LSMU Leadership in Health Science Education Reflected in Latest Rankings

The Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) continues to hold a very high position among the country’s universities, particularly excelling and leading in the field of integrated studies. This achievement has been officially recognized in the 10th comparative assessment of university study fields presented by the magazine “Reitingai”. For undergraduate education, LSMU is the leader in 6 out of 9 study fields and similarly leads in 4 out of 8 study fields at the graduate level.

The sustained leadership of LSMU in the study fields of health sciences is particularly noteworthy because LSMU is a specialised university, with studies exclusively concentrated in a subset of the ranked study fields. Notably, the majority of the ranked study fields, such as law, engineering, etc., are not offered at LSMU.

The University’s leadership is most notable in the following cluster of study fields in health sciences: Odontology, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine. LSMU shares the leading position with Vilnius University (VU) in the field of Medicine.

Research-Based Studies

“Unquestionable leadership in integrated studies, first place in nearly 70% of undergraduate and 50% of graduate studies at the University is the truly outstanding achievement,” said Prof. Kęstutis Petrikonis, LSMU Vice-Rector for Studies.

The top position of the integrated studies is particularly significant, because in the evaluation of the integrated studies, 30% of the total weight of the subject-specific ranking of graduate studies was attributed to employer feedback, and another 30% – to the level of scientific indicators in the respective field, drawing from the outcomes of the latest comparative expert evaluation of scientific study fields by the Research Council of Lithuania.

The results are outstanding for LSMU and serve as a testimony to the University’s national leadership in the medical and health sciences. The rankings have also revealed the achievements of LSMU in the highly-rated fields of biology, veterinary and animal science. The quality of LSMU activities in medical science was rated 4.5 out of 5, while the quality of pharmaceutical, veterinary and animal sciences was rated 4 out of 5.

“This affirms that the University’s right decision in terms of its direction and its leadership have been duly recognized. It is especially gratifying because all the studies in the fields of health sciences, veterinary and agricultural sciences at LSMU are based on research,” emphasised Prof. K. Petrikonis, LSMU Vice-Rector for Studies.

It is no coincidence that the LSMU‘s integrated study programmes in Medicine, Odontology, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine are among the most popular in Lithuania.

Assessment by the Employers as One of the Criteria

In this year‘s rankings, “Reitingai” evaluated approximately 90 undergraduate and graduate study programmes offered by universities.

For undergraduate studies, the ranking focused on employers’ perceptions of the quality of undergraduate education at each university. Employer responses accounted for 30 points out of 100. The rankings also looked at how well the 2022 graduates managed to find employment or create jobs for themselves within 12 months after graduation.

The evaluation criteria also included the number of graduates who chose a particular university after passing all state exams with high scores (86–100), and the number of admissions to state-funded/non-funded positions. The lowest admission score, average score, and drop-out rates in 2022 were also taken into account.

In the 2024 comparative ranking of university study fields in the group of Health Sciences, LSMU is the leader in the Nursing/Midwifery and Oral Care groups, with the Public Health, Rehabilitation, Agriculture, and Animal Sciences groups in the second place.

LSMU’s Genetics and Biochemistry are ranked second among the undergraduate studies awarding a Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences.

In the subject-specific ranking of Master’s students, LSMU is the leader in Laboratory Medicine, Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, with Rehabilitation taking the second place.

Global Recognition for Medical Studies

Every year, the magazine “Reitingai” also publishes a subject-specific ranking of Lithuanian gymnasiums. The results are excellent for the LSMU gymnasium. This year, LSMU Gymnasium is the best in Lithuania in terms of Lithuanian language instruction. The LSMU Gymnasium ranks second in Biology, third in Information Technology, fourth in Chemistry, and fifth in Physics and Geography.

This autumn, the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) has received several highly significant evaluations attesting to the high quality of its activities. LSMU has been evaluated in various aspects by national and international experts.

The results are solid: the University has been accredited for the maximum period, is a leader in the field of medicine and health sciences in Lithuania, and maintains high positions in international rankings. Starting with 2024, LSMU’s medical curriculum, accredited according to the standards of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), will have global recognition.