Associate Professor Dr Birutė Švedaitė-Sakalauskė

Associate Professor Dr Birutė Švedaitė-Sakalauskė (Lithuania) is an Associate Professor at the Department of Social Work, Vilnius University, a practicing group psychotherapist and psychoanalyst, as well as a lecturer in psychotherapist training programmes. She studied social work in Germany, Dresden and Cologne (1994–1999), and after returning to Lithuania, she headed Vilnius Archdiocese Youth Centre until 2003. Between 2015 and 2020, Birutė Švedaitė-Sakalauskė served as Vice-Rector for Community Affairs of Vilnius University, and is currently a member of Vilnius University Council. 

In addition to her research and pedagogical activities, Dr Birutė Švedaitė-Sakalauskė works as a professional supervisor: consulting organizations, managers, and teams in the field of labour relations. She is the founder of two non-governmental social assistance organizations, and she also volunteers at one of these organizations.

Professor Dr Christos Panagiotopoulos

Professor Dr Christos Panagiotopoulos (Cyprus) is one of the most distinguished representatives of the social work academic community in Europe, serving as President of the European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW) and Vice-President of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW).

The professor teaches social work subjects related to mental health, family and community empowerment, social policy issues, and interdisciplinary education at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Nicosia (Cyprus), as well as in the Master’s degree programme in Criminal Law and Addictions at the University of Thessaloniki (Greece).

His research and academic initiatives consistently emphasize the need to integrate the fields of social work in psychiatry, education, and community practice to create effective support systems for vulnerable groups in society. He is currently coordinating two projects related to drug prevention and social integration, both based on an interdisciplinary approach.

Prof. Dr Christos Panagiotopoulos actively contributes to international academic dialogue as a member of the editorial boards of the European Journal of Social Work, the Greek Journal of Addictions, and other international scientific publications.

Julian Phillips

Julian Phillips (USA) is an internationally recognized business leader, futurist, author, and speaker whose work bridges the fields of science, technology, humanities, and social sciences. He is a member of the Future Talent Council and serves on the Advisory Board of the globally recognized Centre for Higher Education Transformation, which initiates reforms to ensure that higher education is relevant to a radically changing world.

Julian Phillips’ most important scientific contribution is the book “LevAIthan: A Brief History of Humanity and AI”, written in collaboration with the artificial intelligence “Athena”. This book raises questions about autonomy, privacy, trust, and the potential redistribution of power. Not only are the benefits of technologies examined, but also their unwanted or unexpected consequences. The book invites readers not only to observe, but also to actively participate in shaping the future – to “not let the future take over us”, but to exploit the possibilities of humanity. This book can be regarded as an innovative contribution to scientific discussions, as artificial intelligence here functions not merely as an auxiliary tool, but as a genuine creative partner.

Julian Phillips speaks clearly and convincingly about the human consequences of technological change, inviting the audience to reflect not only on where we are headed, but also on what kind of future we dare to create.

Dr Aistė Batūraitė-Bunka

Dr Aistė Batūraitė-Bunka is a lecturer at Šiauliai Academy of Vilnius University, a psychologist, a social pedagogue, and a nonviolent communication (NVC) trainer. Her research interests are related to the professional rehabilitation of people with disabilities, pre-vocational education of young people with special educational needs, strengthening learning motivation and perspectives on developing emotional intelligence using non-violent communication methodology.

Dr Aistė Batūraitė-Bunka closely cooperates with non-governmental organizations (Social Integration Centre, Association Šiauliai City Local Action Group, etc.), prepares and implements scientific-practical projects. She conducts trainings and seminars on communication, conflict management and nonviolent communication for adults, youth and members of organizations, provides individual consultations and leads group sessions. She conducts expert assessments of community-initiated local development projects (LDPs), provides reports, conclusions and academic recommendations to Šiauliai City Local Action Group on the implementation of the LDP’s compliance with the goals, objectives and actions of the local development strategy.