History
The Beginnings – Pedagogical Institute
The beginning of VDU Education Academy is the year 1935, when Pedagogical Institute of the Republic started operating in Klaipėda. The Institute was a special school of higher edcation, that was under the governance of Ministry of Education. The training programme at the Institute was designed for preparing elementary school teachers as well as for developing pedagogical sciences in Lithuania. On the 22 of March, 1939, when Germany occupied Klaipėda and its surroundings, the Institue was moved to Panevėžys, later, the very same year it was moved once again, only this time to Vilnius and on the 29 of November it was renamed as Vilnius Pedagogical Institute. The occupation of the year 1940 as well as changes in society due to the Soviet invasion could be seen in the work of the Institute. During that time the Institute received the task of preparing teachers of various subjects for the secondary schools of Vilnius. In 1941, during the German occupation, the repressions that were directed, first of all, towards education and culture had started. In 1943 the Institue was closed, but lectures were still delivered in the dormitories and appartments of the lecturers. In 1944, when the Red Army invaded Vilnius, the Institute was restored and reopened. Lecturers as well as students had to silence their opinions and had to accept new teaching content, that was based on the ideology of the foreign directives. After the Restoration of the Independence On the 11 March, 1990, after Lithuania restored its Independency, the reformation of teaching and administrative work begun. The most important task of that time – to revive the studies of the Lithuanian language and culture. In 1992, the Institute was renamed and received the title of Vilnius Pedagogical Institute. VPI has become the most important higher education institution for preparing teachers. In 2011, the school has been renamed once again as Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences.
Now – VDU Education Academy
On the 19 of December, 2017, the Parliament of the Lithuanian Republic has agreed to the proposition that VDU, ASU (Aleksandras Stulginskis University) and LEU would be reorganized by the means of consolidation into one Vytautas Magnus University, that would be a leader in various scientific fields, including linguistics, social sciences, physics, arts, technologies. On the 5 of June, 2018, the Parliaments has officially agreed to the consolidation. On the 1 of July, 2018, Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences became VDU Education Academy. At the present time, VDU Education Academy offer higher education studies in four fields: physical and technological sciences, language education, social education and art education. The studies are delivered by competent and talented professionals. Education academy is a new generation teacher training centre, that unifies leaders of education and society, scientists, academicians, students, education community for achieving aims of today and tomorrow's education. New generation of teacher training combines excessive knowledge of a subject, comprehensive education and international environment. VDU Education Academy – VDU Education 360.
