News

On 21 October 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a meeting between representatives of the Science Diplomacy Coordination Council (hereinafter, the Council) and other public sector institutions and a delegation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) visiting Lithuania. The meeting took place in Vilnius as part of the International Science Week “(re)SEARCH 2026”.

The meeting focused on the activities of the Lithuanian consortium for cooperation with MIT, partnership projects with MIT that have already been implemented or are currently under way, and prospects for further cooperation. The Chair of the Council, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigitas Mitkus, said that Lithuania is actively seeking cooperation with leading research and higher education institutions worldwide and that the existing partnership with MIT is therefore important for the country’s entire science diplomacy ecosystem.

“We have put forward a proposal to establish a joint fund that would help support the implementation of joint projects,” Vice-Minister Mitkus said.

The Vice-Minister stressed that Lithuania’s economic and scientific potential is steadily growing and that international cooperation in science and business is therefore essential to fully harness the country’s expertise and makes a significant contribution to strengthening Lithuania’s competitiveness.

The Lithuanian consortium for cooperation with MIT (hereinafter, the Consortium) is a strategic partnership launched in 2025 between Lithuanian research and higher education institutions, business representatives, the MIT Center for International Studies and the MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) programme. Seven Lithuanian universities, two research institutes and representatives of five companies participate in the Consortium. Its activities are supported by the Research Council of Lithuania.