In the spring semester of 2017, one of the most outstanding philosophers of the Lithuanian diaspora, professor emeritus of Ohio University (USA) Algis Mickūnas, visited the Faculty of Political Sciences and Diplomacy of VMU. He gave an intensive course “Philosophy and Methodology of Humanities” to the graduate students of the Department of Philosophy and Political Criticism and others interested.

Prof. Algis Mickūnas is an internationally recognized scientist who studies contemporary European philosophy, Marxism, hermeneutics, semiotics, phenomenology, existentialism, political and democratic theories. Over the past 20 years, A. Mickūnas has lectured at almost all the world’s most famous universities as a visiting professor and is considered a great authority on phenomenology both in the USA, in Western Europe, and in other countries of the world.

The professor’s merits are especially important for independent Lithuania, its humanities and universities. A. Mickūnas gave a lot of strength and energy to the education of the reborn Lithuania, often working without pay. Since 1990 until now, he gives lectures of various kinds to students of Vilnius, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, and Vytautas Magnus universities, conducts seminars. He has published or presented hundreds of scientific articles, participated in numerous conferences in North and South America, Japan, Europe, India, and the Middle East, and has written a dozen books.

In 2007 A. Mickūnas was awarded the science prize for foreign scientists established by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania for his scientific achievements and fostering Lithuanianness in the field of humanities and social science.