VMU said "Good-bye" to first-generation SoMus

The end of August was really special to first-generation SoMus: they defended their MA theses and received their diplomas.

In their MA theses, SoMus analysed German educational language policy and its implementations at schools in Sweden, multilingualism in kindergartens, ethnolinguistic vitality and intergroup processes in Lithuania, linguistic landscape in the Baltic states and Tartu, Kaunas, and Mainz, and the discourses of the Kazakh script reform.

The diploma award ceremony took place at VMU, the Museum of S. and S. Lozoraičiai, the father and the son (the former was a diplomat and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, while the latter a diplomat and VMU Honorary Doctor). Rector of VMU, Prof. Dr. Juozas Augutis, Vice-Rector for International Relations Prof. Ineta Dabašinskienė, Vice- Rector for Studies Assoc. Prof. Kęstutis Šidlauskas, the representatives of partner universities, and other guests participated in the ceremony. In her speech, programme coordinator Prof. Jūratė Ruzaitė quoted Frank Zappa, who claimed that “A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.” “What can better open minds than languages? Languages open minds, doors, entire new worlds and cultures, give access to different worldviews, and I strongly believe that both students and teachers involved in the programme have opened their minds like parachutes, have merited from the experience and knowledge shared during the two years of studies, and are ready for a further flight,” said Prof. Jūratė Ruzaitė.

The linguistic, cultural, and academic adventures of first-generation SoMus are finished. However, even more adventures are about to start. We wish you the best of luck and a very successful flight!