News

European Humanities University officially opened the 2026–2027 academic year in Vilnius, bringing together students, faculty, staff, distinguished guests, and members of the wider University community to celebrate the beginning of a new academic chapter.

For some students, the ceremony marked their very first days at EHU and the beginning of their studies in Vilnius. For others, it was a return to the University after the summer break or a continuation of their academic journey at a new level, including graduates who have chosen to continue their studies in EHU master’s programs.

The official ceremony opened with Gaudeamus Igitur, the traditional student anthem, followed by welcoming remarks from the Rector of European Humanities University Dr. Vilius Šadauskas.


Dear students, dear colleagues, dear friends,

Welcome to a new academic year at the European Humanities University. It is always a special moment when we come together at the beginning of the year.

For some of you, this is the first time you are here as EHU students. For others, it is already a familiar beginning – new courses, new schedules, familiar faces, and probably a few promises to yourself that this semester everything will be done well in advance.

I would especially like to welcome our first-year students. Thank you for choosing EHU. I hope that very soon you will feel that this is not simply a place where you come for lectures, but a community where you can find people, ideas and opportunities that matter to you.

And welcome back to all our returning students and colleagues.

I do not want to spend much time today talking about the difficulties of the past. We know them. We have lived through them together. And I think we have earned the right to look forward.

What the last years have shown very clearly is that EHU is a remarkably resilient community. For a university, resilience does not mean that everything always goes according to plan. Quite the opposite. It means that when circumstances change, we continue working. We adapt. Sometimes we change our plans. Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions. But the University continues.

And EHU continues.

We enter this academic year with a lot of work ahead of us, but also with a much

clearer understanding of what needs to be done. We will continue strengthening our study programs. We will work on the new University Strategy and decide together what EHU should look like in the coming years. We want to give new energy to our research centers and create better possibilities for research and artistic initiatives. We also want to build stronger partnerships with other universities, organizations and businesses that can bring new opportunities to our students and faculty.

But I would not like this academic year to be remembered only for reforms,strategies or new regulations. A university is much more interesting than that. Universities work best when students ask questions and professors still enjoy answering them – or sometimes admit that they do not know the answer yet.

This year is also special for another reason. During this academic year, we will celebrate 35 years since the beginning of EHU.

Thirty-five years is a long time for any institution. For EHU, perhaps it feels even longer… Many people have studied here. Many have taught here. Many have worked to keep this University moving forward. Buildings have changed. Countries have changed. Generations have changed. The University itself has changed many times. But EHU is still here. And perhaps this is the most important thing I would like us to remember as we begin this academic year.

We were here.

We are here.

And we will be here for many years to come.

The next chapter of EHU is ours to write – it is our privilege and our responsibility. So I wish our students a good year – interesting courses, good friends, fewer last-minute deadlines and, most importantly, the feeling that the time you spend here is worthwhile.

Congratulations on the beginning of the academic year 2026/2027.

The EHU community was also addressed by Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Kristupas Vaitiekūnas and Rimantas Vaitkus, Adviser at the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of Lithuania.

In their remarks, the representatives of the Lithuanian ministries highlighted the importance of education, academic freedom, freedom of thought, and the role of universities in creating an open and supportive environment for students.

They also emphasized EHU’s contribution to Lithuania’s higher education landscape, its international academic community, and its role in providing students with opportunities to study, develop, and pursue their academic goals in Vilnius.

EHU sincerely thanks the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport for their continued support of the University and for joining the EHU community on this important occasion.

A Celebration of the EHU Community

The ceremony also featured a musical performance by Lithuanian actress and singer Aleksandra Metalnikova-Rimdžė, whose performance added a special cultural dimension to the celebration.

Representatives of EHU’s academic and student community also welcomed students at the beginning of the new academic year. Greetings were delivered on behalf of the University’s academic departments – The Department of Social Sciences represented by Dr. Ingrida Danėlė-Žalimienė,  the School of Economics and Business, Student Service and International Mobility Department represented by Natalia Leanovich, and the EHU Student Union.

The event also provided an opportunity to recognize outstanding achievements among members of EHU’s academic community.

Special certificates were presented in two categories:

The Certificate of Scholarly Distinction recognized research excellence and contributions to the University’s international academic standing through scholarly publications in 2025 and 2026.

The Certificate of Artistic Distinction recognized artistic excellence and contributions to the University’s artistic profile through widely acclaimed artistic works in 2026.

The awards highlighted the important contribution of EHU faculty and academic staff to the University’s development, international visibility, and intellectual and artistic life.

The official program concluded with one of EHU’s traditional moments of cutting a celebratory cake followed by informal conversations among students, faculty, staff, and guests.

The opening of the 2026–2027 academic year marked both a new beginning and a continuation of EHU’s academic community, bringing together new students, returning students, faculty, partners, and friends of the University.

EHU warmly thanks everyone who joined the celebration and wishes the entire University community a successful, inspiring, and meaningful academic year!