Lithuania is definitely a wonderful country to visit. As well as beautiful nature, delicious cuisine, spectacular architecture and rich culture, it also offers a high quality education and a once-in-a-lifetime study experience. Are you curious to find out what previous exchange students have to say about Lithuania, Vilnius University and specifically the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics?
Roman from Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Slovakia, says he chose Lithuania because of its good geographical location and his wish to visit the Baltic and Scandinavian countries. According to Roman, the exchange experience enriched him in many ways: he met new people, improved his English and gained other valuable benefits. His favourite course was Functional Programming, which he appreciated because of the lecturer and the course's usefulness for the future. Roman had a positive impression of the lecturers at VU MIF.
Ksenija from University of Latvia, chose Lithuania because she wanted to gain study abroad experience while staying relatively close to home. Her expectations were fully met: "Yes, they were met!" Ksenija says that the exchange brought her challenges and experiences very different from those at her home university. She especially enjoyed the Lithuanian language course, describing it as cosy and interesting, with a great lecturer who introduced students not only to the language, but also to Lithuanian culture. Ksenija also appreciated working in mixed groups with local degree students.
Nikolaos from Athens University of Economics and Business in Greece, says Lithuania seemed to be the best option among the countries available for his exchange studies. He believes the experience helped him learn a lot in his field: "For sure, I was able to learn so many things about my field." His favourite courses were Software Design and Artificial Intelligence because of their course content. Nikolaos describes the lecturers at VU MIF as good teachers and says he enjoyed all the courses he attended.
Efterpi from Democritus University of Thrace in Greece, chose Lithuania because she wanted to experience a country different from her own. She says the exchange experience enriched her by giving her the opportunity to meet new people and explore new places. Her favourite course was Robotics, which she appreciated because of the very understanding professor. Efterpi also evaluated the lecturers at VU MIF very positively.
Chrysoula from Democritus University of Thrace, says she chose Lithuania because she wanted to experience a culture different from her own. The exchange helped her understand herself better and become more independent and outgoing. Chrysoula especially enjoyed the Robotics course because it gave her the opportunity to expand her knowledge beyond her main field of study. She described the lecturers at VU MIF as interesting and says that she liked every class she attended at the Faculty.
Kanan from ADA University in Azerbaijan, explains that there were not many exchange options available for his Computer Engineering major, but studying in Lithuania at Vilnius University turned out to be "probably the best" choice he could have made. According to Kanan, the semester changed his views and gave him time to reflect on himself, his decisions and his future. He says that "meeting people from around the world and making lifetime memories is potentially one of the best things a student can do." Kanan describes the lecturers at VU MIF as friendly, helpful and easy to reach.
Ganga from Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences in India, chose Lithuania to gain international study experience, explore a new culture and improve academic as well as personal skills. Ganga says the exchange experience provided an opportunity to experience a different culture, meet people from diverse backgrounds, become more independent and gain new perspectives on studying and everyday life. The student's favourite course was Software Testing, taught by Dmitrij Nikolajev, who was described as welcoming and approachable, creating a positive atmosphere in the classroom. Although some courses were challenging, Ganga appreciated the lecturers' strong expertise.
Sadio from National School of Computer Science for Industry and Business in France, chose Vilnius University because of its study programme. He says that being an exchange student allowed him to discover new cultures by meeting other international students. His favourite course was Computer Network for Professionals, taught by Eduardas Kutka, because of the interesting course content and good atmosphere during lectures. Sadio describes the lecturers at VU MIF as very good at what they do: "The materials presented were relevant to the topics and they encouraged students to be more involved in the course."
Ioanna from University of Thessaly in Greece, chose Lithuania because it was the best Erasmus option offered by her home university. Coming from Southern Europe, she was eager to experience life in Northern Europe and gain a new academic and cultural perspective. Her expectations were exceeded: "It was an amazing experience; I was even more impressed than I had anticipated." Ioanna believes the experience enriched her both academically and personally, especially through weekly assignments, constant engagement and interaction with people from different countries and cultures. Her favourite course was Human-Computer Interaction, which she valued for its engaging material, interactive learning process and helpful professor.
Clemente from Universidad de Oviedo in Spain, says he chose Lithuania because of the lower cost of living and recommendations from colleagues. According to Clemente, the exchange experience enriched him greatly: "Living alone and making new friends have been very important for me this year, making it the best of my life." His favourite course was Computer Network, which he appreciated because of the good atmosphere in class and the lecturer. Clemente describes the lecturers at VU MIF as understanding and kind to Erasmus students.
Serhat, from Trakya University in Turkey, says he chose Vilnius University for his exchange semester because of the international environment and quality of education. "I have definitely improved my social and professional skills", – he says. As for the lecturers, Serhat says they are true professionals and try to give students as much information as possible.
Anna, from University of Applied Science Burgenland in Austria, says she chose Lithuania because she had never been to this part of Europe before. She had no expectations when she came here, so she was pleasantly surprised: "Lithuania is beautiful and I'm really happy that I got the opportunity to study and live in this country", – says Anna. The student believes that her experience in Lithuania has enriched her greatly: "I got to know not only the Lithuanian culture, but also so many others, like Greek, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, German". She is very happy to have met so many new people and to have made friends all over Europe. She also admits that she has become more independent while living in a foreign country.
Bojan, from the University of Maribor in Slovenia, admits that he chose Lithuania for several reasons: lower cost of living, the high rating of the Vilnius University and the geographical location of the country. Bojan was really impressed by Lithuania: "The country itself exceeded my expectations. Amazing people, nature and culture". He says he left Lithuania knowing more about himself, his mentality. According to the student, the lecturers were also very good.
Sakis, from the Athens University of Economics and Business in Greece, was lucky enough to meet some other Greek students who had already spent a semester in Lithuania. They shared their experiences of university life. "My expectations were met – my experience in Lithuania enriched me in many areas". Sakis really liked the atmosphere in the faculty and according to him the professors were great and enthusiastic.
Sebastian, from Grenoble Alpes University in France, decided to come to Lithuania for an exchange semester because he could choose courses that perfectly matched his studies in France. He was also fascinated by the idea of discovering a country he knew nothing about. "My expectations of the studies were met, I really like the courses here – even more than my French ones", – says Sebastian. He believes that the experience in Lithuania has contributed to his personal development, as he has never been so far away from his family and has never lived in another country before. "It was very nice to be more independent from a certain point of view, as well as to live with other people from all over the world and to get to know other cultures a bit better", – says Sebastian.
Jānis, from Riga Technical University in Latvia, wanted to visit more Baltic countries and see cosy cities. A student from a neighbouring country says he has made many new friends and improved his ability to plan and adapt. Jānis really liked the lecturers: "The lecturers are great. Most of them come from the industry and have real experience. It is always nice to talk to professionals".
Juan, from the University of the Basque Country in Spain, was amazed at how advanced the country is in terms of technology. He chose Lithuania because it gave him the opportunity to study cybersecurity, a field he is interested in. "It was a great opportunity to grow as a person by living in a foreign country with different people and culture", – says Juan.
Helena, from the University of Thessaly in Greece, had many reasons for choosing to come to Lithuania: the high level of education at Vilnius University, the challenge of getting to know a new university and a new city, the high ranking of VU compared to other options, the innovative study plan. She says that her expectations have been met: "I think that the choice I was given, the challenge I took, was 100% worth it and it has enriched me a lot, both academically and personally". Helena also liked that the lecturers spoke good English and were approachable and friendly.
Andrea, from Jean Monnet University in France, chose Lithuania because of its strong technological focus. The student says her expectations were met as she gained valuable skills and cultural insights. Andrea was pleased with the lecturers and had many kind words to say about them: "They demonstrate expertise, provide engaging lectures and support student learning".
