News

On May 5th, Prof. Malgorzata Makowska-Janusik will visit the Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences at Vilnius University and deliver a lecture titled “Structural and Electronic Properties of Nanostructures – Cluster Model.”

Professor Małgorzata Makowska-Janusik has been working at Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa (Poland) since 1993. She has also worked at the University of Maine in Le Mans (France) and at the National Hellenic Research Foundation in Athens (Greece). She combines her research activities with teaching as an academic lecturer, as well as with administrative responsibilities. Among other positions, she served as the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at Jan Długosz University, and she currently heads the Department of Photoinduced Phenomena.

The Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education has completed the external expert evaluation of Bachelor's (Chemistry, Cosmetic Chemistry, and Nanomaterials Chemistry programmes) and Master's (Chemistry and Nanomaterials Chemistry and Entrepreneurship programmes) study programmes in the field of chemistry carried out by Vilnius University. We are happy to announce that the chemistry field studies have been granted the maximum accreditation period of seven years.

The expert evaluation ensures that the chemistry field studies meet the highest quality requirements, guaranteeing relevant and valuable study content and teaching methods. Furthermore, the accreditation demonstrates that the knowledge and competencies acquired during the studies are in demand in today's job market.

On April 13, the Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences at Vilnius University, Prof. Dr. Justina Gaidukevič, together with the scientists from the Institute of Chemistry and the Chemistry Section of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences – Dr. Inga Gabriūnaitė, Assoc. Prof. Tatjana Kochanė, Prof. Viktoras Masevičius, Assoc. Prof. Vilius Poškus, Prof. Simas Šakirzanovas, Prof. Habil. Dr. Aivaras Kareiva, Prof. Dr. Valdas Laurinavičius, Prof. (HP) Dr. Almira Ramanavičienė, and Prof. Habil. Dr. Arūnas Ramanavičius – visited the Customs Laboratory.

We invite you to participate in the conference “Chemistry and Chemical Technology 2026” (CCT2026), which will take place on May 22, 2026, in Kaunas, at the Kaunas University of Technology Santaka Valley and the Faculty of Chemical Technology.

On April 30th, Dr. Ozcan Gulacar will visit the VU Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences to deliver a presentation titled "Chemistry Through a Systems Lens: Navigating Global Challenges".

Dr. Ozcan Gulacar is a distinguished educator and researcher who aims to advance STEM education by applying innovative teaching methodologies and interdisciplinary approaches. He is currently a Professor of Teaching in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Davis, where he has served in various academic capacities since 2015. Dr. Gulacar holds a Ph.D. in Science Education, a Master's in Physical Chemistry and a Bachelor's in Chemistry Education.

From March 16 to 21, Dr. Inga Gabriūnaitė, a lecturer at the Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences at Vilnius University, together with representatives of the Lithuanian consortium (representatives of Lithuanian universities, research institutes, and the business sector) visited one of the most prestigious universities for science and engineering—the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT is located in Cambridge, USA, and has been attracting the brightest scientists, engineers, and innovators for more than 150 years. The visit took place for collaboration purposes – work is underway with MIT consortium partners on the development of a pilot module. The module, which will include courses from MIT, will be focused on the field of energy and the development of soft skills (working in interdisciplinary groups, entrepreneurship, etc.). It will be available for third-year bachelor's students from various study programs across Lithuanian higher education institutions.

The Center for quality assessment in higher education conducted an external expert evaluation of the physical geography program at Vilnius University, covering first-cycle programs (Geography, Cartography and geographic information systems, and Climatology and Hydrology) and second-cycle programs (Cartography and Climate System Studies). We are pleased that the physical geography program has been accredited for the maximum period of seven years.

This international evaluation confirms that the physical geography program meets the highest quality standards, and that study aims, learning outcomes and curriculum are relevant and valuable. The highest rating provides a guarantee of quality for prospective students and indicates that the knowledge and skills acquired during their studies will be relevant and applicable in today’s job market.

The Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education has carried out an expert external evaluation of the Bachelor's and Master's biochemistry study programmes conducted by Vilnius University. We are delighted that the biochemistry studies have been accredited for the maximum period of seven years.

The international evaluation of the programme confirms that the biochemistry studies meet the highest quality requirements, and that its content, applied teaching methods and achieved study outcomes are relevant and valuable. Furthermore, the accreditation provides a quality guarantee for prospective students – it demonstrates that the knowledge and skills acquired during the studies will be significant and applicable in the modern market.

On March 20, 2026, the national scientific conference "Chemistry and Geosciences 2026", organized by the VU Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences, successfully took place. This year's event was dedicated to marking the centenary of the establishment of the Vilnius University geography departments.

The conference was opened with a welcoming speech by the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Dr. Justina Gaidukevič. The event featured three oral presentation sessions where scientists from the VU Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences and other institutions shared the results of their latest research, ranging from recent geological discoveries to the application of chemical methods and materials for improving the quality of life.

After completing dental studies at Kyushu University in Japan, where she earned her PhD, dr. Maab Abdulsamad Ahmed Elsheikh worked as a dentist in Sudan and Saudi Arabia for three years, and has now been working as a postdoctoral fellow at the Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences at Vilnius University for over a year. During the interview, the scientist talked about her projects, her experience over the past year at our faculty, what challenges she faced, and what experience she gained. The full interview is available below.