12th ICA Rectors and Deans Forum 2022 Programme

Association for European Life Science Universities (ICA)

was held on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 October 2022

at the Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, Lithuania

Location: Vytautas Magnus university (VMU) in the centre of Kaunas: S. Daukanto str. 28, small hall 2^nd floor.

16.15	Coffee and Registration
17.00	ICA General Assembly
18.30	Presentation EU Biodiversity strategy - forward looking approach, today relevant more than ever. Marius Vaščega- Head of the European Commission's Representation in Vilnius, Lithuania (from 2022 February). Earlier 2019 - 2022 Head of the Cabinet of Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries.
19.30	Forum Welcome Reception & Walking Dinner

Location: Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy (VMU AA), Studentų str. 11, Akademija Kaunas District

8.00	Transfer by bus from hotels to Agriculture Academy of the Vytautas Magnus University
8.30	Registration & welcome coffee
9.00	Welcome to the Forum Arthur Mol, President of ICA & Representative from Vytautas Magnus University
	Chair Session 1 Jos Van Orshoven, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KULeuven, BE
9.15	Keynote: Biodiversity policy implementation in Lithuania: challenges and achievements Simonas Gentvilas, Minister of the Environment, Republic of Lithuania
9.45	Keynote: Bending the curve of terrestrial biodiversity needs an integrated strategy David Leclère, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA); Laxenburg; AT
10.15	Keynote: The Economics of Biodiversity: Partha Dasgupta, University of Cambridge, UK
10.45	Coffee break
11.15	Keynote: Biodiversa+, the European biodiversity partnership: history, objectives and main achievements Claire Bléry, European Biodiversity Partnership (Biodiversa+), Paris, FR
11.45	Discussion
12.30	Lunch

	Chair Session 2 Alex Evans, School Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, IE
13.30	Keynote: Enhancement of biodiversity in agriculture arable and grassland systems Helen Sheridan, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, IE
14.00	Keynote: Enhancement of biodiversity in forestry systems Bart Muys, Division of Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KULeuven, BE
14.30	Five short interventions: Case Studies of how my university engages with society through education and outreach to encourage engagement with and enhancement of biodiversity. Stephan Dabbert, University of Hohenheim, DE Anna Chełmońska-Soyta, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, PL Janna Pietikäinen, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, FI Simon Mortimer, University of Reading, UK•
15.15	Coffee
15.45	Breakout round table discussions groups
16.15	Plenary Report back
16.45	Closure Session2 and short break
17.00	ICA Excellence Award 2022 Ceremony: Announcement & Presentation of the achievements of the winner Acceptance speech by the winner
17.45	Return by bus to the hotels
19.30	Bus pick up from hotels to go to Raudondvaris Castle
20.00	Gala Dinner, Raudondvaris Castle

8.00	Transfer by bus from hotels to Agriculture Academy of the Vytautas Magnus University
8.30	Chair Session 3: European knowledge security in a polarised world Arthur Mol, President of ICA & Rector Magnificus Wageningen University and Research, NL
8.50	Keynote: Knowledge security experiences and practice AgroParisTech Laurent Buisson, Directeur Général AgroParisTech, Paris, FR
9.05	Keynote: Knowledge security experiences and practices Estonian University of the Life Sciences Mait Klaassen, Rector Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMÜ) EE
9.20	Coffee & Breakout round table discussions groups
10.00	Plenary Report back
10.30	Forum Closure
	Packed lunch available to pick up
11.00	Depart for Vilnius Airport by bus (the trip to Vilnius airport will take maximum of 2 hours)
	OR
11.00	Post Forum Tour "Biodiversity, history and cultural heritage Kaunas Region" There is no extra charge for this Tour, but must be booked on your registration form or reservation by email after registration to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The Tour is offered by the Agriculture Academy, Vytautas Magnus University
16.30	Tour returns to Kaunas

Please note that "Kaunas is the European Capital of Culture' 2022". Information about the events can be found here https://kaunas2022.eu/en/about-the-project/