On 16 October, Jonas Ruškus, Professor at the Department of Social Work of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) and former Vice-Chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, was awarded the Honorary Badge of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport (ŠMSM).
Prof. Ruškus, one of eight individuals recognised for their outstanding contributions to education, received the Honorary Badge from Minister Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė. He was honoured for his systematic efforts in shaping and implementing disability policies promoting inclusive opportunities in research, studies, and study-related activities, his expert work at international, national, and regional levels, and for representing Lithuania globally.
Accepting the award, Prof. Ruškus expressed his gratitude to his parents – his mother Irena, a doctor, and his father Jonas, an educator, as well as to Vytautas Magnus University and the community of people with disabilities, without whose contribution, according to him, his activities would not have been noticed and appreciated.
“Being acknowledged and respected is not simply the result of individual competencies. Rather, it is the result of an understanding acquired through civic and community experience that there are groups of people who, because they exist, because of their identity, experience something that no person should have to experience. It is also the result of targeted action for change, in line with internationally agreed goals and human rights standards aimed at protecting groups experiencing systemic inequality. I hold in high regard Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which declares that all humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood,” Prof. Ruškus remarked.
In 2014, Prof. Jonas Ruškus became the first Lithuanian representative to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and in 2018, he was re-elected for a second term, which lasted until December 2022. He is currently a member of the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO, having served as its chair from 2018 to 2021.
Professor Ruškus, who holds a PhD in social sciences, is a recognised expert in the field of disability and actively participates in national and international projects aimed at advocating for the rights of the disabled and other vulnerable groups. His research primarily focuses on social work and education, social inclusion, and human rights. He has lectured at universities in France, Portugal, Belgium, Sweden, Poland, and the USA and is the author and co-author of scientific monographs, studies, and international publications, as well as the author of polemical articles.
Prof. Ruškus has been working at Vytautas Magnus University since 2007 – initially as a Professor in the Department of Social Work and as the Director of the Institute of Social Work, later becoming the Vice-Rector for Studies. From 2011 to 2015, he served as the Dean of the VMU Faculty of Social Sciences.
In 2000, he was awarded a scholarship by the French government, and in 2002 and 2004, he received the Young Scientist Scholarship of the Lithuanian State. He has served as the chairman of the Expert Council at the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education of the Republic of Lithuania, as an expert in various institutions and projects, and as a member of the Education Council of the Republic of Lithuania. Currently, Prof. Ruškus is also the editor-in-chief of the journal “Social Work: Experience and Methods” and a member of the editorial boards of various Lithuanian and international scientific journals.
In 2018, Professor Ruškus was awarded the Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania. He is also a member of the Kaunas L’Arche Community, the Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights, the “Renkuosi mokyti!” (I Choose to Teach!) programme board, and the “Savarankiškas gyvenimas” (Independent Living) association.
The Honorary Badge is the highest award of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, granted to individuals who have made significant contributions to education and science. Candidates for this accolade can be nominated by heads of the Ministry and their subordinate institutions, municipal administrations, non-governmental organisations, and other organisations. The Badge has been awarded since 2007, commemorating the anniversary of the establishment of the Educational Commission of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which was founded on 14 October 1773. The first Honorary Badge of the Ministry was awarded to Dr. Meilė Lukšienė.
