Active cooperation between business companies and educational institutions is gaining pace in Lithuania. One of the successful examples is a partnership between a group of companies Penki Kontinentai and a public body University of Applied Social Sciences (SMK), which started last summer.
Active cooperation between business companies and educational institutions is gaining pace in Lithuania. One of the successful examples is a partnership between a group of companies Penki Kontinentai and a public body University of Applied Social Sciences (SMK), which started last summer.
To unify and support the academic and business community as well as to inspire the younger generation to use in practice the knowledge gained during their studies, both institutions signed a letter of intent at the end of this February. It provides that the group of companies shall employ students of SMK who specialize in programming and multimedia, contribute to partial financing of studies, provide conditions for the students to complete professional internships in the company and take part in the improvement process of the study programme.
According to Gabija Skučaitė, Director of SMK, this undertaking is both a significant support to the students and the opportunity to bring business and educational organizations together for the achievement of common objectives. "The new agreement is important in ensuring guaranteed jobs for the future programming specialists and developing partnership between educational and business organizations. The applying students will be able to choose these perspective studies and receive targeted funding of studies that covers the study fees", explained G. Skučaitė.
Anželika Daujotienė, Head of the Human Resources Department of Penki Kontinentai, says that the integration of studies, scientific research and business is necessary in all countries whose sustainable development priorities are knowledge society and competitive economy. "Science and business should work together, because this is the only way to encourage the development of knowledge society. It is important to prepare professionals for the labor market and ensure guaranteed jobs for them, while entrepreneurs should constantly look for specialists", said A. Daujotienė.
University of Applied Social Sciences
It is expected that the partnership shall contribute to strengthening the cooperation between science and business communities, promoting innovation development, expanding research and technology development as well as its deployment in business.