DĖSTYTOJŲ KVALIFIKACIJOS TOBULINIMAS VILNIAUS UNIVERSITETO ŠIAULIŲ AKADEMIJOJE STAŽUOTĖMIS [IMPROVEMENT OF LECTURER QUALIFICATION BY INTERNSHIPS AT VILNIUS UNIVERSITY ŠIAULIAI ACADEMY]

The editorial discusses the attention given to the development of human intellectual potential of lecturers, the strengthening of competences at Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy. The project “Optimization of the Network of Higher Education Institutions and Improvement of the Quality of Studies by Connecting Šiauliai University to Vilnius University” has been prepared and launched. The project activities aim to help lecturers acquire new pedagogical, subject, methodological, psychological knowledge, abilities and skills that are necessary for the qualitative training of future pedagogues. One of the opportunities is internship in Lithuanian and foreign education institutions. Internships for high school lecturers are essential for the development of qualification, competencies and personal development, especially for those who do not have real pedagogical practice in education institutions. Actual school situations, practical examples and various problem cases enrich the content of the subject much more than theoretical preparation alone. The internship is beneficial not only for the lecturer participating in it as an opportunity to improve qualification, to expand competencies, but also for the hosting school – the lecturer has a direct opportunity to share the results of their researches and research-based insights on certain aspects of the educational process, cooperation with parents, to give recommendations on the improvement of the educational process, the inclusion of parents in school activities. This strengthens the relationship between teacher training higher schools and practitioners, and provides further opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.