In 2020 Lithuania celebrates its 30th anniversary of Restoration of Independence. In 1990 when Lithuania's independence was restored, the University also turned its first page as an institution of higher learning as it took its first steps. Later, in 2004, the higher education institution would become Mykolas Romeris University. The University that Grew Along with Lithuania According to Mykolas Romeris University Rector Prof. Dr. Inga Žalėnienė, the University's closely associated with the history of modern Lithuania. With restoration of independence, the University grew and grew stronger along with Lithuania itself. "A number of our University professors, honorary doctors, are signatories of the Independence Act of Lithuania and have very significantly contributed to the Independence Act and to the preparation of Lithuania's Constitution and other meaningful legal acts." Rector Žalėnienė said that after declaration of Independence the new country needed specialists in social sciences, especially law, public governance, security that were able to create the new country's legal, management and security basis according to western democratic values. That is why Lithuania's Supreme Council - the Restorative Seimas barely after a month after restoration of independence established a new higher education institution, which later was named after Lithuania's Constitutional Law professor Mykolas Romeris. "The University began its activities as an institution of higher education preparing legal and public safety specialists. But very quickly it became evident that the young country of Lithuania also had a shortage of specialists in other areas - public governance, management, economics, political science, psychology, social work, educology and other social science. That is why the University grew step by step and strengthened thus becoming the largest specialised social sciences university in Lithuania, said MRU Rector Prof. Dr. Žalėnienė. Rector Žalėnienė noted that the University is celebrating its 30th anniversary having honed its strengths and having a strong identity with a rich history and a place not only in Lithuania's, but also the global map of higher education. "We are the largest and only such University in Lithuania specialising in social sciences," said Žalėnienė. Although there are wide profile and technologically-oriented institutions of higher education developing social sciences, our University stand alone among them with strong and unique studies and research areas, interdisciplinary studies programmes and research that has been recognised on the international level. "The mission of our University is unchanging - to actively contribute to the rule of law and governance, to the strengthening of security, to the prosperity of the State, to an open, transparent and free State and to the well-being of all its citizens." Celebrating Without Pomp But Creating Value For Society According to Mykolas Romeris University Communication and Marketing Head Jurga Strimaitienė, the anniversary of the University will be commemorated with various events, social activities and initiatives throughout the entire year of 2020. "The identity, the uniqueness of the University is created and formed by the university community - lecturers, administrative staff, students, alumni," Strimaitienė said. "Thus we have decided to mark this anniversary not with grand events, but with initiatives, social activities, events and celebrations that have been proposed by the University's community," she said. Throughout the year, there will be various university events where the MRU community will participate including but not limited to sports events and conferences as well as social activities and initiatives, she noted. Strimaitienė said that the anniversary is a great opportunity to attract attention to the importance of social sciences for contemporary society. As part of the University's anniversary, there are plans to present an interactive University historical remembrance project, which could in the future become a social sciences civil education centre and to help reveal the importance of social sciences to the country and to each of us," she said.