The agreement ensures that students can participate in hands-on activities, experiments, research projects, and thematic events. It also strengthens their knowledge in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) through collaboration with university researchers and specialists from the KU STEAM Center. This initiative aims to nurture students' critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
“This is an important step in strengthening the region’s educational ecosystem and encouraging young people to pursue science-based, innovative careers. A university-level class is not just a symbolic title – through this project, we aim to strengthen ties between the university and the gymnasium, and to educate a young generation that begins developing critical thinking, creativity, and scientific inquiry skills while still at school,” said KU Rector Prof. Dr. Artūras Razbadauskas.
Meanwhile, Rasa Mašurinienė, principal of Gargždai “Vaivorykštė” Gymnasium, emphasized that such a partnership allows the school to serve as a modern and progressive educational model in the region: “Our goal is not only to transmit knowledge but also to cultivate thoughtful, responsible, and creative individuals. The opening of the university-level STEAM class is an opportunity for our students to grow into the creators of the future.”
And perhaps, in just a few years, one of the students studying here will be defending their dissertation at Klaipėda University. Everything starts with a first experiment in the lab – and a spark of curiosity.
