Klaipeda University (KU) was founded in 1991 to strengthen Lithuania as a maritime state and to contribute to the social and cultural development of the Western Lithuanian region. In 2008, a Marine Valley programme integrating science, studies, and business was launched, intended to develop the specialisation of maritime sciences in KU. From 2019 KU together with five other European universities belongs to a progressive and ambitious consortium “EU-CONEXUS“(„European University for Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability“).Belonging to the European University means new opportunities both for students and academic staff: new inter-disciplinary and international study programs, new models of mobility, common virtual libraries, the idea of smart university campus are going to be created, scientific research is to be
strengthened.The mission of KU 2030: partnership between the academic, social, and business environments for the excellence of science, public welfare, and education of creative personalities. KU researchers take an active part in the Baltic Sea region cooperation projects (Baltic Sea Region; South Baltic Cross-Border Cooperation; Latvia – Lithuania Cross Border; Lithuania – Poland – Russia Cross Border Cooperation, Erasmu+, and etc.), dealing with the issues of marine resources and technologies, health, pedagogy and management, and historical heritage. KU has the academic staff of 550 and the majority of them (about 80%) combine academic and research activities and around 3000 students.
