A programme that empowers change makers to solve key problems of the country and create breakthroughs
Launched in 2012, the goal of Create Lithuania programme is to promote Lithuania’s economic transformation and changes in the country. Every year participants from various industries join the programme for one year.
During this time, they work in the public sector and develop evidence-based solutions and breakthroughs in various areas, from economy and innovation to industry, STEM, governance and many others.
Aims of the programme
- Transform the Lithuanian economy.
- Attract competent people to the Lithuanian public sector.
- Form evidence-based solutions driving meaningful change.
- Promote inter-agency collaboration and stakeholder engagement in creating change.
- Apply international experience in the Lithuanian public sector.
How it works?
- The programme lasts 12 months, during which participants implement projects in different public sector institutions at the national or regional level.
- Participants sign a one-year contract with Invest Lithuania and are seconded to the institutions responsible for the project area.
- Projects are usually carried out in pairs but can also be done individually.
- Project topics are agreed by the programme management team, the institution and the participants based on the experience and interests of the participants and the needs of the institutions.
Who is this programme for?
- Enthusiastic professionals who want to create meaningful change in Lithuania.
- Those with a bachelor’s or higher academic degree and more than 2 years of work experience.
- Specialists from different fields who want to experience work in the public sector.
How Create Lithuania projects work
The goal of Create Lithuania projects is to promote the transformation of the Lithuanian economy by involving a wide range of stakeholders, while generating evidence-based solutions to specific problems or identifying new opportunities for breakthroughs. Projects usually last 6 months (September – March, March – September).
Actors of the project
Project owner
Usually a person with decision-making power - minister(s) or vice-minister(s), department head(s). Responsible for receiving the team at the institution, consulting when needed, accepting project results.
Management Team
Coordinates project topics, advises participants and institutions during the course of the project.
Create Lithuania team
1-2 participants responsible for project implementation.
Employees in the institution
Share information about the other institutions and about the topic in general (what has been done historically, what has or has not worked, etc.)
Other Stakeholders
Programme participants are encouraged to involve as many stakeholders as possible, as this helps to gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic, and, accordingly, propose solutions based on real needs and facts.
Typical project timeline
Nominations and awards
Inspiration of the Year 2023: Waste Culture Awards
The project "Sustainable consumption: how to encourage repair and reuse?" was one of three initiatives recognized for its efforts to improve the waste sector. Rūta Kukulskytė and Gintarė Petrauskaitė helped the Ministry of Justice prepare the transposition of the "Right to Repair" Directive into Lithuanian law.
2024
Nomination: Innovation in Politics Award
Create Lithuania project „Easy to Read“ was one of the finalists in “Government Improvement” category.
2023
Mention: OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI)
Create Lithuania project "Dialogue between the city & its people: guide to civic participation in public space projects" was acknowledged as a leading public sector innovation.
2022
Nomination: AI Awards Lithuania
Create Lithuania project „Driving the breakthrough in AI” was one of the finalists in the AI Communication of the Year category.
2022
Won: Green transport awards Lithuania
Create Lithuania project "Development of the Mobility Data Ecosystem” won in the "Institutional Cooperation" category.
2022
Nomination: GovTech Awards
At the GovTech Awards organized by PUBLIC, Create Lithuania project „GovTech Lab“ was among the TOP3 best GovTech innovation-promoting teams in the world.
2022
Won: Skaitmeninio knygnešio competition
Create Lithuania project „Bully Box“ has won in the “Inclusion and empowerment” category.
2021
Mention: OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI)
Create Lithuania projects Anti-bullying app “Bully Box“ and e-learning platform REAGUOK.LT.
2021
Nomination: World Summit Awards
Create Lithuania project „Bully Box“.
2021
Paminėjimas: OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI)
Create Lithuania project “Digital Lithuania Academy“.
2020
Nomination: Skaitmeninio knygnešio competition
Create Lithuania project „ GovTech Lab“ was among the TOP3 best solutions in the "Government and Citizen Engagement" category.
2020
Won: Project Management Institute (PMI)
Create Lithuania project „Bully Box“ won the best Lithuanian social project award.
2020
Nomination: Innovation in Politics Award
Create Lithuania project „Bully Box“ was one of the finalists in “Education” category.
2020
Laimėjo: Projektų valdymo institutas (PMI)
Create Lithuania project „ GovTech Lab“ won the best Lithuanian public sector project award.
2020
Won: Innovation in Politics Award
The GovTech Lab won in the ‘Prosperity’ category and was acknowledge as the best innovation in politics in Europe.
2019
Nomination: Innovation in Politics Award
Create Lithuania was one of the finalists in the “Community” category.
2019
Mention: OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI)
Create Lithuania project „Karjeras – Lithuania‘s first one-stop career centre“ was one of the finalists in the “Jobs” category.
2019
Paminėjimas: OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI)
Create Lithuania project “GovTech Lab“.
2019
Mention: United Nations
United Nations report on the Conference on Trade and Development ‘Skills and foreign direct investment promotion: what can an investment promotion agency do?’ mentioned Create Lithuania as a best practise.
