The negative associations with engineering studies can still be heard in the society. Vilnius Gediminas technical university (VILNIUS TECH) wishes to show to the society that engineering isn’t just about mathematics and physics, but serves as a creative platform for both men and women. Engineering has no limits, but the social stigmas keep emerging due to the lack of confidence, fear to try something new and fail at it. That is why, this year VILNIUS TECH is addressing every young person during the admission session with its slogan ‘Believe that engineering is for all creators’.

‘I think that the mission of every institution of higher education is not only to educate its community but also to push forward the entire society’ This year VILNIUS TECH idea for admission campaign is related to stigmas, which are shaped in the society and then exist as prejudice against certain professions. It is no secret that engineering is perceived as something extremely difficult, monotonic and lacking creativity. However, when digging into it deeper broad horizons of possibility will open up – you just need to follow your ‘gut feeling’ and ignore the surrounding stigmas’ – VILNIUS TECH Head of communications Dalius Stankevicius describes the main idea for their admission campaign.

Most popular stigmas lingering in the society

According to the VILNIUS TECH rector prof. Romualdas Kliukas, a part of the society still thinks that the graduates of engineering related studies get only to dull, monotonic jobs and are unable to communicate effectively. The opposite is actually true – the job of an engineer is interesting and dynamic. Another misunderstanding about engineering is that it isn’t a creative profession. Perhaps the mostly spread and the most incorrect opinion is that engineering isn’t for girls.

‘These stigmas are often based on wrong beliefs and stereotypes. To be honest, it is essential for good engineers to have a wide range of skills as well as ability to communicate to people of different professions. They are at the forefront of the implementation of innovations, leading a variety of industries. Engineering requires a combination of technical knowledge, problem-solving abilities, creativity and communication skills, which goes against the stigmas about this profession’ – says the VILNIUS TECH rector.

D. Stankevicius agrees with these statements and points out that there is no a profession that would be aimed at only one gender. Anyone can become a specialist of their chosen field. A person himself is responsible for creating his professional path regardless of that person is a man or a woman.

‘Engineering is a masculine profession – this is the furthest from the truth stigma, which needs to be defied. As the foreign experience shows, engineering is becoming much more popular among women who after graduation get well-paid jobs, start businesses, enter the ever-changing industrial revolution and technological progress. Another stigma to be addressed is that engineering has no creativity and revolves only around numbers and figures. The appeal of engineering is that it’s so much more than just theory and practice, it is an opportunity to approach technologies creatively and come up with innovations, which are unique and have no limits. This is what engineering is – unique and dynamic’ – the head of communications shares his ideas about stigmas.

VILNIUS TECH defies existing stigmas

R. Kliukas is convinced that replacing stigmas is a gradual and long process that requires the collective effort from engineering communities, educational institutions, industrial leaders and the whole society. As a response to these existing stigmas, VILNIUS TECH came up with an initiative STEAM, which informs the society about the complexity of engineering and its contribution to the society.

‘We are actively involved in educational programmes at schools, organise career fairs and seminars, where the creativity of engineering, it’s innovative nature and contribution to the society is demonstrated. We support and introduce successful engineers as examples. We invite people who go against stereotypes and keep advancing in their engineering careers hoping to inspire others to excel in the studies of engineering. We encourage girls and women to get involved in engineering by organising mentorship programmes and initiatives, rewarding them with scholarships in order to promote equal rights’ – the rector comments on the actions against the existing stigmas.

The VILNIUS TECH head of communications is also keen on encouraging to find the self-confidence and desire to create your own authentic professional path. He points out that universities with their long-lived experience are aware that often it is the parents that stand behind the student’s choice, who loses his prerogative to make his own decision.

‘For us as a university it is very important to put the message across that if you can see yourself in engineering then this is your path – so trust yourself and go ahead’, - encourages D. Stankevicius.

The projects of the creators of VILNIUS TECH

According to R. Kliukas, VILNIUS TECH community are constantly working on a variety of projects that are tightly connected to innovations – not just for Lithuania but for the entire world. These include engineering and biomedical solutions.

‘For instance, the innovators of the Faculty of mechanics invented an electrochemical microscope, which has an advanced level of accuracy allowing to recognise specific cells and with the help of AI analyses the received data. This saves the time of scientists. This device is used to determine the malfunction in certain equipment and discovery of cancer cells’ – R. Kliukas shares the information about their new invention.

One more project, this time involving the innovators from the Faculty of fundamental sciences, is the analysis of anti-microbe peptides, which stop the decaying bacteria. When used in food it stops it from going off. Innovators are also working on utilising the impregnation in wood industry. This will help to process wood or compost it.

‘The innovators of the Faculty of electronics are examining the impact of electromagnetic field to animal cells, which could be used in cancer treatments. More than 10 laboratories from different countries are involved in this project. I believe that this will push forward the process of treating cancer’, - declares R. Kliukas.

Unique choices for the design of admission campaign

According to the head of communications, this time it was decided to use the vsualisations of university graphic designer, which focus on the slogans of the admission campaign. Every image contains a symbol referring to a different faculty without putting them in a box. Another important detail is the text, which is presented using a unique typography.

‘We always seek different ways how to visually present a faculty – not only graphically, but also through textual information. I’m glad that when talking about each faculty, we managed to show the existing stigmas about it as well as demonstrate the object of its essence. This way we also reveal the connection between the faculty and the main study field of VILNIUS TECH – engineering’ – D. Stankevicius shares the design choices.

More information on study opportunities at VILNIUS TECH can be found here.