Klaipėda university was established on the 1st of January, 1991 and followed the decree Nr. 1 – 640 of Supreme Council of Lithuanian Republic. It started its academic activity on the 1st of September of the same year with three faculties (the Humanities and Natural sciences, Marine Engineering and Pedagogy) and around 3 000 students. The university was building up on the basis of already existing in Klaipėda departments or branch establishments of higher schools. In following 15 years the university was structurally developed. Presently around 10 000 students are studying and over 600 professors, docents and lecturers are working in rapidly growing university, which includes 7 faculties (Natural sciences and Mathematics, the Humanities, Marine Engineering, Arts, Pedagogy, Social sciences, Health sciences), 2 study institutes (Maritime and Continuing studies), 5 scientific institutes (Baltic Coastal Research and Planning, Baltic Regional History and Archaeology, Marine Landscape, Mechatronics, Regional Policy and Planning), scientific and study centres,  library, botanical gardens, publishing office, Career centre. Klaipėda university is the owner of sailer „Brabander“, the largest scientific-research ship in Lithuania, employed for practice of students and naval expeditions.

Social and economical circumstances are forming demand for rapid growth of KU. The university is functioning in that part of Lithuania, which is a residence place for about 700 000 people, where a perspective industrial and commercial potential is concentrated and marine complex is developed. Exceptional attention to KU is necessary, as from economical, cultural and geopolitical viewpoint it is established in unique coastal area of Lithuania with its only seaport. Through this area Lithuania gains access to huge perspectives of cooperation with Baltic region and other countries. KU is established in the city, which is characterized in general plan of Lithuania as a metropolitan centre of national level with granted special means of backing, securing development of competitive port of European level, economical and recreational conurbation, institutional implementation of country’s marine orientation, improvement of existing scientific and study potential. Klaipėda university, functioning in dynamic Baltic Sea region, must not confine itself strictly to solution of local problems.

Klaipėda university is significant for Lithuania from scientific, academic, geopolitical, economical, social and cultural viewpoints.KU is the only structurally full-fledged university in a large part of Western Lithuania. KU was established aiming at actualization of scientific research in marine topics and studies. Dominant in Klaipėda university are those trends of scientific research, artistic and academic activity, which are not developed by other universities of Lithuania: marine environment and marine transport engineering, hydrology and oceanography, marine economy, history and languages of Lesser Lithuania and Baltic region, ecological engineering, landscape architecture, underwater archaeology, port technologies, port construction engineering, recreation and tourism, care, social geography, jazz music, sports dances and choreography, childhood pedagogy. The university worked out 20 study programs of international degree and 12 other non-degree study programs and courses, which the university offers to foreign students.20 study programs of international degree and 12 other non-degree study programs and courses, which the university offers to foreign students.

Klaipėda university has a developed three-level study system: 67 programs of bachelor studies, 4 – of specialized vocational studies, 48 – of master studies, 3 – of doctoral studies.

Ability to integrate into united space of European science and studies became the basic criterion of science and study quality. KU performs research in biomedical, humanitarian, physical, social and technological sciences. Priorities in scientific research within the university have been determined. Order of programme financing in scientific research has been introduced.The university is a publisher of six scientific journals: Jūra ir aplinka (The Sea and environment); Tiltai (Bridges); Sociologija (Sociology), Mintis ir veiksmas (Idea and action); Archaeologia BALTICA (in cooperation with Institute of Lithuanian History); Acta historica universitatis Klaipedensis; RES HUMANITARIAE.

Quality of studies is under constant improvement, developing scientific research. KU introduced a self-assessment system of study programs.

On the 1st of October, 2006 the staff of KU consisted of 1358 employees, including 696 lecturers (68 professors and senior researchers, 229 docents and senior researchers, 42 lecturers and researchers with doctor’s degree). There are 433 full-timers, working as pedagogues and researchers and 33 scientific researchers. 10 dissertations of dr. habil. and 85 doctor’s dissertations were defended since 1993. Lecturers with pedagogical ranks and/or scientific degrees make 55% of entire pedagogical staff. 77 of them are in doctoral studies. Another 15 doctoral students are studying in other higher schools of the country. Number of annually defended dissertations in last three years amounts to 6-7.

On January 1^st, 2007 there were 9245 students at Klaipėda university: 4829 – at full-time studies, 308 – at part-time studies and 4108 – at extramural department. 759 students were at master’s studies, 38 students – at specialized vocational studies and 77 – at doctoral studies. 225 students are involved in continuing non-university studies. Studies of 4627 students are fully or partly financed from budget.

 

On the basis of governmental decree Nr. 926 from July 15, 2003 „Regarding granting of doctoral studies for scientific and study institutions” doctoral studies of three scientific trends were introduced:

Nr.	Code	Scientific sphere	Code	Scientific sphere
1.	H 000	Humanities	05 H	History *
2.	S 000	Social sciences	07 S	Education studies
3.	B 000	Biomedical sciences	03 B	Ecology and environmental research

* granted together with Institute of Lithuanian History.

 

On the basis of agreements on bilateral cooperation the university collaborates with 28 foreign higher education institutions and has cooperation with 109 foreign higher education institutions on the basis of Lifelong learning Erasmus programme agreements. It participated and still participates in international EU BP6 and BP7 programmes, LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME (LLP), INTERREG, NORDPLUS NEIGHBOUR, LIFE, HELCOM and other programmes, organizes and participates in international scientific conferences, different thematic networks (NETTLE, MARS, BSRUN, etc.). It is also a member of international associations (IIA, IMHE, EAIE, EUA, etc.).

 

Trends of scientific research at KU are approved at sitting of the Senate on April 29, 2005, decree Nr. 11- 41:

FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS

Systematic exploration of natural and cultural environment of the Baltic Sea region in the context of cohesive development:

• Exploration of structure and behaviour within associations and populations,
• Establishment of scientific elements in exploration of cohesive developmental environment,
• Exploration of coastal landscape state and prognostication of tendencies on changes in the context cohesive regional development.

Analysis of data on complex systems and mathematic modelling:

• Statistic analysis of dimensional data,
• Introduction of mathematic modelling and IT in the spheres of environmental research, natural and technological sciences, education.

FACULTY OF THE HUMANITIES

Exploration of languages, Lithuanian culture and history:

• Baltic linguistics and ethnology;
• History of literature, poetics and pedagogy;
• English, French, Russian, German philology, applied linguistics and oriental studies;
• School and folk rural theatre: poetics and development;
• History of Lithuanian Reformation churches and spiritual heritage in the context of European development;
• Forms of cultural expression and their philosophical analysis;
• History of Klaipėda region and the city.

MARITIME INSTITUTE

Exploration in the sphere of marine transport energetics and environment protection:

• Exploration of air pollution emission from ships, its amount, spread and reduction;
• Exploration of technologies and problems in employment of bio-fuel in aquatic transport.

FACULTY OF MARINE ENGINEERING

Development and introduction of modern technologies, increasing international competitive ability of Lithuanian marine complex and industrial companies of coastal region:

• Exploration in the sphere of aquatic transport development and efficiency;
• Exploration of marine mechatronic systems;
• Scientific research in mechanics of materials;
• Exploration of peculiarities in technologies for transportation of oil, its products and other chemical materials via seaports.

FACULTY OF ARTS

Peculiarities and significance of regional Western Lithuanian art for Lithuanian and European cultural heritage, perspectives of development:

• History of Lithuanian music in 19^th-21^st centuries; scientific research of musical life and musical creation;
• Musical culture of Lesser Lithuania and Klaipėda region;
• Musical education: history, theory, methodology.
• Research of development of instrumental and vocal music (grand piano, the winds, folk music). Basic tendencies of development, peculiarities of performance and interpretation;
• Theatrical culture of Lithuanian amateurs in theatrical process of Europe, peculiarities and significance of choreographic art.

FACULTY OF PEDAGOGY

Human becoming and social integration in the context of education paradigms:

• Scientific grounding, projecting, implementation and evaluation of education patterns, strategies and technologies from the aspects of changes in quality and content;
• Modernization of specialists’ training;
• Development of management in educational institutions.

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Interdisciplinary exploration of Lithuanian economical, social and political potential across Baltic region, while interacting between global and national tendencies:

• Role of communication and information in knowledge society;
• Influence of country’s economical policy upon competitive abilities of business under the process of globalization;
• Social-geographical structures of Lithuania and problems of their alternation;
• Interaction of state and civil society;
• Globalization conditioned seclusion and methods of its negotiation in the context of country’s membership in EU;
• Development of innovative policy pattern for regional growth.

FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

Development and introduction of modern sociological and biomedical methodologies, technologies, aiming at improvement of life quality of people in Lithuania:

• Health and life quality of elderly people;
• Opportunities for development of social work, improving life quality of people from social risk groups;
• Revelation of Vydūnas health philosophy and parallels of modern social health. Comparison of existing health care patterns and their efficiency;
• Development and employment of biomechatronic health improvement methods;
• Complex research of recreation and tourism in Lithuania and Baltic region.

BOTANICAL GARDENS

Introduction of herby and ligneous decorative and medicinal plants, exploration of their adaptation ex situ.

INSTITUTE OF CONTINUING STUDIES

Andragogy in the context of lifelong learning: psycho-social – educational aspects.

Approved at sitting of KU Senate on April 30, 2004, decree Nr.11- 45.

 

BALTIC COASTAL RESEARCH AND PLANNING INSTITUTE

Structure and working of transit aquatic ecosystems:

• Ecological modelling and systematic analysis of aquatic ecosystems;
• Ecology of plankton and bentos in transit ecosystems, their links with tendencies in environmental alternation;
• Ichthyologic research and re-creation of associations;
• Ecology of invasive species.

Approved at sitting of KU Senate on April 30, 2004, decree Nr.11- 44.

BALTIC REGIONAL INSTITUTE OF HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY

Exploration of culture, history, archaeology and cultural anthropology in the Baltic Sea region, Western Lithuania and Lesser Lithuania:

• Exploration of regional history;
• Archaeological exploration of Klaipėda and other Lithuanian towns (development of urbanization in Lithuania in 10^th – 16^th centuries);
• Formation of digital exploratory archive (hereinafter – DEA) for Klaipėda, the region and Lower Lithuania;
• Publication of research results and primary historical sources about Klaipėda, the region and Lesser Lithuania;
• Marine and underwater archaeological exploration around Lithuania and the Baltic Sea;
• Dendro-chronological dating of archaeological, architectural and historical wood, employment of its results in archaeology. Collection of data bank for annual flute of wood.
• Cultural anthropology of Baltic region.

Approved at sitting of KU Senate on April 30, 2004, decree Nr.11- 43.

INSTITUTE OF REGIONAL POLICY AND PLANNING

Region formation policy in Lithuania and social, legal, economic problems of integration into European Union.