The meeting with the ambassador was attended by Prof. Dr. Artūras Razbadauskas, Rector of Klaipėda University; Prof. Dr. Laura Šaltytė-Vaisiauskė, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation; Dr. Benediktas Petrauskas, Vice-Rector for Infrastructure and Development; Inga Petrauskienė, Head of the Communication and Marketing Department; and Samanta Simonavičė, Head of the International Relations Office. The event was also joined by Vytautas Lygnugaris, Honorary Consul of Spain in Klaipėda, who actively contributes to the promotion of Spanish culture in the city.
The Rector presented to the ambassador the main research and study fields of KU, the university’s distinctive maritime profile, its fleet, and maritime study programmes. The university’s strengths, regional and international partnerships, and its role in the development of Klaipėda as a modern academic maritime city were also discussed.
The ambassador expressed interest in Klaipeda University’s cooperation with Spanish higher education institutions, the scale of student and staff exchanges, and possibilities for expanding them. The Rector emphasized that KU already collaborates with several Spanish universities, with active mobility among students and academic staff, and that Spain remains one of the most popular destinations among outgoing Erasmus+ students. It was also noted that KU is a member of the European University Alliance EU-CONEXUS, whose nine partner institutions include the Catholic University of Valencia, with which KU cooperates particularly closely.
A significant part of the visit was dedicated to the promotion of the Spanish language and culture. The ambassador was pleased to note that, starting next year, Spanish will become the world’s most spoken language by number of speakers, and its popularity as a second foreign language is rapidly growing both globally and in Lithuania. According to the ambassador, this is both great news and a challenge, as there is a noticeable shortage of Spanish language teachers throughout Lithuania.
During the meeting, discussions were held on how Klaipėda University could contribute to the training of Spanish language teachers and promote knowledge of Spanish language and culture in Lithuania. The ambassador welcomed the fact that KU already offers Spanish as an elective study subject and organizes Spanish language courses not only for students but also for the wider public.
Following the meeting at the Rector’s Office, the ambassador visited the Klaipeda University campus and the KU STEAM Center, where he was introduced to modern laboratories and learning environments. After the tour, the ambassador expressed his appreciation for the university’s infrastructure and the diversity of activities. Speaking about STEAM education, he recalled nostalgically that during his school years such practical learning environments did not exist and that most knowledge was acquired only from textbooks. H.E. José Fernando Fernández-Aguayo Muñoz emphasized that today’s young people are provided with unique opportunities to learn, explore, and create in real laboratories, which strengthens their motivation to pursue science and technology.
At the end of the visit, both parties agreed to continue the dialogue and look for concrete forms of cooperation – from joint initiatives in training Spanish language teachers to strengthening student and staff exchanges and developing new projects within international alliances.
