Polish studies on Vilnius University are multifaceted studies

In the interview for “Kurier Wileński” prof. Krystyna Rutkowska ( doktor in humanities and the research and teaching worker of Polish Studies Centre (Centrum Polonistyczne)) talks about Polish philology studies at Vilnius University (VU) and the perspectives for finding a job for its graduates.

Justyna Giedrojć: Are the Polish studies at VU only about learning Polish?

Krystyna Rutkowska: VU is a very ambitious university, which aims to keep up with the best abroad universities and constantly aims to perfect the way of teaching. The basic principle of our studies is to internationalise them, meaning preparing the graduates to be open to all the challenges that modern Europe puts before them. At the same time, we are focused on multidirectional, multifaceted studies, which will combine philology and other fields of studies. We presume that nowadays, a person who studies philology, not only studies the language itself, but also the culture, history and is aware of all social changes, which are taking place in the modern world. We offer our students knowledge of various languages of which there are many at our university and new languages ​​are constantly emerging, and we also enrich our teaching with knowledge of culture and social life.

JG: What were the beginnings of the Centre?

KR: Our Polish Philology Centrum celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. I remember very well the beginnings of our activity, at that time still the Department of Polish Studies, which was opened by prof. Algis Kalėda, and it was a very brave step. We presumed then that people who had graduated from Polish schools as well as Lithuanian and Russian schools would come to us. We still stick to this idea and offer education for people of Polish, Lithuanian or other descent as part of our programs. Both people who know Polish from school and people who are starting to learn the language from scratch can study with us.

JG:The research work carried out at the university helps to improve and expand the educational offer. What is the subject of research?

KR:An important feature of our Polish studies is its focus on developing competences necessary for our region. We try to familiarize students with various aspects of the language and culture of the Vilnius region, and if we refer to the past, also with the history and culture of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Of course, we offer teaching in the field of grammar and Polish literature, but we also introduce original courses that are related to our scientific activities. We research various varieties of the Polish language: the language used in the countryside, the language of various social groups (e.g. the language of young people, the Polish intelligentsia in Lithuania), the language of the mass media, folk and mass culture. We invite students to participate in such research very early; it is often their first step towards employment and the first experience they gain.

JG: What are the job prospects for graduates of Polish studies?

KR: When preparing new programs, we take into account, first of all, the employment opportunities of our students, i.e. we carefully monitor where people who graduate from Polish studies at the University of Vilnius find work. And we see that, first of all, these are the numerous Polish mass media, translation agencies, and cultural and educational institutions existing in Lithuania.

Nowadays, the employment situation is developing very rapidly. It is now possible to teach Polish in Lithuanian schools. We actively cooperate with the Faculty of Philosophy, where our students can choose the “Polish and English language” module and gain knowledge in the field of pedagogical teaching. Such people can become professionals who will choose to work in a Polish or Lithuanian school and teach Polish or English there.

JG: Is it possible to developed specialized translation skills  during Polish studies?

KR: Nowadays, there is a shortage of translators from Polish into Lithuanian and from Lithuanian into Polish. As part of our studies, we think about modules covering both the theory and practice of translation. We also know that today young people participate widely in social life, they have to prepare public speeches and create, for example, advertising texts in Polish. What is also very important for a philologist is the ability to write and submit project applications, so we can help them acquire formal writing habits, teach them appropriate vocabulary and formulate arguments.

JG:This academic year, a new program module was introduced. What is it about?

KR: A major novelty introduced at our university since the current academic year are the so-called individual studies. Within these modules, students can choose 25 percent. subjects at another faculty. For example, at the Faculty of Communication you can study journalism or become various types of communication specialists in the future. The proposed subjects include: “Podcast production and audio journalism”, “Mass media and advertising”, “Media and design practices”. If someone wants to combine philology with management, you can choose subjects at the Business School, where the following courses are offered: “Obtaining investments and partnerships”, “Integrated marketing communication”, “Management and intercultural communication” and many others. You can take a look at these proposals here: www.vu.lt/ind/. As part of individual studies, each department proposed the best subjects it has. However, you need to be able to navigate this diversity, orient yourself in this diversity and choose well according to your interests. You can count on the help of senior colleagues, dean authorities and administration, and employees of our Polish Studies Centre.

JG: What foreign languages ​​can you learn by studying Polish studies?

KR:Of course, we want to see a philologist with a broad profile. That is why our faculty offers various foreign languages. Polish language students most often choose to learn Spanish or Italian, perhaps this is related to their fascination with the culture of these countries. Personally, I also highly recommend various subjects in the field of Lithuanian studies, because I think that a Polish teacher with good knowledge of the Lithuanian language has much better employment prospects. In Lithuanian studies, studied in parallel, you can listen to lectures by outstanding Lithuanianists. Their classes are conducted at a high level and are very popular. Young people from abroad often choose these studies. We teach many subjects in English, which proves the internationalization of our university and also creates opportunities for employment in international companies. There are more and more classes in English.

JG:Philology allows you to gain extensive knowledge not only about language.

KR:By offering Polish studies – and Polish language subjects as part of individual studies – we aim not only to learn the language, but also to make the Polish language be perceived more and more positively. Sometimes it seems to me that we underestimate its important cultural value, the unique function it plays in society today.We really want a motivated student with a high grade point average to come to us – then he or she will be able to take advantage of all the attractive offers of our university. We are glad that among our students there were winners of the Polish language olympiad. We have also awarded “cum laude” and “magna cum laude” diplomas many times, and they are awarded on a competitive basis. We are proud that our students can compete with students of various languages. Our talented young people can continue their education at master’s and PhD studies.

JG:Are international student exchanges organized?

KR:International exchanges are a special attraction. As part of an exchange, you can go to study for a semester or a year in any country that has an appropriate program structure, similar to that undertaken by a person studying at our university. It is also possible to obtain double diplomas in some fields, we are actively working in this field and we are also trying to obtain similar diplomas for Polish teachers in the future. We are proud of our participation in the European association of universities ARQUS, which includes universities from the following cities: Granada (Spain), Graz (Austria), Leipzig (Germany), Lyon (France), Maynooth (Ireland), Braga (Portugal), Padua (Italy), Vilnius (Lithuania) and Wrocław (Poland). Studies at these universities and other interesting forms of activity are now possible, we hope for active cooperation with Polish universities, more at: www.vu.lt/tarptautiniai-rysiai/arqus-europos-universitetu-aljansas.

JG: Are Polish studies at the University of Vilnius paid?

KR:They are free. Every year we determine the average based on which we admit students. You can apply for paid studies only when the group is complete and the pool of available places financed by the state has been exhausted. The discounts that were in force a year ago are no longer in place, but this does not seem to scare or deter our future students. This year, the Polish language exam will be taken into account, we are counting on good grades.

JG:Who has a chance to get into free full-time studies?

KR:This year, our university has maintained the requirements for compulsory high school average because we do not want to lower the level of teaching at our university. It is not very high, the required average is 5. Although last year we admitted with an average of 5.4, this year we are accepting students with a lower average due to the major changes in recruitment to universities. A mathematics exam is compulsory, and this subject is usually not a favorite of philologists. Many people are afraid of taking the exam, but perhaps this fear is unfounded. The admission requirements are discussed here: www.vu.lt/studijos/stojantiesiems/bakalauro-studiju-sarasas/lenku-filologija#priemimo-salygos.

We are also planning specific help for students from our university. This year, the Polonica Academy began operating, organizing four sessions devoted to various issues. The first session has already taken place. We analyzed Wisława Szymborska’s poetry, there were interesting games, competitions and a tournament during which students could test their knowledge in an entertaining way. We proposed writing essays, i.e. the first literary samples. We hope to have more poetry in the future because we know students write poems. The second session of the Polonica Academy will be equally interesting and attractive, lectures will be delivered by prof. Jan Miodek and doc. dr. Kinga Geben. We cordially invite everyone, registration is now open: www.flf.vu.lt/component/rsform/form/52. It is also a good opportunity to learn about the course mode at our university.

Studying Polish at VU is not only about learning the language from a scientific point of view – it is also about acquiring additional general knowledge that allows you to find your way in reality more easily, such as communication skills, research methodology or cultural awareness related to the requirements of translation. Moreover, the Polish Studies Centre of the University of Vilnius is the only institution in Lithuania where Polish studies can be studied not only by graduates of Polish schools, but also of Russian or Lithuanian schools for whom Polish is not their native language.