March 16th-17th, 2023, during an International Association of Universities (IAU) Administrative Board meeting in Paris, Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) Rector Prof. Inga Žalėnienė was elected Vice-President of the IAU. She will oversee one of the priority areas of IAU's activity - internationalization.
"By promoting the internationality of universities, we aim to properly represent the diversity of peoples and cultures, to create equal educational opportunities for all", said IAU Vice-president Prof. Žalėnienė.
"Internationality develops the responsibility of students and the entire academic community for the future of the world,” she said. It helps in sharing scientific achievements and experience so that we can together overcome emerging challenges, find important solutions for local communities and the common good, and thus contribute to the United Nations' (UN) sustainable development goals."
At the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Rector Prof. Žalėnienė, together with other members of the IAU Board, discussed the activities of the association and current educational problems with Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Secretary General for Education, and with diplomats accredited to UNESCO, including Lithuanian Ambassador to UNESCO Jolanta Balčiūniene, IAU President Prof. Andrew Deeks and IAU Secretariat staff.
During the IAU Board meeting, the 2022 annual report, IAU”s activities strategy until 2030 and the 2023-2026 activity plan was considered. It included implementing values-based leadership, internationalization, contribution of higher education to sustainable development and digital transformation priorities.
Created in 1950 at the initiative of UNESCO and higher education leaders around the world, IAU for more than 70 years has been active helping to implement UNESCO and the UN agenda in the area of higher education. It disseminates good practices among its network of partners and maintains an international dialogue in the sphere of global higher education. IAU unites more than 600 universities and national university rectors conferences from more than 120 countries. MRU has been participating in IAU activities from 2004. Rector Žalėnienė was elected a member of the IAU Administrative Board in 2016 and in 2022 she was re-elected for a 2nd term.
