Education and Science, Financial Services, Good for Business, Investments, Lithuania

The funding will be provided to 60 research projects recognized by international experts as being particularly strong and able to compete for the European Commission's grants in the future, it said in a press release.

"I hope this significant financial support will help Lithuanian scientists to enter the international arena," Education and Science Minister Jurgita Petrauskiene said.

A project of three and a half to four years will be allocated up to 600,000 euros, double the amount available under other competition-based funding schemes in Lithuania.

A total of 195 research groups submitted their applications for the competition.

Most projects will be carried out by researchers in the fields of physical, biomedical, and social and human sciences.

For example, a project led by a scientist from Vytautas Magnus University (VDU) has been allocated funds for research on inequalities and demographic processes. Experts at the Lithuanian Research Center for Agriculture and Forestry will research challenges posed by the climate change and diseases, as well as possible measures for preserving forests. Analysts at the Lithuanian Center for Social Research will analyze ways to create well-being for elderly people.

Vilnius University's scientists won the largest number of projects, at twenty-three.