In December 3th, 2015 the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) Creativity and Innovation Centre "LinkMenų fabrikas" (eng. – “LinkArts Factory”) has been opened. It was the first centre of its kind in Lithuania for developing students' creativity. "The arts, engineering, management, studies, science, business – these are the main poles, on which the ''factory'' is being built''– said Adas Meškėnas, the Director of "LinkMenų fabrikas", during the opening ceremony of the new centre.
According to him, the idea is to express a modern approach to the study process by "LinkMenų fabrikas": "In this centre, we want to provide an opportunity for students to learn by creating, developing and maturing as well as implementing their ideas into practice. Young people have many innovative ideas, but often they simply lack space for maturing them and technical measures or assistance for implementing them. "The "LinkMenų fabrikas" is just the right place to do that".
There are about 1100 sq. m. area with the established forty-five shops, offices, bars, for a team of developers, entrepreneurs, inventors, working in different areas, for nurturing and developing together the interdisciplinary ideas from the very beginning to the end, creating real products and services.
“Linkmenų fabrikas” is fully equipped from tools and spaces to people and “know-how”, allowing the implementation of the full product cycle including idea development, prototyping and market entrance. The main advantage of this centre is its interdisciplinary approach, which is also one of the strategic pillars of VGTU. As a traditional maker-space these facilities have various mechanical workshops (3D, metal, wood, electronics, painting), and it also offers fully equipped media workshops (photo, video and audio studios, post-production and 3D animation software, commercial printing). This enables students or youths from different fields to collaborate.
(C) Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
“Currently hardware driven projects and events, media projects and entrepreneurship are our priority activities. We see it all as a part of a comprehensive eco-system. Complementary, interdisciplinary, connected – this is who we are. Students from transport engineering, mechanics, electronics, creative industries, management and architecture fields are building an electric sports car, unmanned air vehicles, robo-plants at VGTU LinkMenų fabrikas” says A.Meskenas.
Establishing the first creative space of such kind, VGTU co-operated with Edinburgh Napier University. This partnership has provided the opportunity to learn from the real examples and to use the best experience of foreign universities in Lithuania. VGTU and the European Union financed the establishment of "LinkMenų fabrikas" infrastructure by the structural funds, the value of the project was 1.448.100 Eur.
For Further information see on VGTU website: http://linkmenufabrikas.vgtu.lt/
