Written by: Anželika Dautartė, VMU

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ᴇNᴀBʟS’ Lithuanian Living Lab, led by the Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, is consistently strengthening cooperation with the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector to promote practical, experience-based learning about Nature-based Solutions (NBS).

One example of this collaboration took place on 15 April 2026. During educational activities with students from the Karaliaus Mindaugo Vocational Training Centre, young people were invited not only to become familiar with the concept of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), but also to actively engage in designing them. Students analysed real environmental challenges – urban heat islands, excess water and flooding issues, and biodiversity loss – and searched for solutions by applying natural processes such as the ability of plants to cool the environment, absorb rainwater, and create habitats for living organisms.

Special attention was given to creative and critical thinking. Working individually or in pairs, students prepared visualisations of their proposed solutions, explained their operating principles, evaluated their benefits for the environment and society, and discussed possible implementation challenges. In this way, the activities fostered the ability to assess environmental problems from a holistic perspective and to seek sustainable and innovative solutions.

An important part of the activities was experiential learning in the VMU Agriculture Academy virtual arboretum, which is becoming a living laboratory that enables students to directly observe natural processes and the benefits they provide. In the virtual environment, students explored biodiversity, analysed soil and water interactions, and evaluated the importance of green spaces for human well-being and climate change mitigation.

These activities helped participants better understand that NBS are not merely a theoretical concept – they are practical and applicable approaches capable of addressing multiple challenges simultaneously: protecting biodiversity, supporting climate change adaptation, and improving people’s quality of life.

The cooperation between the VMU’s Living Lab and vocational education institutions demonstrates the significant potential of such cross-sectoral dialogue. By engaging young people in solving real-world problems, we are building bridges between science, education, and society while strengthening the capacity to move towards sustainability.

Such initiatives not only broaden students’ knowledge but also inspire them to become active agents of change within their communities.