Ignitis Group signed a momentous cooperation agreement with MIT

Ignitis Group, a renewables-focused integrated utility, and partners from various sectors and scientific institutions signed a Letter of Intent at the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) to launch the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) programme in Lithuania. This momentous agreement allows Lithuania to become a part of the global technology and innovation ecosystem and transform its STEAM education.

“MIT is a world-class engineering university, so we are very excited about signing this momentous agreement and see plenty of opportunities for collaboration. In an effort to attract new talents to the energy sector and create a hub of future energy professionals in Lithuania, Ignitis Group is providing financial support, implementing various #EnergySmartSTART programme initiatives, inviting students to tours, meetings with specialists, visiting schools and organising events and remote lectures. Collaboration with MIT is an extraordinary chance to strengthen the engineering studies in Lithuania,” says Dr. Živilė Skibarkienė, Management Board Member at Ignitis Group.

After joining the MISTI programme, the participants would gain access to the opportunities made available by the MIT MISTI centre. MIT students from the Global Teaching Labs programme would come to Lithuania to teach STEAM and entrepreneurship classes in schools and share the latest knowledge and innovative MIT teaching and learning methods. This would also create opportunities to attract talent to Lithuania as MIT students could intern at Lithuanian companies and organisations. One of the MISTI programmes, Global Seed Funds, would promote joint projects, research and innovation development among MIT, Lithuanian higher education institutions and businesses. Lithuania and MIT could also establish various joint MIT MISTI subprogrammes, which would be tailored to specific national needs, for example, in areas of energy, biotechnology, laser technology, etc.

For a long time, engineering studies in Lithuania have been outnumbered in popularity by social sciences and humanities. The energy sector is experiencing a shortage of energy professionals, and it is estimated that Lithuania will require at least 2,500 additional specialists by 2030. 1,500 of them will be offshore specialists. Currently, the energy sector employs around 100 unique professions, so after finishing the electrical and energy engineering studies, you will definitely find a career path that's successful and meaningful to you.

“One of the paragraphs in the document signed today includes an agreement to form a consortium among Lithuanian organisations, universities, business sector and other research and applied science institutions that will participate in the MISTI programme. This is a monumental event in Lithuania’s history because all sectors came together to sign the agreement. The opportunity for Lithuania to become a fully-fledged member of the MIT MISTI programme would give it access to the world-class education, technology and innovation resources while strengthening the country’s position in transatlantic area,” notes Gintaras Valinčius, Chairman of RCL.

Alongside Ignitis Group, the Letter of Intent was signed by the RCL, the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation, Vilnius Academy of Arts, Vytautas Magnus University, Tech-park Kaunas, Association INFOBALT, LTG Group, Lithuanian Energy Institute and Lithuanian Museum of Ethnocosmology.

The Group is implementing the #EnergySmartSTART programme, which is dedicated to students and anyone who is interested in energy topics. The programme unites various initiatives of energy companies, including tours and meetings with professionals for students, scholarships and introductions to career opportunities in the energy sector. You can learn more about the programme on the website www.energysmartstart.lt.