Strategic Communication Research Centre

Participation in international scientific conferences

1. In June, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mariana Sueldo participated in the AIRP 2025 congress, an annual international scientific conference held at the University of La Laguna in Tenerife. Assoc. Prof. M. Dr. Sueldo presented a paper titled "Leadership Communication in Lithuania: Strengthening the Image of an Organization through the Involvement of the CEO and Public Perception," prepared in collaboration with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Miglė Eleonora Černikovaitė and Asst. Prof. Dr. Lina Jakučionienė. At the same event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. M. Sueldo (as third author) also presented a study prepared together with Prof. J. Cuenca-Fontbona and Prof. Marc Compte (first and second authors): "Internal communication strategies for emotional well-being in the public sector: between information, persuasion, and dialogue."
2. In September, Asst. Prof. Dr. Lina Jakučionienė participated in the international congress EUPRERA 2025. At this scientific event, she presented a paper on behalf of three members of this research center entitled "The ripple effect of strategic communication: an analysis of social change through the prism of the Lithuanian Lions Association."
3. Kriaučiūnaitė-Lazauskienė, G. “Evaluating Controversial Advertising through the Lens of Social Listening: What Are Lithuanian Consumers Saying?” International Scientific Conference “Information and Communication in the Organization: New Forms of Expression”, Faculty of Communication, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania, 9–10 October 2025
4. Kriaučiūnaitė-Lazauskienė, G. “Open Science in Marketing Research: Bridging the Eight Pillars and the Scientific Method.” Open Science Today and Tomorrow Conference, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania, 22 October 2025.
5. Kriaučiūnaitė-Lazauskienė, G. “Symbolic Advertising, Moral Boundaries, and Religious Consumer Choices: Implications for Sustainable and Resilient Markets.” 8th International Conference on Entrepreneurship for Sustainability & Impact (ESI), Qatar University, Doha, Qatar, 8–11 November 2025.
6. Kriaučiūnaitė-Lazauskienė, G., & Sueldo, M. “Portrayal of Women in Advertising: A Feminist Grounded Theory Study of Religious Consumers in Lithuania.” XVII Congreso Internacional Latina de Comunicación Social (LATINA), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (online), 10–12 December 2025.
7. Sueldo, M., & Kriaučiūnaitė-Lazauskienė, G. “La voz del liderazgo: prácticas y estilos comunicativos de los CEOs lituanos en la gestión de la imagen pública.” XVII Congreso Internacional Latina de Comunicación Social (LATINA), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (online), 10–12 December 2025.
8. Sueldo, M. “[AIRP paper title].” AIRP 2026 Congress (Asociación de Investigadores en Relaciones Públicas), Barcelona, Spain, [dates] June 2026.
9. Kriaučiūnaitė-Lazauskienė, G. “Between Creativity and Offence: Marketing Experts’ Perspectives on Controversial Advertising Ethics.” International Annual Conference of the Department of Cinema, Advertising and Show Business, New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria, 12 June 2026.
10. 10. Kriaučiūnaitė-Lazauskienė, G. “Between Outsider and Insider: Intercultural Communication, Belonging, and Inclusive Teaching Innovation in Internationalised Higher Education.” Nordic Network for Intercultural Communication (NIC) Conference, Vilnius, Lithuania, 17–19 August 2026.
11. Sueldo, M. (with J. Cuenca-Fontbona and M. Compte-Pujol). “Internal Communication and Emotional Well-being in Public Sector Organizations: A Comparison of the Municipal Administrations of Barcelona and Vilnius.” EUPRERA Annual Congress 2026, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain, 16–18 September 2026.
12. Kriaučiūnaitė-Lazauskienė, G. “Moral Boundaries in Symbolic Advertising: Insights from Religious Consumers for Resilient Markets.” 19th Annual Conference of the EuroMed Academy, Paphos, Cyprus, 23–25 September 2026.

Other scientific activities

1. Sueldo, M. Session chair, SES 5.2 “Leadership, Trust and Safety in Organisational Communication,” EUPRERA 2026, Málaga, 18 September 2026.
2. Sueldo, M. Respondent, Panel III “IC and Workplace Well-Being,” EUPRERA 2026, Málaga, 16 September 2026.

Publications

1. Cuenca-Fontbona, J., Compte-Pujol, M., & Sueldo, M. (2026). Internal communication and emotional well-being at the Barcelona City Council.  Cuadernos.info, 63, 185–209. https://doi.org/10.7764/cdi.63.98266
2. Sueldo, Mariana; Kriaučiūnaitė-Lazauskienė, Gintarė. The voices of leadership: communication practices and styles of Lithuanian CEOS in managing public image = La voz del liderazgo: Prácticas y estilos de comunicación de los directores ejecutivos (CEOs) lituanos en la gestión de la imagen pública // Social review. International Social Sciences Review = Revista Internacional De Ciencias Sociales. Madrid : Education Lab Consulting. ISSN 2695-9755. 2026, vol. 14, no. 1, p. 199–210. DOI: 10.62701/revsocial.v14.5566.
3. Kriaučiūnaitė-Lazauskienė, G., & Sueldo, M. (2026). Portrayal of Women in Advertising: A Feminist Grounded Theory Study of Religious Consumers in Lithuania. In "Cultura, lenguaje y narrativas en la era de las plataformas: medios, patrimonio y experiencias digitales". Tirant lo Blanch (accepted for publication in 2026, 3rd quarter).

Ongoing projects

In May, our faculty hosted Prof. Joan Cuenca-Fontbona from the Faculty of Communication and International Relations at Ramon Llull University (Barcelona, Spain). During the visit, we met with the Dean of the Faculty of Communication, Prof. Renata Matkevičienė, and signed a memorandum of understanding in which both institutions commit to cooperating on joint research initiatives and exchanging best academic and scientific practices.

Prof. Joan Cuenca-Fontbona and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mariana Sueldo met with the head of the Vilnius City Municipality's Organizational Development Group, to whom they presented a very successful internal communication and employee well-being research project led by Prof. Cuenca-Fontbona at the Barcelona City Council. They discussed several possible opportunities for future cooperation.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. M. Sueldo has already begun this joint research phase in Lithuania under a cooperation agreement signed in July between our faculty and Vilnius City Municipality.

The results of this research will be presented at scientific events in Lithuania and abroad in 2026, as well as to communication specialists and organization leaders in Lithuania and Spain.