Overview of molecular life science education in Lithuania = Образование в области молекулярной биологии в Литве

Abstract

The history of Molecular life science education in Lithuania was started in 1961, when first students were accepted to the Biochemisty study programme opened in Vilnius university. The department of Biochemistry and Biophysics in the Faculty of Natūrai Sciences was established next year, in 1962. The decision was undertaken to accept annually 20 students to this study programme aiming to activate research in the new and perspective field. For this purpose Institute of Biochemistry in Vilnius was opened in 1967. At the present time molecular life sciences are studied in five universities: Vilnius university, Vilnius Gedimino Technical university, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Vytautas Magnus university, and Kaunas Technology university (three latter universities are located in Kaunas). The leading position among these universities still belongs to Vilnius university which presently has modern and well equipped Life Sciences Center with 250 positions of academic staff and over 900 undergraduate and PhD students. The Key Knowledge and Skills for Biochemistry studies (bachelour programs) are formally defined by the regulamine. The present version of the regulaminewas developed by the special working group and approved in 2005 by the Ministry of Education and Research of Lithuanian Republic. Biochemistry and other molecular life sciences are popular in Lithuania, and that can be explained by several reasons: (1) perspective topic is relevant to many interdisciplinary areas of research and professional activities; (2) well known achievements of several generations of national researchers successfully working on in the area of biochemistry, molecular biology, and biotechnology; (3) strong impact of High-tech Biotechnology companies (Thermofisher Scientific, Sicor Biotech, Biotechpharma, etc.) operating in Lithuania. These companies are highly interested in the ąuality of molecular life sciences. [...]