The Leadership Training Section has been conducting a scientific research work, ‘Leadership and Its Impact on Commander-Leader Development’.

One of the priorities regarding the scope of activity of the Lithuanian Armed Forces is commander-leader development. Aiming to improve the basic military training and the academic (university) studies and to activate the scientific research work in the field, the Military Academy of Lithuania began to implement one of the most modern and long-term projects of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, the scientific research work ‘Leadership and Its Impact on Commander-Leader Development’, following the Order of 3 April 2006 by the LR Minister of Defence.

The topic of leadership has been scarcely analysed in Lithuania to the present day. In the Western countries this topic is particularly actual and found in scientific literature, where the concept of leadership is related to the science of management. The development of leadership ideas is related to Lithuanian integration into the Western society and NATO. To improve the military training the National Defence System of Lithuania has been repeatedly reorganised; the attitude to leadership training has also chaged over this time.

With changes in management, the concept of leadership has been changins as well. The concepts of leadership have been taken over by other subjects. While considering the majority of teaching and educational issues, one faces the challenge of how these concepts should be used in the context of the fields of management and education. The novelty of the present problem belongs with the fact that the above mentioned scientific research work by the Military Academy of Lithuania is the first attempt to carry out a systematic research into the aspects of leadership in the fields of management and education, connecting them into one system that is needed to organise an effective leader development process.

Based on the newest leadership theories and research conducted by the Western countries, this research by the MAL LTS researchers aims at estimating the general situation of the leadership training system; also, it sets out ot establish whether it meets the requirements set for the military training; then, it shall provide an analysis regarding basic officer training and academic (university) studies with respect to management and leadership, providing recommendations respectively; after that, it shall provide a systematic analysis of models of military leadership applied by NATO countries; in addition, it will provide a survey on leadership skills of officers, sergeants, cadets, and applicants eager to study at the MAL, based on proposals regarding improvement of the study process at the Military Academy of Lithuania, perfecting the quality of the cadet military training, improvement of the officer and sergeant qualification upgrading; then, it shall establish the criteria regarding modern military leadership that are the best suitable to improve the leadership training system.

To implement this project, a group of talented officers and researchers from various institutions of higher education of Lithuania has been chosen, close direct contacts have been set with the acclaimed specialists and experts of Western institutions of higher education.