The first pedagogical institution in Lithuania was established in Klaipėda in 1935 by the Lithuanian government and was called the National Pedagogical Institute. After the Nazi Germany ultimatum to Lithuania in March 1939, the Nazis took control of the Klaipėda Region. The institute was moved to Panevėžys. After Lithuania regained portions of the Vilnius Region, the institution was moved to Vilnius in the autumn of 1939. It was renamed to Vilnius Pedagogical Institute (Vilniaus pedagoginis institutas).
