Sūduvos akademija / Sudovian Academy

Educational network reorganizations in Lithuania, particularly in regional municipalities, have become necessary due to declining student numbers, migration trends, and the need to optimize public resources. Nevertheless, such reforms raise serious questions regarding social justice and equal access to educational services in different territories. This issue is particularly relevant in areas with decreasing population density, growing proportions of socially at-risk groups, and declining availability of public transportation and other services. The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate the challenges of social justice and educational accessibility during the reorganization of the educational network, based on secondary quantitative data analysis. The study used various statistical and administrative data collected from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport, the Lithuanian Department of Statistics, regional municipal administrations, and other public institutions. Analyzed indicators include dynamics of student numbers, changes in the structure of educational networks, travel distances to the nearest educational institutions, distribution of teachers and other staff, socio-economic indicators, and population density in different territories. Methodologically, the study involves descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses, as well as territorial analysis using geographic information system (GIS) data. This allows identifying which municipalities and localities are most affected by network reorganization in terms of social justice and accessibility. The research data revealed that in regions with low student density and a high number of socially at-risk residents, reorganization often results in decreased service accessibility, longer travel times to educational institutions, and narrower educational service offerings. Meanwhile, in urban centers, the impact of reorganization often manifests in less significant changes, as more alternatives and infrastructural capacities remain available. The study emphasizes that the success of educational network reorganizations depends not only on financial efficiency or infrastructural solutions but also on creating socially just policies. Ensuring social justice requires data-driven planning and sensitivity to territorial and social specifics. It is essential to consider regional differences during reforms to prevent network reorganization from becoming an additional factor deepening social exclusion. These research results provide practical insights for both national policymakers and municipal administrations to develop solutions that combine financial efficiency with social justice and ensure equal educational opportunities for all children, regardless of their place of residence.

Educational network reorganization in the regions is becoming increasingly relevant as municipalities strive to adapt to declining student numbers and use public resources more efficiently. Marijampolė and Šakiai municipalities in Lithuania are undertaking ambitious reorganizations of their educational networks, including both school and preschool institution reforms. In the context of political decision-making, it is crucial to understand the criteria guiding local authorities in carrying out reforms and the social and institutional impacts they foresee. The aim of this study is to investigate the principles political decision-makers follow when reorganizing the educational network, the strategies they use to manage resistance, and how they assess the long-term impacts of reforms. The study applies document analysis (municipal council decisions, reorganization documents), secondary statistical data analysis (student numbers, financial indicators, staff structure), and qualitative interviews with municipal leaders. The analysis is based on a public policy implementation evaluation model, encompassing dimensions such as effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, and equity. Results reveal that political leaders often need to balance economic arguments with social consequences. One of the biggest challenges is community resistance, teachers’ adaptation difficulties, and maintaining education quality in declining regions. The findings show that political decisions often balance between the need to save funds and the desire to preserve social cohesion in communities. Leaders identify the most frequent challenges as strong community resistance, teachers’ fears about job security, and difficulties in maintaining service quality in remote areas. Politicians emphasize that success depends on transparent communication, data-driven decision-making, and a long-term strategic vision. The study’s findings may be useful for developing strategies that reconcile financial sustainability with social responsibility, aiming for long-term and socially sensitive outcomes in educational reforms.

The restructuring of educational institution networks often leads to significant organizational changes that directly impact employees’ professional well-being and their sense of belonging to the organization. In the studied Lithuanian municipality, a preschool education reform was implemented, merging ten independent kindergartens into one centralized institution to optimize resources and ensure higher quality of education. However, such structural reforms pose challenges for employees’ identity, motivation, and emotional well-being. The aim of this study is to explore how employees perceive the culture of the new organization after reorganization and whether a sense of identity from the previous divisions persists. The study seeks to identify connections between maintaining identity, sense of belonging, community spirit, and employees’ motivation and emotional well-being. A multi-level methodology is applied: document analysis (municipal decisions, reorganization plans, internal institutional documents), secondary statistical data analysis (staff turnover, demographic data, organizational structure), and a quantitative employee survey. The survey questions focus on the clarity of organizational values, opportunities to participate in decision-making, the level of interdepartmental collaboration, and emotional attachment to the organization. Initial results show that employees experience changes differently: some feel more integrated into the new organization, while others still strongly identify with their former divisions. It was observed that employees who lost their sense of previous division identity are more likely to experience emotional stress and decreased job satisfaction. The study’s findings highlight the importance of addressing not only structural and financial aspects during reorganizations but also the “soft” dimensions of the organization, such as culture and employees’ emotional well-being. This becomes crucial for ensuring successful implementation of reorganization and long-term staff engagement.

Ar Sūduva gali tapti vieta, kur jaunimas nori ne tik užaugti, bet ir likti? Atsakymų į šį klausimą ieškojo Mykolo Romerio universiteto (MRU) tyrėjos – prof. dr. Miglė Eleonora Černikovaitė, prof. dr. Giedrė Valūnaitė-Oleškevičienė, dr. Monika Petkevičiūtė-Stručko, Birutė Petrošienė ir Aušra Gabrevičienė. Jų atliktas tyrimas atskleidė tiek Sūduvos stiprybes, tiek skaudžiausius iššūkius, kuriuos patiria jauni žmonės, svarstantys savo ateitį regione.

Gamybos procesas daugeliui vis dar asocijuojasi su intensyviais darbo grafikais, pamaininiu darbu ir griežtomis taisyklėmis. Tačiau kyla klausimas – kaip tokioje aplinkoje jaučiasi jauniausia darbo rinkos karta? Ar Z kartos (gimusios po 1995 m.) atstovams gamybos įmonės yra patraukli darbo vieta?

Hackathons, originally rooted in the software and technology sectors, have evolved into powerful tools for corporate innovation. Today, organizations across diverse industries use them to accelerate idea generation, boost employee engagement, and strengthen competitive positioning. However, despite their growing popularity, the mechanisms by which hackathons drive innovation within firms remain underexplored in academic literature, particularly from the standpoint of innovation theory and strategic management. Much of the existing research is fragmented across disciplines such as healthcare, education, and computer science, lacking a unified framework for understanding hackathons as instruments of organizational innovation.  This study addresses that gap by examining hackathons as structured innovation development mechanisms. Drawing on a comprehensive review of scholarly sources, we investigate the definitions, theoretical foundations, and practical implementations of corporate hackathons. The paper develops a conceptual model that delineates the phases, design components, critical success factors, and post-event integration processes necessary to foster sustainable innovation outcomes. Our findings suggest that hackathons support corporate innovation by enabling rapid experimentation, attracting entrepreneurial talent, and cultivating internal knowledge-sharing communities. Moreover, they provide a low-risk environment conducive to intrapreneurship and openness to change. This article contributes to the academic discourse on innovation and organizational learning by situating hackathon practices within strategic innovation frameworks. It also offers actionable insights for practitioners on how to effectively design, implement, and leverage hackathons to drive competitive advantage in dynamic and uncertain business environments.

One of the most significant goals in what is the extremely complex and ever-changing field of education is to create a learning environment that not only stimulates academic achievement but also encourages students to surpass the expectations set for them. In addition, the learners’ ability to exceed self-imposed (and perhaps false) personal limitations is another crucial factor. It is therefore of key importance to analyse the conditions for a successful educational experience, and how this transformation should proceed. This article highlights the learners and educators’ perspectives about the factors which influence the provision of the most effective learning environment and consequently, promote the maximum individual achievement of each learner. The study focuses on the internal and external variables which influence educational success. Over the past few decades, the embedding of the internet into all factors of daily life, with constantly evolving software and website provision, together with the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), have had a significant effect on the ‘how and when’ of educational provision. Both what may be termed ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ areas of education were considered in this study (that is, traditional educational provision, and where learning also takes place in the pursuit of hobbies and interests). In both these areas, successful learning will involve the development of self-efficacy, reflective practice, confidence, motivation, attitude toward learning and many other factors. The research explores the learners’ experience on how to overcome perceived limitations that effect their confidence, motivation and attitude towards learning and future opportunities.