About LCC

Identity

Established in 1991

Christian Liberal Arts university, established by a joint venture of Lithuanian, Canadian and American foundations.

MISSION STATEMENT

LCC International University provides Christian liberal arts education within a diverse learning community that transforms people for servant leadership.

VISION STATEMENT

To be the leading Christian liberal arts university in Europe, renowned for its flourishing academic community, spiritual vitality, and global impact.

NORTH AMERICAN

education style

LIBERAL ARTS

philosophy

Christian

values and worldview

2,500+ Alumni

alumni since 1991

Our partners

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Distinctives

Christian

We confirm the identity of LCC as a Christian university.

Liberal Arts

We emphasize eight core competencies: critical thinking, conflict transformation, multicultural perspective, effective communication, Christian worldview, servant leadership, multidisciplinary knowledge and community building. Our definition of liberal arts education takes into account quantitative diversity of course work, but further emphasizes the importance of student self-transformation.

International

We confirm our identity as an international university, with student and faculty/staff diversity. The international distinctive is mirrored in our program content, teaching approach and student life programming.

North American Style

An integral part of LCC's uniqueness is providing a North American style of education, but in the region of Eastern Europe.

Relational

LCC is a relational university. We believe that student transformation takes place within the context of community and one-on-one relations.

Philanthropic

A philanthropic identity is central to the life and mission of LCC. Indeed, we are global citizens who share a responsibility to collectively care for people in need.

Strategic Plan 2024-2029

A Bridge-Building Community (Executive Summary).

View our strategic plan >

a photo of person or place for the testimony

“VALUED IN LITHUANIA
AND ABROAD”

“LCC is not only an example of personal initiative to a lot of academic institutions and young people, it is a high quality university, connecting both Christian principles and openness in society. The best evidence of that are LCC alumni, who are welcomed and valued both in Lithuania and abroad, and faculty from North America, who find a mature and bright audience filled with youthful courage at LCC International University.”

Valdas Adamkus
President of Lithuania
From 1998 to 2003 and 2004 to 2009

“VALUED IN LITHUANIA
AND ABROAD”

“LCC is not only an example of personal initiative to a lot of academic institutions and young people, it is a high quality university, connecting both Christian principles and openness in society. The best evidence of that are LCC alumni, who are welcomed and valued both in Lithuania and abroad, and faculty from North America, who find a mature and bright audience filled with youthful courage at LCC International University.”

Valdas Adamkus
President of Lithuania
From 1998 to 2003 and 2004 to 2009

Accreditation

BA & MA PROGRAMS

LCC International University offers accredited Bachelor's and Master's programs in social sciences and humanities recognized by The Republic of Lithuania. See full list of all accredited institutions in Lithuania.

EXTERNAL EVALUATION

LCC received a positive external evaluation in 2016. The review process included an institutional self-report and a site visit by international experts which happened in November, 2015.

Internal Quality Assurance

We have developed and implemented a continuous quality improvement strategy and a internal quality management system that is coherent to Lithuanian and North American requirements, and the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area.

Documents:

News and Events

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Making a Positive Impact in Kurdistan

2025-03-10

Heval Hassan Haider is making a difference in Kurdistan. Located in northern Iraq, Kurdistan has a complicated history, including foreign invasions and occupations.The Yazidi population have been under threat for centuries in Iraq. Most recently, in 2024, ISIL lead a brutal genocide of the Yazidi’s, forcing thousands of Yazidis from their land to Sinjar Mountain, raping women, terrorizing hundreds, and killing nearly 5000 Yazidi citizens.Heval teaches English in a primary school and a secondary school in a small Yazidi village. Heval earned a BA degree in English language and literature in 2010. He speaks Persian, Arabic, Turkish, and of course, English. Heval is employed as an English teacher in a public school in a village, where he teaches classes for secondary school pupils. In addition, Heval volunteers to teach English in a refugee camp for internally displaced Yazidi families. In the camp, he teaches fourteen groups of students each week. He receives no salary for this work.He applied to LCC’s MA TESOL program when he learned about it from LCC staff who were visiting his village in hopes to recruit students who were interested in a master’s program. He met Aiste Motekaitiene, who at the time was LCC’s Marketing Director. Heval took the TOEFL test and had an interview with Aiste. As an English teacher, Heval jumped at the chance to study at LCC International University. Heval arrived in Lithuania in July 2019 for the Summer Residency Session; it was his first time to visit Europe. Heval received a grant from LCC’s Middle East Scholar’s program. After the in-person summer session, Heval returned to Iraq to continue studying. As you can imagine, life in northern Iraq, was not easy. At times, the electricity would be unstable, or his work was overwhelming. But he persisted. Heval graduated from LCC in 2022. His thesis was titled “Motivational factors of Yazidi youth to learn English.” Currently, Heval continues to attend professional development courses. Recently he attended a seminar for teachers where he shared his experience at LCC. Heval writes, “Last summer, I took part in a teacher training course that was organized by the local government in Iraq. During our sessions, we discussed many educational problems in state schools, especially English language teaching problems and learners' inability to speak the language. As I reflected on the problems from different perspectives, many of the attendees were impressed by the ideas I was sharing and wanted to know where I had obtained my master's degree. I provided them with full information about LCC International University.” Heval adds, “If it weren't for LCC, I wouldn’t have gained such wonderful hands-on practical teaching experience. Thank you very much to all the faculty. I am determined to complete my doctorate, and I am looking for an opportunity now!”Author: Robin Gingerich, Ph.D., MA TESOL Program Director at LCC International University.

Education as Empathy

2025-03-10

LCC International University is committed to offering a safe space for students to study, to earn their degrees, and to participate in community. As a Christian university, LCC’s mission and vision align with Jesus’ teachings about a just world for all people, including marginalized university aged students. In 2016, LCC’s board of directors launched the Middle East Scholars program offering students from the Middle East, particularly war-affected students, financial and person assistance to begin or continue their university education at LCC. Students from Syria, Afghanistan, or Iraq have often had interrupted university experiences due to upheavals, war, or economic hardships.“High-potential candidates whose opportunity for study has been disrupted by war and violence are identified as LCC works in partnership with UNHCR, NGOs, and various humanitarian organizations. LCC‘s Middle East Scholars program has been applauded by UNHCR” (LCC Website, March 2025).Recently, Dr. Marlene Wall, President of LCC, partnered with Olga Dietlin and Esther Pruitt, two professors at Wheaton College to author an academic article about how institutions, including LCC, welcome refugee students to campus and provide a quality, caring environment for them to thrive. Read the full article for a deeper perspective of the history and current accommodations for war-affected university students globally.Title: Education as empathy: Creating welcoming spaces for students from refugee backgrounds in higher education.Abstract: This article explores the response of higher education to the global refugee crisis, highlighting the notably low 6% enrollment rate for individuals with refugee backgrounds. We discuss the struggles of refugee students and trace the evolving support efforts by humanitarian and educational organizations. Recognizing the daunting task of identifying actionable steps in the face of extensive displacement, we introduce LCC International University in Europe as a model of effective engagement. We conclude that while policy frameworks are foundational, the real transformation within higher education stems from the actions of individuals, emphasizing the role of compassion in rehumanizing education.Full citation:Dietlin, O., Pruitt, E., & Wall, M. (2025). Education as empathy: Creating welcoming spaces for students from refugee backgrounds in higher education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2025; 0:1–8https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.20639

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“Welcome from the President”

"Welcome to LCC International University. An LCC education is valuable – it offers opportunities to put theory into practice; it brings people together from many parts of the world to live and study and interact; it helps us discover how to live a life of faith. In community! At LCC we grow together as a learning community, we interact as a relational community, we celebrate our international community, and live lives of integrity as a Christ-centered community. Join our flourishing community of students, faculty and staff, friends and donors!"

Marlene Wall, Ph.D.
President

“Welcome from the President”

"Welcome to LCC International University. An LCC education is valuable – it offers opportunities to put theory into practice; it brings people together from many parts of the world to live and study and interact; it helps us discover how to live a life of faith. In community! At LCC we grow together as a learning community, we interact as a relational community, we celebrate our international community, and live lives of integrity as a Christ-centered community. Join our flourishing community of students, faculty and staff, friends and donors!"

Marlene Wall, Ph.D.
President

President's Cabinet

Marlene Wall, Ph.D.

President

Christopher Howard, Ph.D.

Academic Vice President

Marie Williams

Chief Operations Officer

Derek Benthem

Vice President of Marketing & Enrollment

Joel Altena

University Chaplain

Shane Crombie, D.Min.

Academic Council Chair/ Associate Professor

Founding Board of Directors Members

Art DeFehr

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Otonas Balčiūnas

Carmel, Indiana, USA

Dennis Neumann

Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

Leona DeFehr

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Raimonda Balčiūnas

Carmel, Indiana, USA

Rene Neumann

Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

Board of Directors Members

Roger Friesen – Chair

Executive VP/Business Development

Palliser Furniture Holdings Ltd.

East St. Paul, Manitoba, Canada

Jurgita Choromanskytė

Political Consultant, Lecturer
Klaipėda, Lithuania

Shawn Neumann

CBTW Co-Founder & Partner, Versett Partner

Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

Ausra Jakuboviene

Vice President, Transformation Office at Under Armour Inc

Severna Park, Maryland, USA

Andris Lanka

Owner, Valodu Vēstniecība

Liepāja, Latvia

Johann Matthies

Director, Multiply-MB Mission/Europe and Central Asia

Horn-Bad Meinberg, Germany

Peter Tielmann

President, EQ3

East St. Paul, Manitoba, Canada

David Wallace

Chief Investment Officer, Pomona College

Claremont, California, USA

Cornelia Horsch – Vice Chair

HORSCH Maschinen GmbH

Schwandorf, Germany

D. Merrill Ewert

President Emeritus, Fresno Pacific University

Topeka, Kansas, USA

Andrew Kaethler

Academic Dean, Catholic Pacific College

Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Alexander Kharitonov

President, CCI/Russia
St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Allon Lefever

President, AB Hospitality Company

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

John Reynolds

President, LAPU

San Dimas, California, USA

Pär Lidaker

Owner, BJS Group AB

Bolmsö, Sweden

John McQuaig

McQuaig and Welk, PLLC CEO

Wenatchee, Washington, United States

Board Emeritus Members

Ed Buller

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Hansuli Gerber

Geneva, Switzerland
Bill Goff

Rome, Georgia, USA
Howard Loewen

Valencia, California, USA
Ron Mulder

Holland, Michigan, USA
Myrl Nofziger

Goshen, Indiana, USA
Ben Sprunger

Nokomis, Florida, USA

Stanley Clark

Emily, Minnesota, USA
Todd Gibson

Seattle, Washington, USA
Bruce and Marianne Konrad

Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
Russ and June Michealsen

Santa Barbara, California, USA
Gerald Neufeld

Delta, British Columbia, Canada
Ken Penner

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Dwight Wyse

Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA

Memberships & Associations

Collaborative Partner, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities

Affiliate Member, Consortium for Global Education

Member, International Network for Christian Higher Education

Member, European Association for International Education

Member, Lietuvos Anglų Kalbos Mokytojų Asociacija

Member, European Association of Institutional Research

Member, Baltic Management Development Association

Member, Baltic University Programme

Member, United Nations Academic Impact

Christian Mission

Core values

We believe that a liberal arts education integrates learning with all aspects of life.
We affirm a Christian worldview that invites all people to grow in truth and restoration through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We value community as a safe place where people are respected, affirmed, and empowered, so that their dignity is upheld.
We pursue relationships that are mutual, authentic, and based on trust.
We celebrate diversity of cultures and traditions, personalities and opinions.