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Kurk Lietuvai
Lithuanian government programme From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Kurk Lietuvai (in English: Create Lithuania), also known as KurkLT,[1][2] is a strategic government initiative focused on fostering innovation and implementing best practices within the Lithuanian public sector.[3][4] It is part of Invest Lithuania, country's foreign investment agency.[5][6]
This is the only program of its kind in Lithuania with few equivalents abroad.[7] Multiple Lithuanian politicians have praised it for effectiveness and results.[8][9] UN and UNESCO reports have identified Create Lithuania as a good example for other countries to follow.[10][11][12]
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History
Summarize
Perspective
The program was created in 2012 as an attempt to establish a mechanism of innovation in Lithuanian public sector. In the early years of the program, it was co-financed by European Union.[13][14] The program initially targeted young Lithuanian professionals with considerable foreign experience and attempted to attract them to Lithuania.[15][16][17] Many participants have been educated at primarily foreign universities, e.g. Cambridge, Oxford, Maastricht and others.[18]
Past projects
During the first 6 years of its existence, the program successfully implemented 180 projects. During the first decade – about 300.[19] Since 2022, multiple projects were aimed at improving conditions for Ukrainian refugees[20] and rebuilding Ukraine post-war.[21][22] Create Lithuania has contributed to the creation of Lithuanian deposit-refund system,[23] which became one of the most successful in Europe with higher than 90% return rate.[24] Lithuanian Startup Visa system was co-created by Create Lithuania and launched in 2017.[25] In 2019, 62 startups applied to relocate to Lithuania on Startup Visa, 18 of which were approved.[26] In its projects, Create Lithuania has also partnered with private companies, e.g. Google[27][28] and Oxylabs.[29]
Create Lithuania reports have been frequently featured as sources in a variety of government documents,[30][31][32][33][34][35] scholarly papers[36][37][38][39] and PhD dissertations.[40] As of 2024, the program has received multiple awards,[41][42][43][44] including Innovation in Politics Award[45][46] and Reves Excellence.[47][48] Multiple other projects have been nominated for Innovation in Politics awards. KurkLT projects have also won Project Management Institute awards for Lithuania's best public sector initiatives.[49]
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Structure
Every year, the program selects about 20 participants for an annual work contracts that begin in September.[50] The program targets Lithuanian diaspora and Lithuanians with extensive experience abroad, but is open to everyone. Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Lithuanian embassies assist in recruiting the candidates.[51] Create Lithuania has had Lithuanians from all continents, also from countries not well known for Lithuanian diaspora like New Zealand, Mexico, China or Kenya.[52]
The program consists of two 6 month long projects in the Lithuanian public sector and its ministries and organizations. The projects are typically tailored to candidate's education, skills and interests. Therefore, there is a lot of variation in project areas – education, immigration, gender equality, finance, defense, business environment, city planning etc.[53][54][55][56][57]
In the past, KurkLT projects and their results have been presented to Lithuanian ministers,[58][59][60][61] prime minister,[62] presidents,[63][64] Government Chancellor and various heads of government institutions.[65]
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Former participants
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Majority of former participants moved to Lithuania for the program and about 80% of them stay in Lithuania long-term.[66][67] After the program, many take jobs in the public sector and former participants include multiple current or former deputy ministers,[68][69] ministers, deputy mayors,[70][71] heads of governmental institutions,[72][73][74] presidential advisers,[75][76] multiple advisers to the prime minister,[77] members of Parliament and European commissioner. Notable former participants include MP Lukas Savickas,[78] author Unė Kaunaitė[79] and European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius.[80][81]
Other past participants went to the private sector, e.g. Google,[82][83] Goodwin Procter,[84] SEB Group[85] and others. Several former members have received national order for merit awards.[86][87][88][89] The program has an active alumni network for former members.[90] Alumni Network is active in Lithuanian society and has done projects with Rotary, Jaunimo linija, Lithuanian Food bank and others.[91]
See also
- The Innovation in Politics Institute
- Invest Lithuania
References
External links
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