Education, cooperation, politics: Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys visits YSU

A delegation led by Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys visited Yerevan State University, where discussions focused on successful bilateral cooperation in international educational programs. The importance of continued cooperation in the education sector and the need to improve education quality were also highlighted.

YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan emphasized the expansion of international cooperation in education and science, the strengthening of partnerships, and the adaptation of best practices within Armenia's academic environment.

Referring to Armenian-Lithuanian inter-university cooperation, Hovhannisyan stressed the effective partnerships between YSU and Lithuanian universities within the framework of the Erasmus+ international credit mobility program, underlining the need to develop new areas of cooperation.

As part of the visit, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys delivered a lecture titled "History of Lithuania." He presented students with Lithuania's historical path of state-building and consolidation, also addressing the key development directions of modern-day Lithuania.

Speaking about the European Union's policy priorities, Budrys emphasized the importance of democratic values, human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.

The sides reaffirmed the importance of implementing joint educational and research programs, academic exchanges, and other initiatives, noting that such cooperation contributes to the development of inter-university and interstate relations.

The lecture concluded with an active Q&A session involving students from the YSU Faculties of International Relations, Law, and European Languages and Communication. Questions focused on prospects for Armenian-Lithuanian relations, opportunities for educational and political cooperation, and the visa liberalization process.