AECEF NEWSLETTER 2/1998

THE FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING OF VILNIUS GEDIMINAS TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY HOLDS INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES
SOME FACTS ABOUT VGTU AND THE FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

by Povilas Vainiunas
Chairman of the Conferences
Dean of Faculty of Civil Engineering

Some subjects of Civil engineering had already first been educated in Vilnius the capital of Lithuania, as far back as the 18th century in the old University of Vilnius which next year would celebrate 420 years of existence. The training of civil engineers was started in 1956 in Vilnius branch of Kaunas Polytechnic Institute. In 1969 this branch was reorganised into the Vilnius Civil Engineering Institute and more recently, in 1990 into the Technical University.

In 1996 it was named after Gediminas the Great Duke of Lithuania. Therefore, the full name of the institution now is Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, VGTU.

Presently VGTU has 8 faculties and one institute - the Aviation Institute. The teaching staff numbers 703 professors - researchers and the student body is over 7500 persons.

The Faculty of Civil Engineering is the largest in VGTU. It numbers 100 professors - researchers and 1250 students. The faculty consists of 7 departments as follows: Reinforced Concrete Structures, Geotechnical Engineering, Steel and Timber Structures, Structural Mechanics, Building Materials, Construction Technology and Management and Labour Safety and Fire Protection.

The faculty trains civil engineering specialists according to various programs bachelors should study 4 years and get 160 credits , diploma engineers have 4 + 1 years of studies and 180 credits, masters study 4 + 2 years and have 200 credits and doctors of sciences study 4 + 2 + 4 years. Teaching is carried out in the Lithuanian language though there is one academic group where lectures are delivered in English. There is also a possibility to take some subjects in French.

Start of Scientific Conferences

It was just the first year passing by since Lithuania on 11 March 1990 announced to the whole world about the restoration of its State independence. Although most of world's states approved of it, but still could not believe that one of Soviet republics is leaving the Soviet empire and that USSR, holding until recently all its people and territory in strict confinement behind the iron curtain, would all of a sudden let one of its republics to shake off the yoke and agree to its secession. At that time, only Lithuania alone among 15 republics of the Soviet Union had declared its intention to make its own decisions in all matters. That's why none of foreign states could take the courage yet to officially acknowledge Lithuania as an independent State. The more so, as Soviet army still remained in Lithuania and not only demonstrated its might, but also by brute force impeded Lithuania's aspiration for freedom.

The scientists of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of Vilnius Technical University, just as all the rest of Lithuanian scientists, realising that in the quest of world's recognition decisive role can be played by close international ties of scientists, decided to organise in autumn 1990 the first original scientific conference ”Modern Building Materials, Structures and Techniques”, inviting scientists of other countries to take part in it. The conference then was not termed as international, but now this conference is regarded as the first one on the list of present international conferences.

Profile of Scientific Conferences

In those years, 9 departments of the Faculty employed 110 - professors - researchers. International or national scientific organisations or associations usually organise conferences of narrow scientific profile which attract specialists only of the given scientific direction. This is very important and necessary when a deep study of a certain problem is required. There are many scientists at the University working in the same field, but just a few in each of its scientific directions. Besides, universities alongside with purely scientific problems are very interested in establishing business-like connections with academic staff of other universities in order to share the expertise on the issues of preparation of specialists. So, the Faculty of Civil Engineering, taking into consideration and assessing its most urgent problems, decided to organise a wide profile conference ”Modern Building Materials, Structures and Techniques” with several sections analysing adjacent scientific directions.

SOME DATA ON CONFERENCES AND PARTICIPANTS

Proceedings of Conferences

The first two conferences were free of charge. Therefore, having in mind rather difficult economic situation of Lithuania, only 45 papers presented for the 1^st conference and 10 papers presented for the 2^nd conference could be published. The participants of the 3^rd conference and of those that followed had to pay some fee and this enabled the faculty to publish all the materials. Thus the proceedings of the 3^rd conference contained 81 papers, of the 4^th - 174 articles in 3 volumes and of the 5^th - 163 papers in 4 volumes.

Sponsors of Conferences

At the AECEF Board Meeting held in Budapest in May 1998, it was decided about sponsoring of International scientific conference ”Modern Building Materials, Structures and Techniques” which is held by Faculty of Civil Engineering of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University.

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