KAUNAS COLLEGE Institution of Higher non-university Education

KAUNAS COLLEGE Institution of Higher non-university Education

The main facts • After the Higher Education Law has come into force in Lithuania in year 2000, the binary system of higher education has been introduced. • According to it the non-university higher education institution- Kaunas College- was established incorporating 7 former higher professional schools. • Kaunas College was accredited and the permanent status was received in March, 2005; • More than 8200 students and 621 teachers at present; • Studies are organized in 8 academic divisions; • Studies oriented towards PRACTICAL ACTIVITY ; • Studies last from 3 to 4 years (120 national credits, 180 ECTS); • Graduates obtain PROFESSIONAL BACHELOR degree; • Provide higher professional education in the areas of social sciences, health care, social work, technologies, humanities and arts who would meet social and economic requirements of Kaunas region and the state;

Study programs Kaunas College is currently providing 43 study programs in 5 study areas:

Tourism and Hotel Management Study Program(1) • Is implemented in Tourism and Hotel Management Department, Business Management Faculty of Kaunas College. • The students have a possibility to study in Kaunas and Druskininkai, the spa resort city where Kaunas College has it’s branch.

Tourism and Hotel Management Study Program (2) • The program was started in 1993. Tourism and Hotel Management higher education study program was implemented in Kaunas College in 2000. • There are 2 specializations: - Tourism Management - Hotel Management. • Students who successfully complete their studies get qualification of Tourism or Hotel Manager • Graduates acquire skills to work as hotel managers, travel operators, travel agents and guides in tour companies and travel agencies, in tourism information centres, airline companies, etc

Tourism and Hotel Management Study Program (3) • Total number of students – 485 • Full time students – 296 (99 students in Druskininkai) • Part time students – 189

Demand for Tourism and Hotel Management Study program Student admission (year 2006/2007) Number of applicants Competition Number of applicants by first priority Full time 772 8, 5 457 4, 76 Part time 243 4, 05 133 2, 22 Form of studies Competition by first priority

Structure of Study Program Total: % 25 45 10 General subjects Subjects for Acquisition of Professional Qualification Subjects of Professional Specialization Professional internships Final work Number of credits 30 54 Tourism and Hotel Management 8, 3 20 6 120 16, 7 5 100

Development of Teacher Qualifications Teachers continuously enhance their qualificationin master (second master degree) and doctoral studies, in different professional courses, seminars, conferences, internship programs, when participating in projects.

Applied Scientific Research (1) Kaunas college has set priority directions of applied scientific research; The Centre of Applied Scientific Reasearch has been established, The Board of Scientific Research has been organized and the Order of The Sponsorhip of Scientific Research has been formulated. RESEARCH PRIORITIES: • Technological research; • Labour market research; • Educational research.

Applied Scientific Research (2) The teachers perform research in education, management and business fields: • Periodical assessment of Study Program Performance; • Continued research of career opportunities for Tourism and Hotel Management speciality graduates; • Determination of motivating factors in selection of Recreation and Tourism field study programs; • Research on employers’ requirements for the competence of Tourism and Hotel Managers (pursued); • Continuous research on the employability of graduates; • The teachers have recently performed the applied research ordered by companies and organizations. • Also research is performed under international projects, e. g. research of the qualification needs and training in tourism industry.

Development of Student Competence in Tourism and Hotel Management Program (1) • Students acquire and develop professional competencies during their studies and traineeships; • by studying abroad under Erasmus program (2003/2004 -9 students, 2004/2005 -10 students, 2005/2006 -16 students, 2006/2007 -18 students); • by accomplishing traineeship abroad under EU programs and according to bilateral agreements in summer; • by participating and giving presentations in conferences, e. g. International students’ conference “International Tourism Development: Topicalities, Problems and Perspectives” (e. g. 1314/04/2005; 07/04/2006)

Development of Student Competence in Tourism and Hotel Management Program (2) • by working in the exhibitions: e. g. , STUDIES 2006, VIVATTUR’ 06, • by organizing and participating in various events: Competition of Young Entrepreneurs, Events for the World Tourism Day, conferences, etc. • by being involved in the publishing of Kaunas College magazine “Siena” (“The Wall”)

Cooperation with Social Partners • Membership in Lithuanian Tourism Association; • Membership in Lithuanian Hotel and Restaurant Association; • Membership in Kaunas Chamber of Industry, Commerce and Crafts. • Continuous cooperation with other higher education institutions and universities in Lithuania and abroad, business enterprises and municipalities (Kaunas, Kelmė, Druskininkai).

Trends of Tourism and Hotel Management Study Program Development Strategy • Continuous enhancement of teachers’ qualifications; • Study program quality improvement, preparation and implementation of new specializations or study programs; • Arrangement and implementation of international studies; • Strengthening of specialists’ competitiveness (building of competences); • Development of applied research (in cooperation with Lithuanian and foreign education institutions and business enterprises)

Projects, funded by European Structural Funds Department Funding Lt. Creation of the Open College TF 657 148 Expansion of Electronic Studies at Lithuanian Colleges TF 478 285 VVF 595 402 TF 503 259 MSMSC 443 119 Creation of Innovative Training Measures ETF 401 848 Expansion of the training infrastructure of Geo-information system specialists, oriented towards technological innovations and eurointegration (BPD 1. 5) KF 2 938 457, 41 Creation of Innovative Training Measures for the Development of “Geo-Information systems” study program. KF 831 730 Implementation of Innovative Solutions in Studies of Publishing and Multimedia Technology. TF 515 364 Project Name Adoption of International Standards When Preparing the Specialists of Tourism and Hotel Management The Development and Implementation of Professional Training Continuity, while Realizing Technological Study Programs Modernization of Health Care and Social Work Practical Training system TOTAL: 7 364 612, 41

International Relations (1) • Kaunas college actively cooperates with more than 130 partner institutions (100 - under Erasmus program) from EU countries, Turkey, Canada, Belarus, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russian Federation, Canada, etc. • College actively participates in 31 international projects under various international programs (EU Leonardo da Vinci, Erasmus, Grundtvig, Comenius). • Each year more than 100 College students spend their study period (3 -10 months) in one of College international partners’ higher education institutions or business enterprise. • The number of incoming students is growing every year. At present there are 20 students from 4 countries studing under Erasmus program at the college.

International Relations (2) Kaunas College is the member of : • European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE), • European Association for International Education (EAIE), • a Network for the Development of Business Education Programmes (Businet), • Baltic Sea Sustainable Development Network, • European Association of ERASMUS Coordinators (EAEC) • European Association of Farmacy Faculties, • New Youth Monitoring Program to Highlight European Abilities (NYMPHEA).

International Projects (1) In year 2006/2007 Kaunas College has been participating in 31 international project, out of which 8 - Leonardo da Vinci program pilot projects; 8 - mobility projects: • „EVOLEARN- Evolutionales E-learning System for Professional Further Education 2006 -D/2006/06/B/F/PP-146558. • “Standard. Care“ 2006 -UK/06/B/F/PP-162_508 • „POOL-Project Organisation On Line“ 2004 -A/04/B/F/PP/158 -128 • „POOLS – Production of Open Online Learning Systems“ 2005 UK/05/B/F/LA-162355 • „CICS –Core Skills in the Care Sector“ 2005 -DE/04/2/F/PP-146 -386 • „Transfer of Competencies for Vocational Training in Ecological Agrarian Sector of Baltic States” (Traco. Eco. Balt) 2004 -LT/04/B/F/PP-171000. • „European Network Sustainable Agriculture Education” (ENSA) NL/03/B/F/NT/157314

International Projects (2) • “TRIA –Assessing the Risk at Work“ 2004 -CY/04/B/F/PP-167403 Partnership: coordinator -Cyprus Workers Confederation, other partners from Denmark, Germany, Greece, Romania. The TRIA project responds to the sectorial need for training of employees and employers, especially those that work in small firms and/or are self-employed. It developed a comprehensive training course dealing with the risk assessment process at workplace of different economic activity sectors and the best practices to be followed in order to improve safety and quality of work, and introducing a new approach in vocational training. One of the sectors –Hotel and Restaurants

International Projects (3) • “EU-EQT. Development of European Qualification in Tourism Management” D/02/B/F/PP/112670 http: //www. eu-eqt. de • Partnership: Coordinator - vocational training organization Deutsche Angestellten-Akademie, , Germany, other partners - vocational training organizations from Austria, France, Italy, Greece and Hungary. • Project partners cooperated with social partners in their home countries aiming to determine the need of new qualifications and skills in tourism (especially accommodation) sector in the light of EU enhancement needs. . The task was accomplished through the survey of hotels, travel agencies and tourism information centres’ employees. The analysis of analogous surveys in different countries resulted in the content of specialist training and competence enhancement courses.

International Projects (4) • "Learning Service" D/02/B/F/PP/112644 • Partnership: Coordinator - Arbeit und Leben, Germany. Other partners – from Denmark, Germany and Cyprus • Project goal – Innovations in service industry (retail trade), aimed at retaining the attractiveness and distinctiveness of town centers in the light of growing competition in retail sector. .

International Projects (5) • Targetted Dissemination of Vocational Training for Rural Tourism. IS/99/1/72015/PI/III. 3. a. /CONT. • Coordinator – RIT Technology Court, Island. Material from 17 European countries. • Project goal – dissemination of modules for rural tourism development and promotion, supplementing the modules with new data and adjustment of modules to distance learning.

International Projects (6) • Q-TOUR E/98/1/61686/PI/1. 1. 1. a/CONT • Partnership: Coordinator - Fondo Formacion, Spain. Partners from Greece, Belgium and Germany. • Project goal – assessment of vocational training of hotel and restaurant specialists, adjustment of new study programs to the requirements of new labor market and social economic challenges.

International Projects (7) • Grundtvig 2 project : “CELCIT-To Develop Competences In E-Learning and Certification In Tourism” • Partnership: National federation of Teachers –Centre of the Initiative for Europe, Italy. Other partners from Spain, Romania. • The project aims to develop the European dimension of training the trainers and to reduce the gap between the school education and the work market, identify training needs and exchange work experience necessary for developing a new professional role, "tourism development agent", and for ensuring training in giving worth and safeguarding cultural and environmental assets. Enrich the professional and methodological competences of the adult educators in training, define the contents of an e-learning course that allows to get various relevant competences, make all partners to acquire a common frame of reference on which to structure the legal recognition of qualifications.

International Projects (8) • Strategical Planning and Development of Tourism in Kaunas, Lithuania BSPF/9811/021 Participants: Kaunas Municipality, Funen County (Denmark), • Ecos-Ouverture 2. 3 DETOUR. Developing Tourism in Urban Europe Partners - Kaunas Municipality, Kaunas Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, local authorities and educational institutions of Derby (England), Gent (Belgium), Patras (Greece), Maribor (Slovenia), Veszprem (Hungary). Goal – development of tourism in these towns. • Lithuanian-Danish project “Networking in Lithuania”; Partnership in Nord. Balt program with Finnish, Estonian and Latvian partners. • Lithuanian-Canadian cooperation project with Niagara College regarding tourism specialist development • Lithuanian- French cooperation project “Tourism development through human resources”

Department of International Relations Kaunas College Pramones pr. 20 LT-50468 Kaunas Lithuania www. kauko. lt E-mail: jolanta@kauko. lt