For the second consecutive year, Vilnius University's Internationalisation Initiative, aimed at strengthening practical botanical education and international collaboration, has been successfully implemented. This year, the initiative expanded beyond Lithuania and Latvia, welcoming the University of Tartu as a new partner.
On 12–14 June 2026, a group of students who had demonstrated the strongest academic performance in botany during the autumn semester travelled to Estonia. The field expedition brought together botanists – both academic staff and students – from Vilnius University, the University of Latvia, and the University of Tartu. It marked the first meeting of its kind for botanists from all three Baltic States, building on the collaboration established last year in Latvia with Latvian botanists Liene Aunina and Brigita Laime.
During the expedition, guided by Triin Reitalu, a researcher at the University of Tartu, participants explored the habitats and flora of the Viidumäe Nature Reserve on the western part of Saaremaa Island. Particularly impressive were the diversity of orchids (Orchidaceae) and sedges (Carex), wooded pastures, calcareous fens, and the vegetation of saline coastal habitats.
"International field courses allow students not only to explore the flora of different countries but also to learn from one another. Such experiences foster the ability to work in international teams and deepen understanding of the biodiversity of the Baltic region," says Assoc. Prof. Radvilė Rimgailė-Voicik of the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center.
The international field course gave students the opportunity to learn from specialists from different countries, compare the flora of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, and discuss differences in plant communities, island endemism, and habitat restoration practices. More than twenty herbarium specimens were also collected during the expedition and will be added to the international collection of the Vilnius University Herbarium (WI).
Initiatives like this not only strengthen students' practical skills but also prepare future biologists to address the challenges of biodiversity conservation and nature protection.
The expedition was also significant for strengthening cooperation among Baltic botanists. Although researchers from Vilnius University, the University of Latvia, and the University of Tartu maintain close academic ties in various fields, joint initiatives in botany have so far been relatively rare. It is hoped that this partnership will provide a solid foundation for more systematic cooperation through joint field courses, summer schools, student exchanges, and collaborative vegetation research.