Speaker of the Seimas: There is a need to develop cooperation between Lithuanian and Irish research and education establishments

Press release, 19 June 2018

 

Viktoras Pranckietis, Speaker of the Seimas, met with Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland, and Sabina Higgins, First Lady of Ireland, during their visit to Lithuania.  

The meeting highlighted a close inter-parliamentary cooperation between Lithuania and Ireland, as the Parliaments of both countries have established respective friendship groups. Parliamentary committees have also been actively engaged in cooperation.

Ireland, like Lithuania, is committed to developing innovative and high-added valued sectors. It is therefore encouraging to see the emerging bilateral cooperation in the area of life sciences. In terms of progress in the field of biotechnology, Lithuania was ranked 16th in the world.

The Speaker of the Seimas was convinced that it was necessary to develop cooperation between Lithuanian and Irish universities. Higher educational establishments in both countries have recently agreed to enhance their cooperation and entered into new partnerships. In order to unlock the potential offered by the EU programmes, Lithuanian and Irish research and education institutions need to engage in closer cooperation. This will likely encourage more students from both countries to come and study in Lithuania and Ireland through the Erasmus + programme.

The meeting also addressed the key issues pertaining to the Brexit negotiations and the debate on the EU’s new multiannual financial framework.

After the meeting, the Speaker of the Seimas, the President and the First Lady of Ireland visited the January 13 Memorial by the Seimas’ building.

 

Photos of the Office of the Seimas (author Olga Posaškova)

 

Karolina Frolovienė, Spokesperson to the Speaker of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6016, e-mail: [email protected]