The project aims to directly contribute to addressing the systemic challenges identified in the Progress Measure No. 12-003-03-06-01 “Teachers First” of the Education Development Programme (approved by Order of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport No. V-1877 of 28 November 2022). These challenges directly affect the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of education. They include the shortage of teachers, the ageing education workforce, the low attractiveness of the teaching profession for young people, the fragmentation of initial teacher education (ITE) programmes and infrastructure, and the persistent disconnection between theoretical training and actual school practice.
According to data for the 2024–2025 academic year, 61% of the 27,186 teachers employed in general education schools in Lithuania were over 50 years old, while only around 5% were under 29. Based on the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport presentation of 18 March 2025, 8.7% of teachers are already at retirement age (65+), and another large share is aged 60–64. For example, 40.4% of physics teachers could leave the profession within the next five years if everyone reaching retirement age retires. Similar trends are observed in mathematics, Lithuanian, biology, chemistry, and German. These projections show that by 2030, around one third of the education workforce may need to be replaced, posing a direct threat to the stability of the system, particularly in regions where recruitment and retention are especially difficult.
The Lithuanian education system is also affected by a lack of advanced competencies in the workforce. Teachers often lack the competences needed to integrate modern technological solutions, apply evidence-informed practice, and design and adapt advanced learning content for diverse learners. Opportunities for continuous professional development tailored to individual needs are not ensured. There is a shortage of research-based learning resources, and no single platform that aggregates them.
According to the Education Management Information System, as of 30 May 2023, education institutions registered vacancies for 347 pedagogical staff and assistants. The biggest shortages were in lower and upper secondary subject teachers (204) and student support specialists (51). The biggest needs were in linguistic, STEM (particularly physics (23) and astronomy (21)), mathematics and informatics (44) education. Among support professionals, the highest demand was for special education teachers (17), psychologists (15), and speech therapists (13). Between 30 May 2023 and 1 April 2024, the shortage increased by 38% and reached 481 vacant positions: 333 teachers and 148 student support specialists. However, the shortage is likely even larger. According to the National Audit Office’s report “Assessment of Ensuring the Need for Teachers” (6 September 2023), only 57% of schools register vacancies with the Employment Service, meaning official statistics underestimate the real national shortage.
At the same time, the quality of teacher education also raises justified concerns. Lithuania lacks high-quality professional development programmes focused on practical competencies, modern technologies, and work with diverse learners. Strengthening ITE in STEM fields is particularly urgent, as there is a shortage not only of practicing STEM teachers but also of tools to foster students’ motivation in these disciplines. Entry statistics confirm this: only a few percent of graduates choose teacher education studies, and even fewer choose STEM subjects. According to the 2022 National Audit Office report “Teacher Education and Professional Development”, only 22% of students who enrol in teacher education programmes complete them, and only one third of those who finish enter the profession. A key reason is the weak connection between theory and real school conditions. There is also a lack of effective mentoring, modern school-based practice, and technology-enriched infrastructure that would prepare future teachers to respond to rapidly changing educational needs.
Furthermore, teacher education institutions operate largely under a competitive rather than collaborative logic. This results in duplicated investments, inefficient use of resources, and limited sharing of practice, which restricts innovation and limits the scaling of good practice. Teacher education infrastructure is often not equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, nor supported by real learning environments that enable future teachers and student support specialists to test pedagogical innovations and reflect on practice.
The project will establish a teacher education centre that brings together KTU, MRU, LSU and VIKO expertise to address these challenges in a holistic manner, pooling and leveraging shared resources. The project will create multi-locational, technology-enabled infrastructure that will enable teacher preparation and the preparation of student support specialists, while integrating school-based practice, educational research, and innovative solutions into ITE. Specialised laboratories (neuroeducation, AI, STEM, learning analytics, educational technologies, and others) will be created to investigate and solve educational challenges. The lab school will serve as a living laboratory where students and researchers can test methods in real conditions, conduct research, reflect, analyse impact, and implement change.
A joint doctoral programme in education will also be established, combining the scientific and methodological potential of all partners. This will foster research-based practice, strengthen international cooperation, and create conditions not only to increase the number of doctoral candidates, but also to develop the human capital required for high-quality research in education. This infrastructure will attract high-level researchers, stimulate interdisciplinary cooperation, and enable the production of internationally significant research results that will contribute both to national policy development and to the European Research Area. Joint publications, mobility schemes, and joint projects with foreign universities will further strengthen internationalisation.
The infrastructure will be developed in line with universal design principles, ensuring accessibility for all members of the project’s target groups. This will enable the preparation of teachers and student support specialists with the competencies required to work with diverse learner groups, addressing the needs of learners with disabilities, different abilities, and different socio-economic backgrounds. It will also create opportunities for continuous upskilling of teachers not only within the consortium, but across the whole country, strengthening teacher leadership and effectively integrating student support specialists into learning processes.
Project funding:
The project is funded by the 2021 – 2027 European Union funds and the State Budget of the Republic of Lithuania
Project results:
Project objective. The objective of the project is to strengthen the quality and innovativeness of the Lithuanian education system by developing a teacher education infrastructure equipped with modern laboratories and advanced technological facilities. The infrastructure will integrate a doctoral programme in education and will include a lab school designed for testing learning innovations, preparing student support specialists, and developing professional competences.
Target groups of the project:
– students enrolled in teacher education study programmes (including specialisations), as well as prospective and current student support specialists (social pedagogues, psychologists, special education teachers, adapted physical activity specialists, etc.),
– academic staff teaching in teacher education study programmes (including specialisations),
-academic staff teaching in student support specialist preparation programmes (including social pedagogues, psychologists, etc.),
– teachers working in general education and non-formal education programmes, and student support specialists (social pedagogues, psychologists),
– doctoral candidates in education sciences,
– researchers in the field of education sciences,
– education workforce.
Within the consolidated Teacher Education Centre, multi-functional laboratories and learning spaces based on universal design principles will be established. These spaces will support initial teacher education, the preparation of student support specialists, educational research, and school-based practical training. All infrastructure will be oriented towards inclusive education, the development and testing of innovative teaching and learning methods in real-life conditions, and active involvement of students, lecturers, and researchers from all partner institutions. The consolidated Teacher Education Centre will operate across the Central and Capital regions, in Kaunas and Vilnius.
Period of project implementation: 2025-10-31 - 2029-08-31
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
Project partners: Lietuvos sporto universitetas, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied Sciences
