Education and Science, Legislation, Lithuania, Mergers and take-overs

Even though Lithuanian Sports University (LSU) supports the idea to re-establish the University of Lithuania which was operational in Kaunas in the interwar period and gave rise to some of today's higher education institutions, yet, LSU prefers a more independent path. LSU Senate made such a decision taking into account: development trends of universities all over the world; development of Lithuanian and world sports and related areas; Lithuanian social, cultural, economic and political context; cooperation culture of Lithuanian universities and the state of academic ethics; expectations of Lithuanian people regarding sports and LSU human and financial potential and its 80 year old traditions.

According to LSU representative Zilvinas Slauskis, LSU Senate had actively proposed to establish a consortium of Kaunas universities as long as 10 years ago. Unfortunately, the consortium was not created due to political context and the lack of cooperation culture.

In January 2014, LSU Senate confirmed that it supports Kaunas' university rectors' initiative to consolidate human and financial potential, seeking for the highest international recognition and dissemination of knowledge among students and the public. Nevertheless, the Senate decided that autonomous and socially responsible LSU will more effectively implement its mission – to promote progress of society, to bring benefit in outstanding international level sports and science research and studies, and in gifted students and scientists.

According to LSU Senate, the lack of trust, cooperation and partnership culture, and respect towards one another is what stops from merging into one Kaunas university. The more advanced way to ecourage cooperation between universities are unions (consortiums) of independent and autonomous universities. Their aim is to improve partnership and equal cooperation based on the culture of trust, agreement and commitment to progress. LSU Senate says it would without doubt participate in the consortium of independent universities, would carry out common research, create and implement common study programmes. Especially, as all legal and social conditions to achieve this are available.

In late 2013, LSU decided to participate in a four Lithuanian university consortium Unikon.