Innovative education

Goal

To create conditions for quality science education and to stimulate pupils' interest in scientific research by developing and improving the network of modern science laboratories in the gymnasiums of Vilnius City Municipality.

Description

- helping gymnasiums to set up modern science laboratories and to equip them with modern learning tools;
- providing professional development opportunities for teachers in schools with science laboratories;
- enabling Vilnius science teachers to learn from each other by sharing experiences.

Achievements in 2025

Vilnius City Municipality financed the installation of 13 natural science laboratories in educational institutions in the capital in 2024–25. For the first time, funding was also allocated to lower secondary schools. 
It also allocated additional funding to five schools implementing the International Baccalaureate programme to set up or renovate natural science laboratories that meet the programme's standards.

75% of Vilnius gymnasiums have at least one renovated natural science laboratory.

Twenty-one teachers working with grades 5–8 have started the long-term professional development program "School as a Laboratory: Models of Research and Integrated Activities." 

Partners: Vilnius University's Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences (Didaktikos centras – BioEduLab), Vilnius University's STEAM center, Vytautas Magnus university (Didaktikos centras)

Contact

Project manager Rūta Mazgelytė
ruta@eduvilnius.lt

Goal

To promote innovative teaching methods, interdisciplinary integration and school cooperation by developing and improving the network of open technical FabLab workshops in Vilnius City schools.

Description

- providing professional development opportunities for teachers in the 36 schools that have set up FabLab workshops;
- making methodological materials available to teachers;
- enabling teachers to learn from each other by sharing their experience of working in FabLabs;
- providing support to FabLab schools on how to use the equipment.

Fabrication/Fabulous Laboratory workshop is a state-of-the-art platform for innovation and invention, designed to construct, model, design, manufacture and prototype a variety of products, as well as to encourage creativity, entrepreneurship and interest in technology and technology. Minimum recommended equipment for a FabLab workshop: 3D printer; CNC milling machine; Laser cutter; Plotter; Electronics/robotics components (with at least one soldering station and several electronics/robotics kits).

In the educational process, the FabLab workshop has the advantage of teaching in an authentic, immersive environment, where students follow a path of imagination, design, prototyping, reflection and collaboration to find creative solutions to challenges. Driven by their intellectual curiosity, pupils experiment, explore and invent, which helps them to see themselves as learners with good ideas that can be put into practice.

Achievements in 2025

Vilnius City Municipality financed the establishment of two more FabLab workshops in educational institutions in the capital in 2024–25.
It also allocated additional funding to five schools implementing the International Baccalaureate programme to set up or upgrade FabLab workshops that meet the programme standards.

69% of Vilnius schools have a FabLab laboratory.

In August–September 2025, EDU Vilnius conducted a survey on the situation of FabLab workshops in Vilnius city schools. Responses were received from 26 educational institutions (~74% of educational institutions that have set up FabLabs). Information was collected on overall satisfaction with the condition of FabLab workshops, individual FabLab equipment, and supplies. Various aspects related to the organization of FabLab workshops and the use of FabLab workshops in the educational process were also surveyed.  

Overall, schools rate the condition of their FabLab workshops as good (8.2 points).

60% of schools have full access to FabLab equipment during lessons. Almost 40% of schools indicate that they have limited access to the equipment. 

In schools, FabLab equipment is usually used during lessons in the context of technology subjects – in separate technology lessons or cycles, as well as in integrated lessons covering several subjects. 

58% of schools have full access to FabLab equipment after lessons. 40% of schools indicate that they have limited access to equipment after lessons. 

Partners: Vilnius University STEAM center

Contact

Project manager Rūta Mazgelytė
ruta@eduvilnius.lt

Goal

Maths skills are one of the most pressing issues today. We aim to prevent gaps in education from an early age by using Eduten Playground, a Finnish-developed maths learning platform.

Description

Eduten is a computer-based platform for mathematics education, scientifically based on research in contemporary mathematics didactics and pedagogy. It features very good learning data analytics, tailored to monitor progress and achievements at student, class and school levels. The platform won the UNICEF EdTech prize.

Selected schools participating in the project have been using the Eduten mathematics teaching platform for one year, providing professional development and support to teachers using the platform.

The project consists of:

- training for school coordinators and teachers on the use of the Eduten virtual learning platform and the analysis of student learning data in this environment;

- advice to teachers and school coordinators on various issues related to the use of the Eduten virtual learning platform;

- advice to teachers and school coordinators on working with pupils with special needs on the Eduten platform;

- professional development for teachers on the use of innovative learning environments in education;

- the provision of a manual for the use of the Eduten platform for teaching mathematics;

- mobilising the teachers involved in the project into a virtual learning community.

Achievements in 2025

Mathematical skills are one of the most pressing issues today. We strive to prevent gaps in education from developing at an early age by using the Finnish-developed mathematics learning platform Eduten. 

In 2025–26, the purchase of Eduten licenses was financed for:

-78 schools in Vilnius – a total of 32,000 licenses for students in grades 1–8;
-2 gymnasiums – a total of 940 licenses for students in grades 9–10.  

More than 6,600 students from grades 4, 6, and 7 participated in the first Eduten challenge of the school year. 

An analysis of the challenge data revealed some encouraging insights: 

-Most students demonstrate a good level of mathematical application and thinking skills, sometimes even exceeding what is expected in the general mathematics curriculum. 
-The Eduten platform provides teachers with valuable diagnostic information about lessons, students, and classes, as well as advanced differentiation tools. 
-This year's recommended areas for improvement in mathematics teaching remain similar: 
-Strategy teaching: only 43-61% of students successfully solve problems that require text comprehension and a "guess and try" strategy. 
-Differentiated teaching: up to 20-30% of students receive tasks that are not of the appropriate level of difficulty – teaching needs to be better adapted to their individual needs. 
-Balance of topics: some areas, such as the basics of data and statistics and some geometry topics, receive too little attention from teachers.
The first international conference "Effective Teaching and Learning with Eduten" brought together mathematics teachers from Vilnius schools, school administrators, and education experts from Finland. More than 80 participants attended the conference.

Contact

Project manager Edita Linkevičiūtė
edita@eduvilnius.lt

Goal

We equip teachers with the competences to creatively integrate information technology in different subject areas or to teach a separate lesson in computer science, thus developing children's ability to be creators as well as users of information technology.

Description

For the second year running, Vilnius schools are learning how to integrate information technology into primary school lessons with the help of the programme Vedliai, in preparation for the renewed curricula starting in autumn.

We help teachers to develop children's logical thinking, creativity and the ability to combine different technologies, and to acquire the skills needed to be successful in the technology industries (programming, design, 3D modelling, virtual reality, animation, game development, artificial intelligence).

This year, the project received international recognition at the World Summit Awards, a global competition for digital projects.

Achievements in 2025

We provide teachers with the skills to creatively integrate information technology into various subjects or to teach a separate IT class, thus developing children's ability to be not only users of information technology, but also creators. 

In 2025–26, Vilnius City Municipality funded 78 primary or secondary schools – a total of 22,882 – with licenses on the Vedliai platform.

Contact

Project manager Andra Litvinaitė
andra@eduvilnius.lt

Goal

To play with the principles of experiential education to develop the subject and general competences of pupils in Grades 3-4.

Low motivation is one of the most important factors contributing to low achievement. Therefore, making learning more interesting for pupils through engaging formats can be an excellent tool not only to engage pupils, but also to motivate them and improve their achievement.

Description

- participating schools have access to fully developed world education lessons; materials and activities with Minecraft education edition for grades 3-4;
- a mentor is assigned to each participating teacher;
- Minecraft education edition licenses for the teacher and each student in the class until the end of the project;
- One-to-one support for the implementation of Minecraft education edition.

Achievements in 2025

Technology can be integrated into a wide variety of lessons, not only opening up new learning opportunities, but also engaging students in more interactive ways. It can be a great tool not only to interest students, but also to motivate them and encourage them to achieve better results. 

In the 2024–25 academic year, 19 teachers and more than 450 students used Minecraft Education Edition teaching materials in grades 3–4.  

In the 2025–26 academic year, 5 teachers and 124 students are using the teaching materials in the fourth grade.

Partner: VšĮ Edukraftas (Trys kubai)

Contact

Project manager Rūta Mazgelytė
ruta@eduvilnius.lt

Goal

The Four IT Languages project invites students to creatively solve today's challenges using information technology. Its goal is to show that technology can be a source of inspiration, helping to create a more innovative and comfortable life in your city.

Description

The 2022–2024 project invited students in grades 5–10 to explore the world of modern technology – from robotics and artificial intelligence to cyber security, media, NFT design, and even esports! Students:
- Learned about the most relevant areas of IT;
- Acquired digital literacy skills;
- Created real products and solutions.

A total of 14 schools participated.

Achievements in 2025

Upon completion of the project, all schools in the capital will be able to use the prepared materials to continue teaching future languages. All materials are available on the EDU Vilnius YouTube channel.

Project implementers: ID Vilnius – Vilnius City Data Center

Contact

Project manager Rūta Mazgelytė
ruta@eduvilnius.lt

Goal

With so many sources of information - from news portals to social media or Youtube videos - we must learn to identify reliable sources, verify information and understand how to live in the stream. If we want to teach media and information literacy to students, we must first give the necessary knowledge to teachers. This is why long-term professional development programmes on media and information literacy education have been developed and implemented. One programme is for beginners and the other for those already advanced in media information literacy. 

Description

The training introduces and discusses topics that provide a solid foundation in media and information literacy: 

- Introduction to Media and Information Literacy. Introduction to media and media analysis (identifying misleading information), facts versus opinions, different types of information.
- Visual media. How visual media are used to disseminate misleading information. Tools for identifying different visual media (photographs, videos), their use in working with students, the new technologies.
- Thinking biases. How our brains work and how this knowledge can be used to manipulate us.
- Data literacy. Protecting private data, the online personal footprint and what can be learned from it. Manipulation of data presentation (visualisation of statistical data).
- Propaganda. Propaganda techniques and objectives. (Meta)narratives about the State of Lithuania. Information attacks.
- Democracy and social justice. Impact of media and information literacy on democracy. Media quality standards, role in a democratic society, emerging challenges. Stereotyping and polarisation.
- The training will also provide opportunities for individual consultations. The content of the sub-programme will be adapted according to the needs of the teachers who have registered (a teacher survey will be carried out at the beginning of the programme).
- Conspiracy theories. Their emergence, development, impact and diffusion in Lithuania and worldwide.

The Media and Information Literacy. Level 1" was completed by 3 groups with 75 participants.

Media information literacy knowledge is deepened through the discussion of topics:

- Conspiracy theories. Their emergence, development, impact and dissemination in Lithuania and worldwide.
- Information and national security. The impact of information on national security and the state's actions to prevent threats.
- Artificial Intelligence. Its potential and the problems it poses in the information field.
- Innovative media literacy and citizenship. The experience of non-governmental organisations and the use of interactive educational methods in media literacy education.
- Interim discussion of projects. Fact-checking. The importance of fact-checking, tools and initiatives.
- Emotional literacy. How does the manipulation of information affect our psychological well-being?
- Non-Russian disinformation. Communication by authoritarian regimes and its impact on global information instability.

The Media and Information Literacy. Level 2" was completed by 1 group, the number of graduates was 24.

Achievements in 2025

44 academic hours of training program "Media Information Literacy Education. Level 1 – Beginners," which provided them with the basics of media literacy, enabling them to understand the role and functions of the media in a democratic society, understand the conditions under which the media can perform its functions, critically evaluate media content, and and develop skills for creating content. Competencies in media and digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving were developed. 

Contact

Project manager Asta Morkūnienė
asta@eduvilnius.lt

Goal

Narrative environments for play and learning (NEPL) is an imaginative role-playing activity in which a group of children create a shared storyline. Research shows that NEPL helps pre-school children to be better prepared for school, and develops literacy, speaking and self-regulation skills.

Description

Narrative environments for play and learning (NEPL) method, reveals its theoretical and practical origins, the concept of narrative play, and teaches the concrete steps for implementing this method in a preschool setting. A series of training sessions and individual consultations are organised for the teams of participating institutions. Training and guidance for pre-schools is provided on themes selected according to the needs of the specific pre-school.

Achievements in 2025

In 2024–25, 10 kindergartens completed the training.

In 2025–26, 10 new kindergartens began the training:

Vilnius nursery-kindergarten Gervelė;
Vilnius nursery-kindergarten Saulėtekis; 
Vilnius nursery-kindergarten Pasakaitė;
Vilnius nursery-kindergarten Pabiručiai;
Vilnius nursery-kindergarten Riešutėlis;
Vilnius nursery-kindergarten Žiburėlis; 
Vilnius nursery-kindergarten Skroblinukas; 
Vilnius nursery-kindergarten Vieversys; 
Vilnius nursery-kindergarten Pakalnutė; 
Vilnius nursery-kindergarten Eglutė. 

To date, a total of 42 pre-school educational institutions have tried out the NEPL method. 

Contact

Project manager Jogailė Misevičė
jogaile@eduvilnius.lt

Goal

Literature must undoubtedly be an integral part of a well-rounded education, which is why we aim to equip preschools not only with books selected by experts, but also with the knowledge of how to read in order to engage even the youngest ones in the colourful world of literature.

Description

In cooperation with the National Library of Lithuania, we are working to set up reading corners in pre-school institutions in the capital. The reading corner consists of furniture specially adapted to the needs of pre-school children, books selected by reading specialists and methodological and informative material on reading corners, early reading and tips on how to creatively make the corner work.

In addition, we organise theoretical and practical training for teachers on reading with the youngest readers.
Reading corners are set up in 10 pre-school institutions in Vilnius.

Achievements in 2025

With the help of experts, a reading methodology publication entitled "Reading = Playing" was prepared.

In 2025, as many as 23 pre-school educational institutions have installed or started to install reading corners. A total of 28 kindergartens currently have or will soon have such corners. Not only are the premises being renovated, but all institutions have also received booklets based on the list of recommended books for preschool children. 

Two-part training courses continue to be organized for institutions that have set up reading corners to help them make the most of these corners.

Twenty-seven teachers have completed the training.

Contact

Project manager Jogailė Misevičė
jogaile@eduvilnius.lt

Goal

The use and potential of artificial intelligence (AI) tools is growing in a wide range of sectors, not least in education. As students are quick to see the potential of AI, it is essential that teachers have the knowledge and skills to keep pace with their students and enrich their teaching with modern technologies. 
With this programme, we aim to equip teachers with the necessary knowledge and practical skills to use existing AI tools appropriately and efficiently in their daily work, both in preparation and in the classroom. All this to ensure quality lessons and to save teachers' time where it can be done.

Description

In 2025, we are launching a long-term professional development programme for Vilnius teachers. The programme will cover the following topics: introduction to AI technology, how to communicate with an AI chatbot using query engineering, how AI tools can facilitate lesson preparation - from content creation to task generation with various AI tools such as ChatGPT, MagicSchool, Gamma App etc. Teacher practice with AI tools is an integral part of the programme.

Achievements in 2025

We have launched a new professional development program, "Practical Artificial Intelligence and Digital Tools for Teachers," which consists of 40 academic hours of classes. 

The aim of this program is to provide teachers with the necessary knowledge and practical skills to use existing AI tools appropriately and effectively in their daily activities, both when preparing for lessons and during lessons. All this is done to ensure that lessons are of high quality and that teachers save time where possible. 

In the spring, 46 teachers successfully completed the program.

Given the enormous need among school communities to improve their IT skills, Vilnius City Municipality, in cooperation with EDU Vilnius, launched a pilot funding initiative for schools. Vilnius City Municipality covers 50% of the cost of an accredited qualification program designed to improve AI skills for four pilot gymnasiums: Žirmūnai, Abraomas Kulvietis, Tuskulėnai, and Antakalnis. The remaining amount is covered by the schools from their own qualification improvement funds.

A total of 134 school employees are currently participating in the 40-hour training program, which will run until January 2026. If the funding model proves successful, the municipality will invite other schools to take advantage of this funding model for AI skills development in the spring of 2026. 

As of June 2025, 2,753 teachers and school staff have expressed interest in learning about AI.

Contact

Project manager Rūta Mazgelytė
ruta@eduvilnius.lt

Goal

Think Equal is a global initiative implemented in 34 countries that aims to:

· reduce negative behavior and attitudes (e.g., stress, anger, aggression, discrimination) towards children and families by teaching children self-regulation and self-help tools;

· increase prosocial attitudes and behaviors (children learn inclusion, empathy, gender equality, critical thinking, peaceful conflict resolution, problem solving, emotional literacy, etc.);

· Provide support (for children's social development, emotional literacy and self-regulation, as well as their resilience to pandemics). 

Description

Teachers participating in the program receive remote and contact training, 90 lesson plans, 24 illustrated booklets on which the lessons will be based, and additional materials. Participants also receive ongoing support and the opportunity to share their experiences and learn about other teachers' practices. Teachers monitor children's progress with the help of specially designed questionnaires.

Parents are also involved in the program, which helps children to better absorb knowledge and, at the same time, familiarizes family members with their child's life in the kindergarten group.

More about the program

Achievements in 2025

93 preschool education groups in Vilnius are already implementing this program. At the beginning of autumn, over 160 teachers completed distance learning courses and consolidated their knowledge during a live meeting, and received complete sets of methodological materials that help them achieve the program's goals on a daily basis. These sets consist of:

24 picture books translated into Lithuanian;
90 lesson plans;
Online support materials;
Monthly remote meetings.

In 2025–2026, the following 27 Vilnius nurseries and kindergartens began training: Bitutė, Coliukė, Du gaideliai, Ozas, Pagrandukas, Pakalnutė, Pušaitė, Šnekutis, Užupiukas, Voveraitė, Žemuogėlė, Žilvitis, Malūnėlis, Pasakaitė, Rytas, Žolynas, Atžalėlės, Nykštukas, Boružėlė, Gervelė, Žvangutis, Vilnius Santariškės, Vaduvos, Vilkpėdės, Viltenė, Spygliukas, and Vilnius Sholom Aleichem ORT Gymnasium.

Contact

Project manager Andra Litvinaitė
andra.litvinaite@eduvilnius.lt 

Goal

Physical activity is the basis for a healthy life and has a positive impact on concentration and learning. With children's activity levels declining, we aim to make physical education lessons modern and engaging, using new educational methods.

Description

Bringing together a community of physical education teachers to identify the challenges related to the quality of physical education lessons and to develop tools to improve quality, to develop the competences of physical education teachers by inviting them to share and learn from each other, to develop the competences of physical education teachers in cooperation with researchers and other social partners.

Achievements in 2023

In 2023 a long term training programme for pre-school physical education teachers has been developed and implemented. The 48-hour programme consists of 4 modules.
Participants developed competences in physical literacy education for pre-school children.

Contact

Project manager Asta Morkūnienė
asta@eduvilnius.lt