VMU is successfully expanding its network of partners in Asia – most of which are partnerships of the Centre for Asian Studies. On May 9, after the East Asia Day event, VMU received a delegation from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Denmark, along with the Rector and his delegation from Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in Indonesia. This is an important development for the Centre in its aims to introduce Southeast Asian studies in the future, but first and foremost the agreement should attract the interest of natural sciences majors at VMU. They will be the first to benefit from new opportunities for cooperation and exchange.
According to H.E. Ambassador of Indonesia to Denmark and Lithuania Prof. Dr. Bomer Pasaribu, speaking at the Asia Day event, education exchange is a tool opportunity for Indonesia, constitutionally committed to spending at least 20% of its public budget on education, to implement its motto – “a million friends and zero enemies”. (more…)
This May, a new Lithuanian book about Japan was released. It is called “Japonijos spalvos ir skoniai” or in English – “The colours and the taste of Japan” and is one of the few literary works published by a Lithuanian author about this country. The piece colourfully depicts a wonderful, versatile and rich heritage, people and lifestyle of Japan. Refering to his personal experience, the author tells us a humorous and nostalgic tale about his life in two different cities of Japan – Tokyo and Kanazawa.
On the 29th of April in Centre of Oriental studies in Vilnius University, Centre for Asian Studies (CAS) and Confucius Institute at Vilnius University CI VU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding. By doing so, a formal cooperation between the two institutions was initiated. The Memorandum enabled the establishment of Confucius Institute Teaching Point at VMU. The teaching Point will mainly be aimed at Chinese language teaching for VMU students. 
Penktadienį, balandžio 25 d., Vytauto Didžiojo universitete Azijoslankėsi prof. Hiromi Hayashi, Bunkyo Gakuin universiteto (Tokijas) prorektorius. Jis atvyko į VDU 25-mečio renginius, skaitė sveikinimo kalbą ir universitetui padovanojo vertingą dovaną – žymaus XVIII a. japonų dailininko Katsushika Hokusai graviūros originalą.
Azijos studijų centras sėkmingai pradėjo vykdyti dar vieną savo projektą – 
Azijos studijų centras (ASC) pradėjo Erasmus+ pagrindu plėtojamą partnerystę su Eötvös Loránd universiteto (ELTE) Tolimųjų Rytų institutu (Budapeštas, Vengrija). Arvydas Kumpis, ASC vyresnysis koordinatorius, lankėsi ELTE balandžio 6-12 dienomis.
