Beginning this fall, Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) students can take an online Communications course taught in English by MRU Prof. Renata Mienkowska-Norkienė for free as the course begins a trial phase.

"Importance of Efficient Communication in Social Life," is part of the Global Access Asia (GAA) international network's courses offered online with about 60 Asian universities. So far MRU is the only University in Europe to join the GAA network.

"This is really the future," Mienkowska-Norkienė said adding that it's exciting that there are students who want to take courses online.

She is the first MRU professor to teach a course online via the GAA network.

The polyglot professor, who teaches not only in Lithuanian, German, and English, but also lectures in Polish at the University of Warsaw, is a trailblazing academic.

She said her online course includes 13 hours of lectures and two exams including a mid-term examination at the beginning of November.

At first, she was apprehensive about placing lectures online, which would be accessible to everyone. She was concerned about intellectual property rights. But in the end, she overcame her fears.

"My lectures are pretty universal," she said adding that topics such as Negotiaion and Mediation and Social Media Use in the Arab Spring, are presented.

Every student should take such a course, said Mienkowska-Norkienė, who is a Professor in MRU's Institute of Communication and Mediation.

Later in the year, as the trial phase ends, MRU students will be able to take online courses in various subjects taught by Korean, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian and other Asian professors.

Some of the courses taught include "Fundamentals of Digital Communication," "Understanding North Korean Culture," and "Practically Perfect English," to name a few.

Universities part of GAA use a platform developed by Korea's Dongseo University (DSU) and Busan Digital University (BDU). 

August 24th, MRU Assoc. Prof. Algirdas Monkevičius participated in the launch of the GAA international network at DSU in Busan.

Rector Assoc. Prof. Monkevičius, along with over a dozen other University Presidents, signed a multilateral academic cooperation agreement regarding Global Access Asia.

MRU students who choose to take the online courses will not be charged, and will be able to receive academic credit.

All lectures are in English.

Courses are listed here.