According to the EHU Statutes, GAPO is the superior governing body of the University. Up until now GAPO was composed of 4 members: Eurasia Foundation (USA), Open Society Foundations(USA), Eastern Europe Studies Centre (Lithuania), and Institute of International Education (Lithuania).
Founded initially in 2004 as the transition-body in order to prepare the re-establishment of EHU in Lithuania, the Institute of International Education served as a historically important actor in making the miracle of EHU’s re-establishment happen. After the formal recognition of the University status on March 10, 2006 and the reformation of the EHU’s GAPO in early 2007, raison d’être of the Institute of International Education ceased and thus an eventual necessity of retrieving of the Institute from the EHU’s GAPO was highlighted in several audit recommendations, provided for EHU.
Chairman of the EHU GAPO and President of the Eurasia Foundation Horton Beebe-Center says: “On behalf of GAPO I would like to express gratitude to the Institute of International Education and its leader – Prof. Emerita Alla Sokolova – for their many contributions to the development of the university over many years. In particular, the Institute played an invaluable role in supporting the challenging transition of the University from Minsk to Vilnius, benefiting the entire EHU community as a whole and the more than two thousand student who have graduated since that transition.”
“By restructuring GAPO we continue to enhance the strategic management of the University with substantial support from our Swedish partners, the government of Lithuania and our friends throughout Europe and across the Atlantic,” adds Mr. Beebe-Center.
Starting from September 25 EHU GAPO consists of following three members: Eurasia Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Eastern Europe Studies Centre.