The Vilnius Academy of Arts (Vilniaus dailės akademija VDA) was established in 1793 and is the oldest and largest university for the arts in the Baltic region. The academy is a member of international networks and associations of European higher education institutions of art and design. It offers specialised courses including painting, culture management, glass art, solid craft skills and artistic tendencies. Its students, which number more than 1,800, are spread across four different Lithuanian cities: Vilnius, Kaunas, Tel'iai and Klaip'da. Since 1990, nearly 100 of the academy's alumni have been awarded National Art Awards. Its mission is to champion the future of design, and architecture in Lithuania, and to educate those that create and research, by fostering creativity, responsibility and entrepreneurship.