We would like to invite you to a lecture about the factors that determine the learning of foreign languages, especially Korean by Professor Heo Yong from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (South Korea). The lecture will be held in English.

How does language acquisition differ when we learn our native tongue and a foreign language? What factors are at play when we try to improve our foreign language skills? The special lecture by professor Heo dabs into the topic by taking the learning of the Korean language as an example. Cases highlighted in the lecture display how native language can both help and hinder the acquisition of the foreign tongue.

Having received a master’s and a Ph.D. in Linguistics from SOAS University of London, Prof. Heo has served the dean of the HUFS Center for Korean Language and Culture and the chief of the International Association for Korean Language Education. (more…)

The Centre for Asian Studies invites all interested in China, Japan and Korea to apply for the East Asia Region Studies program (EARS), which is the only graduate program in Lithuania and the Baltic States that is taught in English and focused on East Asian contemporary politics and society. VMU also provides scholarships for selected foreign students.

EARS program’s applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree of humanities or social studies. Same as earlier, the best and most motivated students will be encouraged to study at least one semester abroad at one of our partner universities in East Asia. After graduation students acquire the MA degree of political science. All the courses of the program are taught in English. Research paper and master’s thesis are also written in English.

More information about the program, the application process and other requirements can be found in EARS page. Application deadline: June 27th.

VMU Centre for Asian Studies together with Asitaski and Embassy of Japan in Lithuania invites everyone to the premiere of the movie “Mikoshi Guy” in Lithuania. The screening of the movie will take place on 17th of June, at 6:00 PM at VMU Multifunctional Research and Studies Centre, room 103 (V. Putvinskio st. 23, Kaunas). The event will be held in English and is free and open to all. The movie will be screened in original language with English subtitles.

ABOUT THE MOVIE
In Japan due to the ongoing demographic changes the younger generation is moving out of smaller habitats to the big cities. Due to this a lot of local celebrations (matsuri) are not happening. In order to preserve matsuri culture the main character of the movie Nobuya Miyata is participating in 50 local celebrations every year. The documentary “Mikoshi Guy” portrays how matsuri is uniting people. This power of bonds is traveling to Europe. Nobuya begins to participate in “Karneval der Kulturen” festival in Berlin (Germany) and presents Japanese matsuri culture. (more…)

On May 25th, VMU Centre for Asian Studies invites all to try out Chinese calligraphy. During the workshop guests will have an opportunity to learn how to write “I am Lithuanian” and “Happy New Year” in Chinese additionally, to learn how to draw crabs, bamboos and flowers.

The workshop will be held in English.

This event is a part of “Putvinskis street days 2019” program, which is organized by Kaunas Artists’ House. All events are free of charge. More about the festival: Putvinskio gatvės diena 2019
#PGD_2019.

Everybody interested in East Asia are invited to listen to the defense of students final thesis. 

Public Master thesis defense of the students of East Asia Region Studies will take place on May 22 nd, 2019 and public Bachelor thesis defense of the students of East Asian Cultures and Languages will take place on June 3-5. All defenses will be taking place at 10:00 AM in room 310, V. Putvinskio st. 23.

This year 5 Master students and  47 Bachelor students are defending their thesis.

The list of Master students and their topics.
The list of Bachelor students and their topics.

The Centre for Asian Studies continues “Time for Asia” events and invites you on April 30 o an open lecture given by a visiting professor Jorge Garzón. The guest from Torcuato di Tella University (Buenos Aires, Argentina) will speak on topic “Overlapping regionalism in East Asia”. As the speaker describes:

The term overlapping regionalism describes the phenomenon of states increasingly choosing to participate in multiple regional organizations which also have often similar policy competencies. This raises the puzzle of why states seek membership in several regional organizations at the same time? Or why states do not use already existing regional organizations to cooperate? The overlap of regional organizations raises also questions regarding its consequences for regional order and regional integration. Do they facilitate cooperation among states or rather contribute to regional fragmentation? In the course we will analyze and discuss these questions with help of examples from East Asia.

The lecture will be held on April 30 (Tuesday) from 15:00 at Putvinskio str. 23-101, Kaunas. The lecture will be in English and is free and open to all. (more…)

We are sorry to inform you that the event is being cancelled due to illness and it is planned to be moved to June. Detailed information will be published later.

 On May 9th, Thursday, 18:00 in room 414 (V. Putvinskio st. 23, IV floor) VMU Centre for Asian Studies organizes public lecture about Zen meditation and yoga practice “The Invitation to Zen Practice”. The event will be held in English, is free of charge and open to all.

VMU will be visited by three guests from Japan: Zen Buddhism monk Sohaku Matsushita, light artist Mr. Suguru Funaki and yoga instructor Ms. Rie Sumi. In the beginning of the event Mr. S. Funaki will present Japanese hand-made lanterns made from Japanese paper.

Instructor Ms. Rie Sumi will demonstrate yoga practice. Yoga is an important part of Zen Buddhism because Buddha was a yoga practitioner who mastered the correct posture and breathing methods which allowed him to become one with the universe. During the yoga practices he entered into the deep concentration “smadhi” and experienced “satori” – he was enlightened by the morning star. (more…)

On April the 15th, VMU’s Dragons Academy at the Centre for Asian Studies together with the students from Korean culture club “Hallyu”, Japanese culture club “Hashi” and Chinese culture club “Wu Wei” visited Alytus “Jotvingiai” gymnasium. In celebration of the second anniversary of Alytus Orientalist Club activities, the students at the gymnasium were given lectures on the languages and cultures of East Asia. Also, cultural workshops were held, where students had the opportunity not only to get to know the art of calligraphy, origami, Chinese papercutting, but at the same time got a chance to interact with international exchange students from East Asia.

Dragons Academy is a network of formal and informal educational institutions, coordinated by the Center of Asian Studies of Vytautas Magnus University. The academy was founded in 2017 with the aim to spread the knowledge about the East (more…)

Komaru Transportation Company together with Hiroshima University’s Lithuanian Center and Vytautas Magnus University’s Centre for Asian Studies is organizing the Second Japanese Language Speech Contest. Participants from schools and universities are welcome. As last year, the contests is ready to surprise the winners with special presents (last year the main prize was a trip to Japan).

The Japanese language speech contest will be taking place on May 17th, 13:00 in room 103 (V. Putvinskio st. 23, Kaunas).

This year’s topic is “transportation” in its broadest meaning, including traffic, travels, etc. Speeches must be original works created by the participants. Each speech will be evaluated by a special committee that will take into account grammar, pronunciation, contents, expressions, fluency, answers to questions. (more…)

March 27, 2019 Dr Aurelijus Zykas finishes his work as head of the Centre for Asian Studies, which he started in 2008, eleven years ago.

„It was extremely interesting and challenging period of life. I hope, I succeeded to continue the activities and ideas of my predecessor, Mr. Arvydas Ališauskas, who had established Japanese Studies Centre. – Dr. Aurelijus Zykas stated, – I believe, together with our team we were able to raise Asian studies in Kaunas to some higher level. Here, in Kaunas, the vivid community of Asian studies specialists was developed, and now it is dispersed in different countries of the World. I would like to express my appreciation to all the divisions of the University and our social partners. We all worked together and achieved joint aims“.

Among the achievements of the Centre for Asian Studies during the last decade, the following should be mentioned: (more…)

We are happy to announce a call for papers for the 5th annual international students’ conference on Asia. The conference will take place on April 9 at Vytautas Magnus University (V. Putvinskio 23, Kaunas).

If you are interested in East Asian cultures, languages, arts, economics or other areas, this event is just for you. The conference, organized by VMU East Asian Languages ​​and Cultures students, together with the Centre for Asian Studies and the Department of Cultural Studies, is a great opportunity to share your accumulated knowledge, work or research with colleagues in this field and not only, to gain experience and improve your public speaking skills, or even get some inspirations. (more…)

We are sharing the invitation to submit abstracts for the 4th annual Student academic Conference, focusing on Asia. The conference will be held on April 24, 11:00-14:00, V. Putvinskio 23-310 in Kaunas, Lithuania.

This event, which has become an integral part of VMU Asian Week, is organized by VMU Regional Studies Asian specialization students and VMU Center for Asian Studies together with the Department of Cultural Studies. As every year, students from various fields whose work and research touch on the topic of Asia are welcome, both from the humanities, social sciences, arts and other disciplines. (more…)

The National Taiwan Library announced “Guidelines to the National Taiwan Library Fellowship for International Visiting Scholars and Students”.
The library provides Fellowship for experts and scholars to pursue their academic goals in Taiwan studies or Southeast Asia studies. Please click here to read more.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Lithuanian.

It is time for all who are interested in East Asian cultures, languages, economics, politics and more to come together for what has become an annual student research conference, organised by the VMU East Asia Cultures and Languages students.
This conference is a great opportunity to share your knowledge, work and research with colleagues in the field, to try and improve your public speaking skills, to gain experience and to listen to presentations by like-minded people. (more…)

Sorry, this entry is only available in Lithuanian.

Are you interested in politics of Japan? Maybe you are interested in economy of China? Maybe you are fascinated in Korean art and traditions? It does not matter in which field you are interested in, as long as it is related to East Asia we have a very interesting proposition to you. (more…)

VMU Department of International Relations informs about ongoing studies exchange and internship contests as well as “Erasmus Days’21” which are going to take place on February 17th, 18th, and 19th, during which students will be able to learn more about exchange opportunities. (more…)

Beijing Normal University entrusts the European Federation of Overseas Chinese and Chinese Associations to recruit 100 candidates for MBA and MPA studies (conducted fully in English) from all over the world. Appropriate students are welcome to sign up. (more…)

Applications for scholarships for studies in China in 2021-2022 are open. Persons who are nationals of Lithuania, EU or persons from the third countries having the right to live in Lithuania are welcome to apply.

Applications may be submitted by representatives of various fields of Lithuanian science and studies institutions/ representatives of science fields – Bachelor, Masters and PhD students. (more…)