When education becomes the last priority...

On December 5th and 6th Vilnius university has closed its doors. No lectures were held, no science was done on these days in Vilnius university.

While our posts are prepared beforehand, we symbolically skip this week's post to share the text which had completely replaced Vilnius university website on those days. This text, which also explains the reasons behind the protest follows:

#TheLastPriority

As the Government is failing to keep promises of additional funding for the increase of lecturers, researchers and non-academic staff salaries from 1 January , Vilnius University suspends its activities on December 5-6 and announces these requirements:

1. Allocate necessary funds in 2020 state budget so that researchers’ and lecturers’ salaries would be increased by at least 20 %.
2. The wage of academics and highly qualified administrative staff should be at least 50 % higher than Lithuania’s average wage by the year 2023
   • Research and teaching assistants must earn 50 to 100 % more than Lithuania‘s average wage
   • Researchers, assistant professors must earn 200 to 250 % more than Lithuania’s average wage
   • Senior researchers, associate professors must earn 300 to 400 % more than Lithuania’s average wage
   • Research professors, professors must earn 350 to 400 % more than Lithuania’s average wage
   • Bonuses shouldn’t amount more than 10 % of an annual wage
   • Wages must be indexed considering economic growth
3. Allocate necessary funds in 2020 state budget so that the salaries of administrative staff would meet labour market’s median
4. Allocate necessary funds in 2020 state budget in order to increase students’ incentive scholarships
5. Have a sustainable strategy of research projects funding which would meet the 3 % of Lithuania’s GDP as recommended by European Commission and OECD
6. Include researchers and other public sector‘s representatives in forming the state‘s annual budget process
7. Recognize the value of research and studies in forming the nation‘s welfare
8. Form a clear, transparent and balanced public sector’s wage policy based on competences and responsibilities