Kauno technologijos universiteto istorijos kelias : 100-ųjų Kauno technologijos universiteto įkūrimo metinių proga knygą skiriu universiteto studentams ir dėstytojams, kovojusiems ir žuvusiems dėl Tėvynės laisvės ir nepriklausomybės, siekusiems ir dabar siekiantiems savo žiniomis ir mokslo pasiekimais tarnauti Lietuvai ir jos žmonėms

LTXX a. Lietuvos valstybei likimas lėmė du kartus atgimti. Pažvelgus į Kauno technologijos universiteto istoriją, galima pamatyti, kad ir Universitetas ne kartą buvo priverstas keistis. Pokyčius lėmė ne tik pasaulio mokslo ir technikos pažanga, bet ir istorijos bei politikos verpetai, karai ir okupacijos. Monografijoje nagrinėjama Universiteto istorija – nuo ištakų iki šių dienų. Knygos autorė analizuoja Lietuvos aukštojo mokslo raidą ir ypatumus Kaune pirmosios Lietuvos Respublikos laikotarpiu, Universiteto veiklą sudėtingu sovietų ir nacių okupacijų laikotarpiu, tuometinio Kauno politechnikos instituto raidą, universitetinio statuso atgavimą ir Universiteto raidos tendencijas laisvoje Lietuvoje. Vieno didžiausių universitetų Lietuvoje – Kauno technologijos universiteto istorija menkai žinoma. Todėl monografija bus ypač aktuali tyrinėjantiems Lietuvos mokslo bei švietimo istoriją, padės atkurti istorinį teisingumą ir atgaivinti istorinę atmintį. [Anotacija knygoje]

ENAfter the proclamation of Lithuania's independence on February 16, 1918, the Lithuanian Council took great efforts to open Vilnius University closed in 1832 by the Tsarist Russian administration. On December 5, 1918 the Council adopted the statute of Vilnius University, however, shortly after, together with the Government, it was forced to retreat from the capital attacked by Soviet Russia's troops. The Government was involved in the defense of the state, so, at the beginning it was in no position to allocate funds to the University. Therefore, a group of intellectuals organized the Higher Education Society and established the Higher Courses in Kaunas, which were the basis for the establishment of the University. The Higher Courses consisted of six departments, i.e., Humanities, Law, Mathematics and Physics, Natural Sciences, Medicine and Technical department. The establishment of the Higher Courses was an evident proof that after the World War I a strong civil society in Lithuania was already formed. It was the society of Lithuania that provided a solid support to the government, managed to defend the state from invaders and establish the University. On February 16, 1922, on the basis of the Higher Courses, the University of Lithuania financed by the Government was established in Kaunas. At that time the existence of a university was one of the obligatory symbols of the statehood in Europe. At the start the University operated following the statute of Vilnius University. On March 24, 1922 the Constituent Assembly adopted the statute of Lithuanian University which granted broad autonomy and perspectives of growth.The University had six faculties, i.e., Theology and Philosophy, Humanities, Law, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Medicine and Technical faculties. After the incorporation of Klaipėda in 1923, the faculty of Evangelical Theology was set up. After the coup of 1926 and with the entrenchment of the authoritarian regime, the autonomy was narrowed gradually, however, it still remained in force until the Soviet occupation. On June 7, 1930 the University of Lithuania was named Vytautas Magnus University. In January 1940, when Vilnius University was reopened, the faculties of Humanities and Law of Vytautas Magnus University were transferred to Vilnius. In the interwar period the University maintained close ties with foreign universities; the teaching staff took part in the international conferences and internships, the students were sent on excursions or for practical works; laboratory equipment and scientific books for the libraries were purchased abroad, etc. The teachers from foreign universities were employed, and they were obliged to learn Lithuanian during a year. Especially friendly relations were maintained with Latvian, Estonian and Finnish universities. Young, promising graduates got scholarships and were sent for internships to foreign universities. After return they continued research in Lithuania.Lithuania traditionally was an agricultural country, its industry being at a rather low level. The men from the Government were of the opinion that Lithuania does not need many engineers. That affected the interests of the Technical faculty. That faculty admitted but a few students and studies were difficult; there was a lack of premises and equipment for laboratory works. Only in 1940, when the faculties of Humanities and Law were transferred to Vilnius University, the shortage of rooms was mitigated. [...]. [From the publication]