Abstract

The goal of research was to review the peculiarities of the development of sport science at the Lithuanian Sports University. Research methods: analysis, systematization and description of documents. While establishing the Higher Course of Physical Culture, it was expected that it would develop the physical culture science. The Lithuanian National Institute of Physical Culture (LNIPC) was established in 1945, but more comprehensive research was only started in 1952 after getting in touch with other higher schools. The main trends of scientific research have become clearer since 1950s. At the beginning of 1950s, a graduate of LNIPC K. Labanauskas defended the first candidate dissertation on the topic of sport at Vilnius Institute of Hygiene and Sanitary. In 1972 the Complex Scientific Group (CSG) was established and functioned until the second half of 1980s. In 1948, LNIPC established the Scientific Association of Students which has been undertaking its activity until now. SAS organizes conferences, seminars, assists students in joining the scientific research activity. For the total period of functioning of the university, scientific work has been performed at the departments, laboratories, centres and the Institute of Sport Science Innovations established in 2013. In 2012, LUS approved five strategic trends of science. Both the scientists of LUS go to universities of other countries and scientists of other countries come to LUS to perform research and give lectures. The doctoral studies with the trend of educology and biology have been organised since 1993. On the 8th of June 2011, by Order Nr. V-1019 of the minister of education and science of the Republic of Lithuania, LUS was given the international doctoral right with the trend of social sciences educology (together with the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences, Kaunas University of Technology, Siauliai University) and trend of biology of the field of biomedical sciences (together with Tartu University, Estonia). 64 dissertations of the field of biomedical sciences and 45 dissertations of the field of social sciences have been defended since 1993. The scientists of LUS publish the results of their research in national and international publications. The quality of publications has especially improved in the last decade. Just in 2011-2013, the scientists and students of LUS published 601 scientific article, 94 of them in the magazines of ISI Web of Science and ISI Master Journal List. The scientists of LUS participated and participate in scientific projects financed by the Lithuanian Council of Science, European Fund of Diabetes Research etc. In 1934-1938, the sport science stepped the first steps of the superior level in Lithuania. The Higher Course of Physical Culture creates the foundations of the European culture and university. In 1945-1990, the Institute performed the scientific research oriented at the preparation of high-level sportspeople. The research of the applied type was performed, but it was published rarely; it was oriented at the traditions of the culture of preparation of professional coaches. In 1990, the years of 1934-138 were discovered for the second time. It was not easy because it is much more difficult to change the shaped culture than to create a new one Verf.-Referat