In mid-October, a unique study module, “Rethinking Energy: Combining Research, Economics, and Technology” (RECREATE), was launched, bringing together the expertise of seven Lithuanian universities, challenges from business partners, and international learning content.
Over the 18-month programme, students will earn 30 ECTS credits by working in interdisciplinary teams and developing solutions to business challenges set by Ignitis Group and Lithuanian Railways. The curriculum will also include MITx courses from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The introductory module camp, held on 14–16 October, marked the start of studies for the first cohort of RECREATE students. Over three intensive days, students prepared for the programme and explored the study module and its practical applications in business.
RECREATE is Lithuania’s first interdisciplinary study initiative of this scale, bringing together leading university expertise, business experience, and international academic content in a single learning process. It gives students the opportunity to apply their knowledge in practice, while business partners can gain fresh perspectives on the challenges they face.
“RECREATE is designed as an experiment that can show how much can be achieved when universities and businesses do not simply cooperate, but jointly shape the learning experience itself. We want students to be active creators of solutions rather than passive recipients of knowledge, able to bring together perspectives from technology, energy, economics, social sciences, and other fields,” says programme director Giedrė Žlibinienė. She adds that the launch of RECREATE is an important step towards finding new models of cooperation between higher education and business in Lithuania.
Seven Universities, Diverse Expertise
Seven universities are participating in RECREATE: Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), VILNIUS TECH, Vilnius University, Vytautas Magnus University, the Vilnius Academy of Arts, Klaipėda University, and Mykolas Romeris University. Their academic expertise is brought together in a shared study model in which energy challenges are examined not only from a technical perspective, but also through economic, social, and environmental lenses.
The modules also cover entrepreneurial thinking, the development of renewable energy infrastructure projects, smart cities, and the transformation of energy systems. This expertise will help students assess not only technological opportunities, but also the economic viability of solutions, their environmental impact, consumer behaviour, and infrastructure needs.
Four MITx courses will supplement the curriculum. Their materials will be integrated into modules taught at Lithuanian universities and linked to practical assignments. Students who meet the course requirements will be eligible to receive MITx certificates.
The module also reflects MIT’s long-standing commitment to interdisciplinary work. In the 2025 Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, MIT ranked first among 749 higher education institutions from 92 countries. Interdisciplinary work makes it possible to approach a single problem using expertise from different fields – from the physical and social sciences to computing, engineering, art, and design. This broadens the range of skills available in both academic and, later, professional settings.
RECREATE’s business partners contribute not only by presenting their fields of activity, but also by proposing problems for students to tackle in interdisciplinary teams. Challenges set by Ignitis Group and Lithuanian Railways will give students the opportunity to examine real-world situations during their studies and assess how applicable different solutions are.
Interdisciplinary teams will work on tasks formulated by business partners, with guidance from lecturers and experts. The project is organised by the Lithuanian consortium institutions – Kaunas University of Technology, VILNIUS TECH, Vilnius University, Vytautas Magnus University, the Vilnius Academy of Arts, Klaipėda University, and Mykolas Romeris University – together with Ignitis Group, Novian, and Lithuanian Railways.
About the Lithuanian Consortium and Cooperation with MIT
The RECREATE initiative emerged from the partnership between the Lithuanian consortium and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Lithuanian consortium brings together 14 Lithuanian research and business institutions seeking to cooperate with MIT. A cooperation agreement signed with the MIT Center for International Studies in January 2025 became one of the foundations of this partnership.
MISTI Lithuania is part of MIT’s international science and technology initiatives programme, which aims to strengthen ties between Lithuania and MIT in research, education, technology, and innovation. Cooperation includes launching joint research projects, exchanging knowledge, and creating opportunities to strengthen the skills of students and early-career researchers.
The Lithuanian consortium’s activities are supported by the Research Council of Lithuania.
