Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design

The KTU Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design offers a variety of study programmes, where scientific engineering skills and knowledge are being developed together with creative thinking skills. Knowledge brought to the students by qualified and competent teaching and research staff enables students to undertake internships in global organisations. Specialists trained at the Faculty take up positions of management and are renowned Lithuanian scientists and policy makers.

Faculty of Mechanics was established on 9 December 1947. It consisted of Departments of Descriptive Geometry, Peat Industry, Machinery, Wood Technologies, Metal Technologies, Textile Technologies, Theoretical Mechanics, Transportation Machines and Heat Engines.

In 1950, after reorganisation of Kaunas State University, Kaunas Polytechnic Institute was established. Its Faculty of Mechanics consisted of Departments of Descriptive Geometry, Mechanical Appliances for Food Industry, Machinery Production Technologies, Metal Technologies, Heat Engines, Textile Technologies and Theoretical Mechanics. In 1953 first evening classes in mechanics started taking place. Later they developed into the Evening Faculty, which continued to be administered by the Faculty of Mechanics.

In 1955 a number of students in Faculty of Mechanics already exceeded a thousand. In 1957 students of the following specialties were admitted: machinery production technologies, metal cutting machines and tools (groups in Lithuanian and Russian); industrial thermal energy, road transport; machines and mechanisms for ships, machines for peat industry, construction and road machinery; mechanical technologies of fibrous materials (divided into primary processing of flax, spinning, knitwear, weaving), wood technologies.

1962 Faculty of Mechanics had about 2,500 students. Therefore, on 1 April 1962 Faculties of Light Industry and Machinery Production were established, leaving fewer students at the Faculty of Mechanics.

Faculty expanded rapidly, there was lack of premises, lectures were even taught at the auditorium of Art Museum. Therefore, its development required a lot of energy, attempts and ingenuity of administration. The first Dean of the Faculty, Professor L. Kumpikas (later titled Father of Lithuanian Machinery Producers) put great efforts into reorganising of the Faculty. In 1964, when Lithuanian University of Agriculture moved to the newly constructed campus in Noreikiškės, faculty settled in its premises (Kęstučio Street 27).

Faculty Machinery Production took over training of engineers in machinery production technologies, metal cutting machines and tools from Faculty of Mechanics, increased the number of graduates. Each year specialists of science of metals and casting were graduating; first such groups were formed in 1961. During the period of the Faculty’s activities, it had 100–130 permanent lecturers, number of students increased to 1,800.

In 1990 there were 900 students and 70 lecturers working at the Faculty of Machinery Production. It housed Laboratory of Complex Use of Peat and two departmental laboratories: Packing Machines and Industrial Thermal Equipment, which had up to 100 employees.

On 1 September 1993 Faculty of Machinery Production was merged with Faculty of Mechanics, which retained the title of Faculty of Mechanics.

Faculty has prepared more than 16,5 thousand mechanical engineers of various majors, who manage companies, many of them are well-known Lithuanian scientists and political figures. The Faculty graduates made a huge contribution to creation of Lithuanian industry, development of science, education and training of young generation.

Among the Faculty‘s graduates are Lithuanian Academy of Sciences members professors R. Bansevičius,  K. Ragulskis, V. Ostaševičius, A. Fedaravičius, J.Sapragonas, and M.Daunys.

Prominent scientists, who worked at the Faculty of Mechanics, include professors J. Indriūnas, A. Žukauskas, K. Vasiliauskas, S. Kolupaila, professors A. Briedelis, Č. Jakimavičius, L. Kumpikas, A. Matukonis, V. Mošinskis, Assoc Prof N. Milenskis and many others.

On 12 October 2005, the Faculty of Mechanics was renamed Faculty of Mechanics and Mechatronics.

In 2007 Faculty of Mechanics and Mechatronics celebrated its 60th anniversary.

In 2014, while implementing KTU Renewal Programme the Faculty was merged with the Faculty of Design and named Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design.