Vilnius University
Kaunas Faculty of Humanities

HISTORY

The Department was founded in 1990 when the assoc. professors of Vilnius University Kaunas Faculty of Humanities A. Vidžiunas, V. Sakalauskas, S. Girdzijauskas and E. Telešius instigated the process. The Department was headed by the assoc. prof. Eugenijus Telešius (from 1990 to 1993), assoc. prof. Pranas Žvynys (from 1993 to 2003), prof Dr. (HP) Rimvydas Simutis (from 2003 to 2005), assoc. prof. Virgilijus Sakalauskas (from 2005 to 2010) and is currently headed by assoc. prof. Audrius Lopata.

STUDIES

In 1990, the Department of Informatics has developed an integrated study programme in management, economics, and informatics, entitled Computer-based Documentation System. During the last decade, the programme has been transformed and more informological subjects have been assimilated, as these subjects not only allow the transformation of unstructured information into a form attainable for information technologies but also the adaptation of intellectual methods applied in the arrangement of information in computer data storage. The junction of three sciences influenced the development of a new study programme entitled the Information business, which, as businessmen acknowledge, is regarded to be one of the most promising specialities in labor market. In 2001 with slight amendments of the studying programme the speciality was renamed as Business Informatics. The bachelor of Business informatics aims at providing general knowledge of informatics and developing students’ ability to analyze enterprise data flows, adapt advanced information systems in business processes and successfully accomplish the modeling, projection and installation of such systems.

From the year 2009, Finance informatics, as a new study programme of business informatics bachelor’s degree, has been offered to applicants. This programme is designed to deepen informatics specialist’s knowledge concerning finance that could be applied working with information technology companies, which provide solutions to financial market and tax institutions.

The Department of Informatics offers two graduate degree programs, i.e. master of Business informatics (informatics-oriented) and master of Business information systems (management-oriented). The aim of the programmes is to prepare highly qualified informatics specialists who not only have the basics of economics but are also able to estimate information systems of a firm or organization and introduce new ways, methods and means to renovate them.

SCIENTISTS

The Department is composed of 5 professors, 12 senior lecturers, 3 lecturers and 2 junior lecturers. Seven dissertations have been defended, and eight PhD students are preparing their thesis. In 2007 – 2008 academic year three assoc. professors of the Department took habilitation’s procedure. The most outstanding scientists of the Department are: prof. Dr. (HP) Stasys Girdzijauskas, prof. Dr. (HP) Rimvydas Simutis, prof. Dr. (HP) Saulius Gudas, Prof. Virgilijus Sakalauskas, assoc. prof. Dalia Krikščiūnienė, assoc. prof. Gintautas Garšva, assoc. prof. Vytautas Rudžionis, assoc. prof. Audrius Lopata.

SCIENTIFIC WORK

In the scientific-research lecturers of the Department stress the primary importance of information systems (information technologies) in business and learning process. The development and investigation of algorithms of artificial intelligence systems, application of intellectual methods in the modeling of financial markets and systems are analysed. Applied researches of financial risk assessment, e-commerce, e-business, e-government and e-learning are made, the development and organization of structural models of operating rules in organizations are analysed, and the research of spoken Lithuanian phonemes: a comparative analysis of phonic and spectral feature is done.

PUBLICATIONS

The community of the Department publishes the results of scientific research in monographs, educational and methodical publications:

• Girdzijauskas, S. (2006). Logistinė kapitalo valdymo teorija; determinuotieji metodai. Vilnius (in Lithuanian);
• Girdzijauskas, S., Sakalauskas, V., Kalnius, A. (2006). Aukštosios matematikos savarankiško darbo užduotys. Vilnius (in Lithuanian);
• Sekliuckis, V., Gudas, S., Garšva, G. (2006). Informacijos sistemos ir duomenų bazės. Kaunas (in Lithuanian);
• Girdzijauskas, S. (2005). Finansinė analizė: kiekybiniai metodai. Vilnius (in Lithuanian);
• Sakalauskas, V. (2003). Duomenų analizė su STATISTIKA. Vilnius (in Lithuanian).

 
CONFERENCES

Since 1998, every year the Department of Informatics of Vilnius University Kaunas Faculty of Humanities organises the international conference entitled Information technologies for business. In 2007 it was developed into an international conference FIHUSO (1st International and Interdisciplinary Scientific Conference on Merging Physical Science, the Humanities and Social Science) of the faculty. For sixteen years the conference entitled Information technology and the Integration of Science for bachelor and master students has been organised with the help of Kaunas University of Technology and Vytautas Magnus University. Both lecturers and students take part in the conference. The department has organised a number of scientific seminars in various prestigious international conferences (Reading (England) in 2005, Vilnius (Lithuania) in 2006, Kaunas (Lithuania) in 2008, and Poznan (Poland) in 2009). The staff of the Department organises seminars to examine the diverse issues dealing with informatics, e-government and e-business.

PROJECTS

The staff of the Department actively participates in projects, such as both ESF BPD 2.4. and ESF BPD 2.5. drafts entitled Integrated Studies Programs for Enterprise Development and Research on Practical Application of the Promotion of an Information Page, supported by European Structural Funds.

ALUMNI

The Department is proud of its graduates’ achievements. Liutauras Bauža works at the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to the United States of America, Marius Vaigauskas – manager of the Columbus IT Partner Ltd., Darijus Strašunskas works at Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, Mindaugas Pukas – sales manager of the Galinta and partners Ltd. Graduates that work at the Department of Informatics: Audrius Lopata, Kęstutis Driaunys, Vera Moskaliova, Meilutė Asanavičienė, Ingrida Šarkiūnaitė, Darius Dilijonas, Rasa Brunzaitė.

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP

• Dresden University of Technology;  Department of Business Informatics (Germany);
• Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus (Germany);
• University Osnabruck, Osnabruck (Germany);
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim (Norway);
• Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) (Hungary);
• Libera Universita di Bolzano (Italy);
• Szczecin University (Poland);
• Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan (Poland);
• Brno University of Technology (BUT) (Brno, Czech Republic);
• Aalborg University (Belgium);
• University of Twente (Holand);
• Universität Hamburg (Germany);
• Roskilde University (Denmark);
• Saint-Petersburg State University (Russia).