Vilnius University (VU) offers a Smart Internship programme that gives students the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into organisations, acquire valuable knowledge, and actively contribute to real business processes. This was clearly demonstrated by an international team of VU students whose proposed solutions to the ‘Rimi’ challenge are set to be implemented in practice.
Having received the challenge from ‘Rimi’, the student team explored ways to improve the mobile scanning feature in ‘Rimi’ stores and attract more users. Rapolas Kazakevičius, a student at the VU Faculty of Physics, explains that the international group began by analysing the challenge, collecting relevant information, and meeting with representatives of ‘Rimi’. The team then moved on to the idea-generation phase, aiming to come up with as many solutions as possible. They conducted surveys and, finally, presented their refined proposals.
One of the proposed solutions was to introduce dedicated checkout lanes for customers using the mobile scanning feature. The students also suggested launching a weekly ‘Scan&Shop’ campaign to encourage customers to use this function.
‘For instance, users of the ‘Rimi’ app would receive notifications informing them that every Tuesday throughout the following month, a croissant could be purchased for just one cent. This offer would apply to customers who use mobile scanning and spend €5 or more. Such an initiative would not only serve as a promotional campaign but would also effectively attract our defined target group – young people aged 18–24 with monthly incomes below €800, who value efficiency, convenience, and independence when shopping,’ said Rapolas Kazakevičius.
In addition to these solutions, the international student group also developed ideas to attract first-time users. They suggested a more engaging design for social media and the app, as well as posters and in-store displays clearly presenting the benefits of the ‘Rimi’ app. The students also proposed a three‑step integration within the app that would quickly, intuitively, and clearly introduce users to the mobile scanning feature.
According to Rapolas Kazakevičius, the Smart Internship provides an opportunity to work with reputable business organisations and significantly expand one’s knowledge.
‘Our team was not only international (which I value most) but also multidisciplinary, including students from management, communication, marketing, and mathematics. I myself study at the Faculty of Physics, so this internship is unusual and very different for me – it is not about laboratory work or applying formulas. This internship is based on cooperation, communication, mutual respect, and constructive feedback,’ noted the student.
Ivan Pashtukou, a student at the VU Faculty of Economics and Business Administration who also worked on the ‘Rimi’ challenge, says he views the internship as a chance to work with representatives of different companies. According to him, this provides a clearer picture of real labour market conditions. The student also highlights the benefits of teamwork – the diversity within the group allowed them to see the situation from multiple perspectives, analyse it, and do everything possible to solve the task.
‘I would recommend that everyone take part in this internship. After completing it, my skills in time management, intercultural communication, multitasking, and teamwork improved significantly. I believe this is particularly beneficial for first-year students, who may sometimes feel lost and unsure where to start – I was in that situation myself. This internship provides an excellent opportunity to get started and develop rapidly,’ he said.
Dalia Čenkienė, Head of Marketing and Public Relations at ‘Rimi’, notes that such internships give students valuable insight into how businesses actually work: ‘Retail is often perceived in a very simplified way – as a store, a cashier, a store manager, or a baker – but in reality, a retail company has countless different roles and teams that work together to ensure that the customer journey is smooth. Creating a positive customer experience involves a large IT team responsible for payments, various applications, and data security; supply chain colleagues are also crucial (as products come from all over the world), as are commercial teams, marketing, and more. Students may not always be aware of this full scope,’ explained the Head of Marketing and Public Relations at ‘Rimi’.
She also adds that the Smart Internship helps to broaden students’ perspectives: ‘People who are not part of the organisation often come up with fresh and very different ideas. ‘Rimi’ is particularly open to hosting students for internships because we want to show what business is really about, help reduce uncertainty about it, and open up learning opportunities. Perhaps this will encourage some students to reassess their choices – to gain new knowledge and experiences, and to see that many things are closely interconnected and that understanding them broadens one’s competencies.’
According to Dalia Čenkienė, several ideas proposed by the students have already been included in campaign plans and will be put into practice. One of these is the introduction of dedicated checkout lanes for customers using the mobile scanning feature.