Amid a media frenzy of film crews, Monika Jaceviciute made her decision to come to De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) during its latest post-Brexit engagement in the Lithuanian capital.
As testament to DMU's welcoming and global approach, Monika, who will now be studying Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Science BSc this September, said: "I feel very comfortable now, because when you have the opportunity to talk to people, you can get more information. Now everyone is clear about Brexit, too.
“When a university comes to my country, I appreciate it as it shows they really care. Before today, I wasn’t sure which university to choose and now I know that I want to come to DMU.
“I am also choosing DMU because it is an exciting career challenge and I am really looking forward to it.”
The university’s #LoveInternational campaign had headed to Vilnius for the fourth in a series of events, held in European capitals, in response to the EU referendum result in June.
Reporters, from six major television channels and three online Lithuanian news sites, arrived at the venue, to find out what DMU had to say about UK higher education following the decision to leave the EU. These included journalists who covered the event from Delfi, the most popular website in Lithuania, and 15min, one of Lithuania's largest news websites
The university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Collop, speaking to the media, said: "DMU is passionate about its diverse and international student and staff population, who come from more than 130 countries.
“Our EU students are, therefore, an important part of the DMU family, and our role as a university is to work with our Lithuanian partners and others across Europe, to ensure it is clear that we remain open for business.”
As spokesperson for the first UK university to hold an event in Vilnius in response to Brexit, Professor Collop was able to share details of DMU’s new LoveEU Bundle, part of the #LoveInternational campaign, to help reassure potential Lithuanian students.
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With support from the GREAT Britain campaign, the Government's most ambitious international marketing campaign, the events tell the story of the friendly learning environment at DMU, and celebrate EU students and staff.
Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy Vilnius, Martyn Cushing, who met with DMU in Vilnius, said: "It is great to see De Montfort University meeting with prospective new students here in Vilnius.
"Lithuania already has strong academic links with the UK and with many Lithuanian students already choosing to study at De Montfort, I hope more students take advantage of the benefits of studying in the UK".
A senior lecturer in the university’s Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Ruta Furmonaviciene from Lithuania, speaking about her experience to the audience in Vilnius, said: “I like the strategy at DMU, the international exchange and innovation. It is a very vibrant place to work.
“I love the #LoveInternational campaign, it’s really positive. It is all about active citizenship and collaboration, which I really value.”
DMU alumnus Rytis Svirinas, who studied Audio and Recording and Technology BSc, also spoke at the event and said: “I loved going to another country to study, and the course exceeded my expectations.
“DMU is the reason I have the jobs I do now, doing live sound for bands and also running my own company providing audio technology.
“I am using the knowledge I learnt and working in a field I love.”
The final event of this series takes place in Berlin, Germany, at the end of August, with the first three events having taken place in Cyprus, Poland and Sweden.
Posted on Thursday 11 August 2016