You are a student of IIRPS VU; how did you choose to study at the Institute? What was the most memorable aspect of your studies?

I have to admit that my brother’s example, whose eloquent political rhetoric in home discussions left a great impression on me, influenced me to choose these studies. The star lecturers also made a significant contribution. Even before my studies, I had actively followed the work, publications and books of Alvydas Jokubaitis and Mažvydas Jastramskis. But if I had to answer this question briefly, I chose IIRPS because I wanted to get a “higher education” in the true sense of the word.

What I remember most during my studies were the group essays, the intense writing at night, and the heated tensions and friction between team members. I am glad that those hard writing sessions were fruitful and that I managed to write really meaningful and interesting papers.

You are now in your fourth year and have chosen the Economics and Politics module; which subjects did you enjoy most? How did the different subject choices help you discover your field of interest?

I often jokingly introduce myself as a philosophical economist. I like philosophy best, I study political science, and my job as a stockbroker is closely related to economics. I don’t see a contradiction between all three disciplines – on the contrary, I think it’s the combination of different disciplines that allows for unique perspectives to be brought to the table, both at work and at university, along with unusual and sometimes creative, answers.

The different electives have really helped me to be sure to find my target work and academic direction. The second year’s course, “Financial Economics” by Minijus Tilindis, despite the fact that I got around 5 on the exam, made a great impression and encouraged me to choose the Economics and Politics module.

You spent part of your studies on an Erasmus+ exchange in France; how did this experience benefit you? What are the biggest differences between studying in Lithuania and France?

It may sound a bit strange, but this experience was useful because it helped me see that the quality of studies at IIRPS is not inferior to Sciences Po, the world’s TOP 3 ranked university in the Political Science programme. Of course, I was able to meet some very impressive lecturers who are still giving various recommendations to the EU institutions. I still follow the Twitter account of one of the economics lecturers, which encourages me to maintain my French language skills.

The biggest difference between Lithuania and France was the university community and the cultural environment. It was very interesting that students from all over the world came to the exchange. I joke that during the first week, I travelled all over the world (from Indonesia to Brazil) as I interviewed and questioned each fellow student about local political issues in their countries. In addition, the university community and organisations felt extremely strong. Several times, the student union would organise celebrations that created an American college atmosphere – which was very strange and somewhat alien to me as a cold Lithuanian.

You are the head of the Vilnius University Student Investment Fund; how did you get started in this organisation? Can you tell us more about the organisation’s activities?

I found out about the Vilnius University Student Investment Fund (VU SIF) on Facebook when I saw a monthly report on the price movements of the financial instruments held in the portfolio – it made a great impression. Our aim is to educate both students and the general public about financial literacy. A few weeks ago, we had an event with Skirmantas Malinauskas, who shared his knowledge of financial fraud schemes and regulatory gaps in the gambling industry. We also have our own actively managed investment fund, which is currently worth just over €15,000.

I have been interested in speculation and trading in financial instruments since I was a teenager, so the organisation’s activities matched my interests. It did not take long to fit in, and soon enough, the former Director, G. Stanionytė, offered to take over her position.

You are a financial consultant at Orion; how do your studies at IIRPS VU help you in your work? What was your path in the labour market like, can you share your future plans?

Political science really helps when analysing financial markets, as they are particularly influenced by political action. The US-China trade war, the war in Ukraine, OPEC+, and the monetary policies of central banks are just a few examples that have a significant impact on the price movements of financial instruments. I had to write essays on these factors at university, which allowed me to gain and develop a holistic understanding. I recently published a 90-page analytical paper on the uranium industry, whose supply chain is highly politicised: Kazakhstan produces most of the world’s uranium, and around half of it is enriched by the Russian company Rosatom. The US authorities have so far been unable to sanction Rosatom because of its over-reliance on Russian-enriched uranium.

At the moment, it is particularly pleasing to analyse and follow trends in the monetary policies of the world’s central banks and changes in interest rates. I used to discuss this topic after lectures with the previously mentioned lecturer M. Tilindis. My path started with an internship at Orion, and perhaps, as is the case with many students, I managed to get an offer to stay on and work for the company after performing well.

What would you like to wish the IIRPS VU community?

I would like to wish the IIRPS community and the whole administration to remain an institution of “higher education” and to maintain the reputation that has been built up over the years. I enjoyed the first years immensely when we were learning very different subjects, such as law, philosophy, and economics, all in the same semester.

My wish for the community is to be open to different initiatives, to create organisations and to be actively involved in them. Studying at an ‘elite’ French university made me realise that the value of a university often lies in the community and the atmosphere it creates, but not in the quality of the education. Remember that we are each other’s stepping stones from which we can bounce or push off to help us achieve our career or academic goals. Good luck!