Experiences of Meeting the Cultural Education Needs of University Students

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to analyse the experiences of meeting cultural education needs of students who had studied at universities of Lithuania and the United Kingdom. In the course of the study, the qualitative research has been conducted. The results of the research on students’ experiences in meeting their cultural education needs at Lithuanian universities have revealed that the students who had studied in Lithuania describe their cultural life as insufficient, poor; the reasons for the choice of cultural life are: the desire to do what they like, lack of time due to busyness, low finances. The study participants describe the supply of cultural education at Lithuanian universities as insufficient. They believe that Lithuanian universities need a greater variety of cultural education activities, more attention to artistic and other cultural activities as well as better communication and dissemination of information about the availability of cultural education activities. The results of the research on students’ experiences in meeting their needs of cultural education at universities of the United Kingdom have revealed that these participants describe their cultural life as active, driven by their living environment and desire to improve. Research participants, who had chosen cultural education activities, indicated this as an opportunity for self-expression, improvement of competences, acquisition of skills necessary for professional development, finding friends and like-minded people, an opportunity to look for a job, etc.