On 20 April 2023, the board members of the Vilnius University Professors Emeriti Club (VUPEC)—President Prof. Emeritus Vaidutis Kučinskas, Vicepresident Prof. Emeritus Antanas Feliksas Orliukas, Dr. Habil. Valdas Stanislovas Laurinavičius and Prof. Dr. Habil. Eugenijus Manstavičius, together with Prof. Algirdas Utkus of the Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University, who is the Head of the Centre for Medical Genetics at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos and the Chairman of the National Health Council—discussed the VUPEC mission and activities.
The board members of the Vilnius University Professors Emeriti Club (VUPEC).
On 11 October 2018, following the efforts of a steering group and the example of other universities across the world, the Professors Emeriti Club was established and its board was elected. The mission of the VUPEC members was to bring together emeritus professors from different divisions of Vilnius University for intellectual communication and to encourage their active involvement in the academic life of their Alma Mater.
Awarding the title, ‘Emeritus Professor’, began in 2005 (the procedure for this, was approved on 3 April 2005 at the meeting of the Senate of Vilnius University). The ‘Emeritus Professor’ is considered to be “A science (art) professor, who has reached the legal pension age, has terminated their contract with Vilnius University and who is then awarded the title (status) of the Emeritus Professor by the Senate based on their distinguished science, art, or pedagogical activities.” In addition, an emeritus professor must have at least 30 years of experience in scientific research and a minimum of 5 years of experience in pedagogical work in the capacity of the professor at the core divisions of the University.
Many emeritus professors publish articles in the journals with high citation rates, write and publish monograph studies, give guest presentations at the national and international conferences, are involved in the activities of the editorial boards of periodical science publications, supervise doctoral students and contribute to public education as a continuation of their years of active work at Vilnius University. With the accumulated experience, VUPEC members actively seek to contribute to the development of the strategic plan and the activities of solving certain problems of Vilnius University.