Social Partners’ Breakfast Meeting Continues Long-Standing Tradition of Cooperation

On 9 January 2026, in continuation of a long-standing tradition, Kolping HEI hosted a social partners’ breakfast meeting, attended by representatives from organisations that work closely with both the Kolping HEI Social Welfare Centre and the Centre for Economics and Business.

The meeting was attended by Giedrė Aukšščiūnienė (Kaunas Archdiocesan Family Centre), Giedrius Jonys and Gintaras Bagdžiūnas (Child Welfare Centre ‘Pastogė’), Arūnas Kučikas (Kaunas Archdiocesan Branch of ‘Caritas’), Austė Juodgudytė (Old Town Children’s Day Care Centre), Ilona Abramavičienė and Patricija Kaniauskaitė (Kaunas ‘Arka’ Community), Ernesta Petruškevičienė (Social Care Centre ‘Vija’), Kristina Mulevičienė (VMU Botanical Garden), Mindaugas Rukanskis (‘Svirla UAB’), Margarita Teresevičienė (Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning, LieDM).

During the meeting, the representatives of Kolping HEI expressed their sincere gratitude to the social partners for their purposeful and consistent cooperation, which makes them feel appreciated and recognised for their vital role in enhancing study quality and relevance. It was also highlighted that the social partners are actively involved not only in the organisation of students’ professional practice placements, but also in the activities of the final bachelor thesis defence committees, in the evaluation processes of the fields of study, in scientific and practical conferences, and in other academic and professional events.

Discussing the experience of the past years, it was underlined that such multifaceted cooperation creates conditions for closer integration of theory and practice, promotes the development of students’ professional competencies, and increases the relevance of study programmes to labour market needs. The meeting also outlined specific initiatives for this year, such as joint study-process improvements, student engagement activities, and applied project development, to ensure clear next steps and measurable outcomes.

We thank the social partners for their time, constructive discussions, and the longstanding tradition of cooperation, which not only helps us maintain strong professional ties but also fosters a sense of pride and belonging. This collaboration facilitates an active exchange of knowledge, experiences, and ideas, thereby strengthening the partnership between academia and the social partners and encouraging ongoing engagement.