An Established International Partnership

A strategic partner of INSA Toulouse, Kaunas University of Technology plays an important role in the institution’s international exchanges. Each year, around ten INSA Toulouse engineering students undertake a mobility period in Kaunas. This year also marks a new milestone, with the first-ever arrival of two KTU students at INSA Toulouse.

Exchanges also take place within the framework of ECIU University, the European university alliance of which both institutions are members. In 2025–2026, INSA Toulouse welcomed 16 KTU students as part of the learning modules offered through the alliance.

The visit by the Lithuanian delegation, which also included Professor Vaida Kitrytė-Syrpa and ECIU Centre Director Viktorija Kazlauskienė, provided an opportunity to review these ongoing collaborations and explore new avenues for closer cooperation.

New Opportunities in Education and Research

Discussions focused in particular on expanding student and staff mobility, as well as strengthening cooperation in education and research. One of the possibilities under consideration is the creation of a joint engineering module, which could represent a first step towards more integrated academic cooperation.

Both institutions also wish to explore opportunities for exchanges involving early-career researchers, particularly in chemical engineering, biotechnology and related disciplines. Updating the Erasmus+ agreements is seen as a way to extend mobility opportunities to additional departments and academic communities.

Further opportunities were identified in the fields of digital technologies, cybersecurity and quantum technologies. Exchanges between research teams could help both institutions gain a better understanding of each other’s expertise and identify potential areas for joint research.

Finally, discussions paved the way for new forms of cooperation around summer schools and closer ties between the innovation ecosystems of Toulouse and Kaunas. A better understanding of the research organisations, companies and infrastructures in both regions could help foster joint projects involving the two institutions and their socio-economic partners.

Building on the Momentum

This visit marks a new milestone in the development of relations between INSA Toulouse and Kaunas University of Technology. The discussions initiated will now help both institutions further explore the opportunities identified and define the framework for future collaborations, for the benefit of their students, staff and research teams. The next meeting is scheduled to take place in Kaunas in March.

Walter Escoffier, Vaida Kitrytè-Syrpa,
Viktorija Kazlauskiené, Eugenijus Valatka

About Kaunas University of Technology (KTU)
Founded in 1922 and located in Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city, Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) is one of the country’s leading technological higher education institutions. It is regularly featured in major international rankings, reflecting the recognised quality of its academic programmes. The university also stands out for its strong commitment to innovation, research and industry collaboration.

Organised into nine faculties, KTU offers programmes from bachelor’s to doctoral level across a wide range of fields, including engineering, computer science, sciences and management. For the 2026 academic year, it offers more than 50 bachelor’s and master’s programmes taught in English for international students.

With a strong international outlook, the university welcomes students from more than 70 countries and maintains partnerships with over 350 higher education institutions across around 50 countries. Like Groupe INSA, KTU is also a member of the European University Alliance ECIU, which promotes challenge-based learning and tackling societal challenges.