Date:
20 OCTOBER, 2026
Venue:
RESEARCH COUNCIL OF LITHUANIA (3 Gedimino Avenue, Vilnius)
Organizer:
RESEARCH COUNCIL OF LITHUANIA
Part I (in Lithuanian)
08:30–09:00
Registration and welcome coffee
09:00–09:25
Opening ceremony and welcome addresses
H.E. Mr Gitanas Nausėda
President of the Republic of Lithuania (TBC)
Raminta Popovienė
Minister of Education, Science, and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania (TBC)
H.E. Mr. Kęstutis Budrys
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania (TBC)
09:25–09:50
Science – The Language That Connects
Prof. Juozas Augutis, Chair of the Research Council of Lithuania
09:50–11:00
SESSION I
Lithuanian Science Diplomacy: Directions and Priorities
09:50–10:05
Lithuanian Science Diplomacy Guidelines
Dr. Vytautas Jankauskas, Advisor on Science and Innovation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
10:05–10:55
DISCUSSION. The Potential of Science Diplomacy for Lithuania: What Can We Achieve?
Panelists:
Sigitas Mitkus
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas (TBC)
Rector of Vilnius University
Assoc. Prof. Gediminas Urbonas
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
Prof. Inga Žalėnienė
President, Conference of Lithuanian University Rectors (CLUR)
Moderated by Aurelija Povilaikė, Research Council of Lithuania
10:55–11:00
Q&A from the floor
11:00–11:30
Coffee break and networking
Part II (in English)
11:30–12:40
SESSION II
Science Diplomacy as a Tool for European Geopolitics, Competitiveness and Regional Cooperation
11:30–11:45
European Science Diplomacy Framework
Maria Cristina Russo, Deputy Director-General, European Commission (TBC)
11:45–12:35
DISCUSSION. Science as Strategy: How Europe Turns Research into Geopolitical and Competitive Power
Panelists:
Maria Cristina Russo, Deputy Director-General, European Commission (TBC)
Dr. Regina Valutytė, Vice-Minister of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania
Dr. Marcus Pleyer, the State Secretary of German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space
Representative of the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) (TBC)
Representative of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (TBC)
Moderated by Tadas Tumėnas, Head of LINO Office
12:35–12:40
Q&A from the floor
12:40–14:00
Lunch and networking
Part III (in English)
14:00–15:10
SESSION III
Big Science, Bigger Bridges: How Europe’s Research Organisations Shape Global Diplomacy
14:00–14:15
From Particle Physics to Political Trust: CERN and the Power of Big Science Diplomacy
Professor Costas Fountas, President of the CERN Council
14:15–15:05
DISCUSSION. From Ad Hoc Collaboration to Strategic Partnership: What Can Science Diplomacy Learn from Big Science?
Panelists:
Prof. Costas Fountas, President of the CERN Council
Representative of European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) (TBC)
Representative of European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) (TBC)
Representative of Kaunas University of Technology (TBC)
Representative of ESFRI (TBC)
15:05–15:10
Q&A from the floor
15:10–15:20
Conference summary and closing remarks
15:20–17:00
Closing reception and networking