page_title: Vilnius University
section_title: Status today
hierarchical_section_title: Vilnius University / Status today
caption_attribution_description: English: The Senate of Vilnius University at the Church of St. Johns. 2009.09.01 Русский: Начало нового учебного года. Сенат Вильнюсского университета у костёла Св. Иоаннов Lietuvių: Studijų metų pradžios iškilmės. VU Senatas prie Šv. Jonų bažnyčios
context_page_description: Vilnius University is the oldest university in the Baltic states, one of the oldest and most famous in Central Europe, preceded only by the universities of Prague, Kraków, Pécs, Budapest, Bratislava and Königsberg. Today it is the largest university in Lithuania.
  The university was founded in 1579 as the Jesuit Academy of Vilnius by Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, Stephen Báthory. It was the third oldest university in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In the aftermath of the Third Partition of Poland and the November Uprising, the university was closed down and suspended its operation until 1919. In the aftermath of World War I the university saw failed attempts to restart it by Lithuania and invading Soviet forces. It finally resumed operations as Stefan Batory University in Poland, a period followed by another Soviet occupation in 1920, and the less than two-years of the Republic of Central Lithuania, incorporated into Poland in 1922.
context_section_description: In modern times, the university still offers studies with an internationally recognized content. There are 3 Bachelor and 16 Master study programs in English.
  As of 10 October 2017, there were 19,768 students attending Vilnius University.
  The current rector is Professor Rimvydas Petrauskas.
  The university, specifically the courtyard, was featured in the American TV series The Amazing Race 12.
caption: The Senate of Vilnius University during the celebration of the beginning of the study year
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