lithuanian lecturers and approximately 30 lecturers who arrive from Poland, so we have altogether 50 of them. The ranking informs about 196 lecturers, which in any way does not correspond to reality. Thereby, we have lost several points in relation between the number of lecturers and students” – remarked Wołkonowski.

The dean expressed his strong dissatisfaction with the lack of information about the research and artistic activity of the university. Every year the branch organises international conferences, publishes scholarly articles and organizes Juvenilia as the only university in Lithuania. There are also numerous scientific groups of students, a student theatre and a folk dance ensemble affiliated with the Vilnius branch of the University of Białystok.

“I do not understand, why our branch has been concerned as a private one. We are branch of a foreign public university. Further points were lost because it was not taken into account that it was not until the last year, when we were allowed to participate in the international student exchange programme “Erasmus” alongside other ones. This data was not respected either. Likewise the subsidies of European Union, which we could not accept because Lithuania did not allow us to be endowed. It was the European Commission which decided upon permission for the endowments for our institution” – commented Wołkonowski.

The dean also emphasised that the branch is merely one department that has to compete on its own with the other universities.

“Not taking in account the inaccuracies that gave rise to our last place, it is the first time we have taken part in this ranking. We have plenty of materials to study, but the most significant thing is that we are now present on the education market in Lithuania. After explaining all these inaccuracies, we will be delivered detailed data, so that we will know what steps should be taken to achieve a better result in the following year” – summarised Wołkonowski. 

The ranking of the Lithuanian universities:

1. Vilnius University
2. Kaunas University of Technology
3. Vytautas Magnus University
4. Mykolas Romeris University
5. Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
6. Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
7. Šiauliai University
8. Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre
9. Klaipėda University
10. Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences
11. Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts
12. Aleksandras Stulginskis University
13. Lithuanian Sports University
14. ISM University of Management and Economics
15. LCC International University
16. International School of Law and Business
17. Kazimieras Simonavičius University
18. European Humanities University
19. Faculty of Economics and Informatics of the University of Białystok

Source: http://pl.delfi.lt/aktualia/litwa/wolkonowski-w-nowym-rankingu-uczelni-wyzszych-na-litwie-jest-duzo-niescislosci.d?id=61426917

Tłumaczenie by Joanna Mirek w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Joanna Mirek within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.