Bachelor’s students at the Law School of Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) are learning the fundamentals of mediation not only in the classroom. By choosing the elective course “Fundamentals of Mediation”, taught by Prof. Dr Agnė Tvaronavičienė, students had the opportunity to meet professionals who practise mediation in different fields and gain first-hand insight into how it works in practice.
The week of visits began at the “In pace” Mediation Centre, where students met mediators Daiva Bliūdžiuvienė, Brigita Korablikovienė, Reda Bagušinskienė and Andrius Šidliauskas. During the meeting, they introduced students to the specifics of family mediation, shared their practical experience and spoke about their professional journeys and their decision to become mediators.
The students also visited the Eastern Lithuania Division of the Lithuanian Probation Service. There, mediator Donata Gudeikė introduced them to the use of mediation within the probation system and its role in resolving conflicts. During the visit, students also learned more about other probation measures – Senior Specialist Božena Andriešiūnienė presented an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet and explained how it is used in practice.
Another stop during the week was the Supreme Court of Lithuania. There, students met mediators Judge Prof. Dr Dalia Vasarienė and Algimantas Valantinas, who introduced judicial mediation, its specific features, the role of the mediator and the challenges encountered in practice.
The week concluded with a virtual meeting with Indrė Kasiulaitė, Chair of the Lithuanian Chamber of Mediators. During the discussion, students learned about the activities of the Chamber, the mediation profession and what a mediator’s professional career looks like in Lithuania today.
Such meetings give students an opportunity to complement their theoretical knowledge with real-life examples, hear first-hand experiences from professionals working in different fields and gain a better understanding of the role mediation plays in contemporary law.
The MRU Law School thanks its social partners and professionals for their time, for sharing their experience and for giving students the opportunity to learn beyond the university classroom.
