www.lu.lv/eng: latest news

The University of Latvia and GlaxoSmithKline will cooperate in educating specialists

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:13:00 +0200

The cooperation between the parties is intended to develop and maintain the current study programmes of the UL in medicine, chemistry, biology, economics and management according to the prospective trends of research in the field of pharmaceutics. Students will be offered internship and, later, employment opportunities at GSK. It is planned that pharmacists and other specialists from GSK will take part in the study process by giving lectures and providing information on innovations and latest trends in pharmaceutics.

GSK and the UL both hope that their cooperation will promote the education of highly qualified specialists meeting the requirements of the labour market, help the academic staff to improve their professional skills and advance the transfer of the knowledge acquired during studies into real business practice.

“GlaxoSmithKline is one of the leading and most innovative pharmaceutical companies in the world, whose achievements are based on science, and whose success greatly lies in the work of high-class professionals. It will be a great pleasure for the UL as the leading university in Latvia, in which education, research and practice go hand in hand, to cooperate with one of the best companies in its field. We all shall benefit from this cooperation: the students and academic staff of the UL, the company and our nation. It will help the UL to prepare highly qualified specialists, who will not only be able to contribute to the field of pharmaceutics, but also to the economic development of our country,” considers the UL rector, Professor Mārcis Auziņš.

The UL has cooperation agreements with such companies as JSC ‘Latvijas valsts meži’, JSC ‘Grindex’, JSC ‘Latvenergo’ and others.

Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.

The Annual Awards of the University of Latvia have been presented

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:35:00 +0200

In his address, profesor took a look on the achievements of the past year, highlighted the importance-of and need for changes in the higher education, science, and legislation fields, and reminded the audience about current and upcoming events in the university. The following researchers recieved the UL Award for Achievements in Science:

Faculty of Biology Professor Imants Juris Aivars, for the establishment of research school on human and animal physiology,

Faculty of Economics and Management Professor Pēteris Zvidriņš, for the establishment of a research school on demography,

Andrejs Ērglis, director of the UL Research Insitute of Cardiology and professor at the Faculty of Medicine, for outstanding results of an original research in cardiac surgery,

Faculty of Social Sciences Associate Professor Ivars Ījabs, for remarkable results o fan original research in political science,

Aivars Vembris, for an outstanding docttoral thesis in solid state physics ‘The optical and electro-optical properties of the dyes containing Pyranylidene fragments’,

Sandis Laime for notable results o fan original research in the humanities ‘Witch traditions in northeastern-Latvia’,

Faculty of Computing Professor Andris Ambainis, for the establishment of a new research group in quantum computing,

Aleksandrs Rapoports, a leading researcher of the UL Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology was awarded with the rector’s Certificate of Appreciation for organizing the first Baltic Congress of Microbiologists and an active part in involving Latvian microbiologists in the international cooperation. The UL science communication award ‘Researcher of the Month’ was recieved by Guntis Brūmelis, a professor a tthe4 Faculty of Biology, for his ability to explain complicated matters in a simple and exciting way. Te award winner was determined by the portal readers’ and jury’s vote. The UL awards for teachers and school headmasters are conferred in order to recognize and support those, who have made a significant contribution to preparing prospective students for studies at the University of Latvia. The award ‘Teacher of the Year’ went to Smiltenes Gymnasium chemistry teacher Jānis Celmiņš and Riga State Gymnasium No.2 history teacher Jānis Arājs. The award ‘School Headmaster of the Year’ was granted to Daugavpils Russian Secondary School Lyceum headmaster Jevgeņijs Timošenko. According to the portal survey results, Skaidrīte Bultere, a studies assistant at the Faculty of Economics and Management, and Inese Leduskrasta, a deputy director at the UL Student Services Department, were selected as the best UL administrative staff members of the year 2012. Finally, the rector thanked the UL director, Atis Peičs, for a Professional management of the renovations works at the UL Library, the Kerkovius’ House, adn former dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management, Māris Purgailis, for an outstanding management of his faculty, and also presented Māris Purgailis with a UL Jubilee silver coin. The UL Annual Award is supported by Nordea Bank Finland Plc, Latvia Branch.

Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.

Students will dispute before the International Court of Justice

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 11:02:00 +0200

Latvia will be represented by University of Latvia’s students from the Professional Master’s degree program: Agita Sprūde, Zane Akermane, Dainis Pudelis and Ivars Stankevičs. All of them have allrady proved their capability and skills in other moot courts on a national and international level. Luxemburg will be represented by University of Luxemburg, Finland - by University of Helsinki, the team of Sweden comes from the Orebro University, but the competition’s Belorussian participants will arrive from their exile university in Lithuania - European Humanities University. The Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition is world’s largest moot court with participants from over 550 law schools in more than 80 countries. Students must first compete in qualifying competitions to earn the right to advance to the international rounds held every spring in Washington, D.C. Single-team countries do not have qualifying competitions so the Jessup Baltic Cup’s friendly rounds are a great oppurtunity to get prepared for the international rounds. For the third time the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition Baltic Cup will be hosted by the University of Latvia – Student Council of the Faculty of Law. In the course of time the number of participants and their distance from the Baltic Sea has grown but the moot still holds on to its initial name as the location where the rounds are held. Everyone is welcome to see students dispute as representatives of fictional countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations. Program 2013

UL Institute of Solid State Physics Director receives a Medal of the Baltic Academies of Sciences

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 10:41:00 +0200

During the conference, medals were presented to three members of the Baltic Academies of Sciences. The author of the medal is sculptor Jānis Strupulis, an honorary member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences (LAS). Professor Tarmo Soomere (Estonia) was presented with the award on account of excellent results in his studies of the ecological problems affecting the Baltic Sea and his contribution to the research cooperation between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Professor Jevgenij Butkus (Lithuania) was awarded for outstanding achievements in organising the Baltic Conferences on Organic Synthesis, which have been held alternatively between the Baltic capitals since the year 2000. Finally, a medal was conferred upon Andris Šternbergs, a representative from Latvia. He is the head of the Institute of Solid State Physics (ISSP) of the University of Latvia (UL) and the award was bestowed upon him in recognition of his long-term and internationally accredited work in the field of Materials Science. At the conference, Mr. Šternbergs gave a report on the Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian research work in the field of Materials Science. The conferences on the intellectual cooperation between scientists from the Baltics have long-standing traditions, which were established at the first conference in Kaunas in 1936. During mid- and late 1930s, six meetings have taken place, after which a more than 50-year-long pause followed. It was resumed to hold the conferences on the initiative of Academician Jānis Stradiņš in Riga in the year 1999. The following conventions took place in Tallinn, Vilnius, Helsinki and Riga. The Estonian Academy of Science was established on January 28, 1938 and was congratulated during this conference on its 75^th anniversary. Upon congratulating his colleagues on behalf of the LAS and Latvian scientists, Ojārs Spārītis, the head of the LAS delegation, remarked upon the long-standing ties between our lands and nations, since a large number of Latvian intellectuals in the 19^th and early 20^th century received their education at the Tartu University. The President of the LAS invited all Baltic Intellectual Cooperation partners to take part in the 14^th conference in Riga, which will take place in 2005, when Latvia assumes presidency of the EU. Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.

The building of UL Library is reborn in a new form

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:23:00 +0200

Thanks to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the UL has implemented two projects that are aimed to improve the research equipment and to create the proper infrastructure for humanities and social sciences needs, thus providing modern facilities for research.

"With the renovation of the Kerkovius's House not only the UL Library has gotten its second breath, but also a national architectural monument, the witness of the spiritual and secular life of certain era, has experienced its second birth, and hereafter it will be the home for the UL institutes of Humanities. The UL Library has been carefully keeping our heritage for seventy years, and it is the duty of the university and the City of Riga to take care of it in future as well, and to make sure it is duly honoured and passed forward to next generations of students, teachers and researchers," said Professor Mārcis Auziņš, Rector of the University of Latvia.

Ludwig Wilhelm Kerkovius was an influential and respected citizen of Riga – the city councillor, mayor assistant, later also the mayor (1890–1901), holder of Riga honorary citizen title, chairman of the Riga Picture Gallery and initiator of the Riga Museum of Arts construction. The time of L. W. Kerkovius was characterized by a rapid industrial boom, population growth and resulting construction boom. With his support, a well-considerate construction of Boulevard Circle and parks took place, as well as many other improvements of Riga city landscape introduced.

The house of L. W. Kerkovius for his family of nine children was engineered by Vidzeme province architect Jānis Fridrihs Baumanis. The project of the building is dated 1874, but the construction was finished in 1878. The three-story building is designed in expressive neo-Gothic forms, following the asymmetric design style of neo-Gothic palaces.

After L. W. Kerkovius, the UL came into possession of the building in the 1940s; it retained its former owner's spiritual endeavours and turned into a home for the UL Library which in 70 years has become a recognized and popular place not only for students and professors, but also for researchers from other countries, Latvian business representatives and residents of Riga.

Now the national architectural monument is renovated, and in the place of old courtyard buildings a new building which will be the home place for several scientific institutes of the UL is constructed. After the restoration, one can view in this historic building the ornate panel doors with carved applications, wood panels with Art Deco-style decorative borders, fragments of historical parquet, colourful tiles in the lobby, a prominent sample of interior culture of the late 19th century – polychrome interior coloration in master's fireplace room, coloration of the stairwell and lobby, unique spiral staircase and other interior elements.

The reconstruction of the UL Library building in Riga, 4 Kalpaka Blvd., was carried out from 13 April, 2012 to 15 January, 2013 in accordance with the technical project developed by „Arhitekta L.Šmita darbnīca”, Ltd. Construction supervision of reconstruction and restoration works was performed by „Celtniecības kvalitātes aģentūra”, Ltd, author supervision – by „Arhitekta L.Šmita darbnīca”, Ltd.

The total cost of renovation works was 2,603,657 LVL, including 1,123,336 LVL –from ERDF project "Development of science infrastructure for national research centre of the Latvian language, cultural heritage and creative technologies" (ERDF co-financing: 1,005,386 LVL, UL funding: 117,950 LVL, "National research centre of socio-economic and public management research Infrastructure Development" project funding – 1,059,901 LVL (ERDF co-financing 948,612 LVL and UL funding: 111,289 LVL), and 420,419 LVL from UL own funding.

Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.

International Summer School "Contemporary Baltic capitals: New Business Opportunities"

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:01:00 +0200

Three leading Baltic Universities - University of Latvia, University of Tartu and Vilnius University - offer a business oriented program with strong practical emphasis on company visits in Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. The aim of the program is to familiarize the students with current challenges and opportunities facing the Baltic/Eastern European economies through company visits and discussion meetings with upper-level managers of local and international businesses. Cultural events of the program will include city tours, visits to renowned museums and landmarks as well as attendance of cultural events. (The detailed description of the program will be available in February 2013.) The program will be held from 1st July until 20th July 2013. The participants will spend the first week in Estonia (Tallinn), the second week in Latvia (Riga) and the third week in Lithuania (Vilnius). Six company visits will be organized in each country, whereas the companies are chosen from the following sectors: financial, IT, marketing and tourism, marine trade and transportation, construction. Week I: Estonia
Location: Tallinn, 01-07 July 2013

University of Tartu (est.1632) - The University of Tartu was founded in 1632 by the King of Sweden and was intended to pursue research and advance learning in a variety of disciplines. It has continued to adhere to this approach throughout the centuries, and remains today the only classical university of Estonia and a leading center of research. As a national university it has a task to keep Estonia's national culture. The University of Tartu includes 9 faculties, 17 000 students and the academic staff of 1700. The main historical campus of the University is located in the city of Tartu in Southern Estonia. The University also has the major role in the regional co-operation in the country and has developed several new campuses in Estonia, including one in the city center of vibrant Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.

Week II: Latvia
Location: Riga, 07-14 July 2013

University of Latvia (est.1919) - The University of Latvia, located in the Latvian capital Riga, has preserved its main goal - to be the center of the Latvian intellectual life by formulating new tasks and goals. Over the ninety years of its existence, the University of Latvia has evolved into a leading educational institution with the student body of 22 000 and academic staff of 1400. The development of the University of Latvia is based on rich and extensive historical heritage as well as experience and is an ongoing process through the international collaboration and modernization. Today's campus is located in the very heart of the Riga city center.

Week III: Lithuania
Location: Vilnius, 14-20 July 2013 Vilnius University (est.1579) - Vilnius University has been an important part of Vilnius for 432 years, which makes it one of the oldest and most famous higher educational institutions in the region. Its influence reaches into every aspect of the city's life. With its 14 faculties, 22 000 students and academic staff of 1830 it is the largest university in Lithuania and a keeper of cultural and scientific traditions. The University campus is located in the very heart of the Old Town and consists of 12 buildings that are arranged around 13 courtyards. Today's Vilnius is an important industrial and cultural center of Lithuania. The application deadline is 21 May 2013. http://www.isu.ut.ee/443620

This program awards 6 ECTS credits.
The fee for the whole program is 1790 EUR. This includes tuition, accommodation with breakfast, transfer between three countries, transportation during the program, cost of the cultural and social program and services of the host universities.

PLEASE NOTE: students will receive three transcripts of records, one issued by the University of Latvia, one by the University of Tartu and one by Vilnius University.

Invitation for international students to participate in a workshop

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:29:00 +0200

The Baltic Research Centre for East Asian Studies (AsiaRes) at the University of Latvia conducts a study on exchange students from East Asia (and other regions outside of the EU) at universities in Latvia. As a research centre at the University of Latvia, AsiaRes focuses on the level of student exchange-programmes and academic internationalisation comprising both international students and international academic staff at universities in Latvia. On behalf of this study AsiaRes invites you to participate in a workshop for students and expatriates working as professionals in Latvia. The workshop takes place from 16:00 to 19:00 on Monday,4 February 2013 in the main building of the University of Latvia (Raiņa bulvāris 19, Small Hall). The organisers will provide a buffet dinner. Your participation in this workshop is of high importance for the final outcome of the project. The information you will provide for our analysis would be applied at the international project conference at the University of Latvia in May this year. Please register for the workshop on our webpage: www.asiares.lv/expatworkshop by 17:00 on Thursday 31 January. We hope to meet you soon to spend the early evening hours in an friendly atmosphere of cooperation and informative exchange. For the AsiaRes team, Dr. Frank Kraushaar
Head of Asian studies division at the University of Latvia
Baltic Research Centre for East Asian Studies (AsiaRes)
Tallinn University/Estonian Institute of Humanities
Associate professor for Chinese Literature
fkraushaar@hotmail.com
www.asiares.lv

Professor A. Ambainis is awarded a prestigious ‘Advanced Grant’

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:56:00 +0200

This year there were 2,300 leading researchers taking part in the competition. The team of scientists lead by A. Ambainis represents the field of Hard Sciences and Engineering – there were 978 applications submitted, but financing was granted to 136 of them. With up to €2.5 million per project, the funding allows these scientists to pursue their most ground-breaking ideas.

The team of Latvian scientists will bring together computer science, physics and mathematics to assess the advantages and limits of quantum devices.

Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Mįire Geoghegan-Quinn said: "The ERC continues to identify the very best researchers. ERC funding is leading to an increasing number of scientific breakthroughs and discoveries, as well as more publications in recognised scientific journals. Promoting frontier research at the highest level is vital for Europe's competitiveness, and this is why we have proposed to increase the ERC budget as part of our Horizon 2020 programme."

In this Advanced Grant competition, some 2,300 applications were submitted to the ERC, which is a slight rise from that of the last year (4.5%). The call budget of €680 million also saw a minor increase. The number of researchers selected for funding rose slightly, from 294 to 302, while the success rate continues to be stable at 13%. The ERC grants are awarded to top researchers of any nationality/age, scientifically independent and with a recent research track-record and profile which identifies them as leaders in their respective field(s).

Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.

A Conference on cross-border labour mobility in the Central Baltic region will take a place in Riga, Latvia on 19 March 2013

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:36:00 +0200

The Central Baltic region is home to some 10 million people. Cross-border labour market mobility within the region has allowed more efficient matching of employees’ skills with employment opportunities. However, it has also aggravated the internal labour market situation in Estonia and Latvia, but at the same time labour market mobility has also offered possibilities for individual employees and facilitated general up-skilling of their qualifications. In the upcoming years a labour shortage is expected in quite some sectors across the region. CB Job Ferry project aimed to increase cross-border mobility in all the countries of the region by mapping potentially demanded professions and providing detailed information for job seekers. The public Centralbaltic Job Ferry Final Conference on the cross-border labour market mobility in the Central Baltic region will take a place at the University of Latvia Main Building (Raina Street 19, Small Hall), Riga, Latvia on 19 March 2013 from 9:30 to 17:00. The Conference will focus on the recent trends of the labour market and labour mobility in the Central Baltic region and beyond, as well as opportunities offered by a new internet platform www.cbjobferry.eu. The conference will present the main research outcomes of the project concerning labour mobility in the Central Baltic region. Further the Centralbaltic Job Ferry web platform (http://www.cbjobferry.eu) will be presented. The platform offers comparative information on the most demanded professions in the Central Baltic region as well as information on e.g. recognition of professional qualifications, working conditions, professional requirements, and potential employers. Among conference participants and invited speakers there will be guests from labour market institutions, especially those dealing with labour mobility issues as well as from universities, other education institutes, employers’ organisations and labour unions and employers. Also for example public and private placement officers andHR managers from the region are welcome. Also representatives from the cross-border regions of the EU, as well as representatives from other organizations and projects dealing with cross-border labour mobility are most welcome to participate. The conference will discuss the following questions:

What are main characteristics of the cross-border labour market mobility in the Central Baltic region and how can they influence the labour market situation in Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Sweden?

Building on the experience of other cross-border regions, organizations and projects in Europe, what are possibilities for collaboration between different projects?

What are the existing experiences in recruiting cross-border job seekers, opportunities and drawbacks of cross-border labour mobility?

How can the web platform (www.cbjobferry.eu) support employers to find employees and employees to find employers as well as relevant education? What are stakeholder’s interests and how can they benefit from the Central Baltic Job Ferry platform?

All interested parties are welcome to participate in the event. Participation is free of charge. The registration deadline is March 5th, 2013. If you want to register for the conference or to get more information regarding participation, please, contact Ms. Viktorija Stadnika (viktorija.stadnika@lu.lv; tel. +371 26878539) or Ms. Denize Ponomarjova (denize.ponomarjova@lu.lv; tel. +371 28241115). The Centralbaltic Job Ferry is part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the EU Central Baltic Interreg IVA Programme 2007-2013.

Radio NABA 10 exhibition is on display

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:56:00 +0200

The UL Radio NABA had its 10^th anniversary on the 1^st of December, 2012. When in 2002 this radio station was founded, its team came forth with the following resolute promise: “There is much more great music in the world than regular stations claim and we will prove it!” and they did. To celebrate NABA’s 10^th birthday, a rich and varied programme has been organised. Radio NABA 10 concludes the celebration events; the exhibition displays information in Latvian and English about the only non-commercial radio station’s beginnings, development and major events in the past 10 years. Radio NABA was founded with the support of the UL and Latvian Radio as the 5^th broadcasting station of Latvian Radio. It can be heard within the range of 93.1 FM frequencies in the city of Riga and its vicinity. The fairly short but bright history of Radio NABA is a testimony of incredible enthusiasm and constant wish to learn about the world. Despite some difficulties, it was able to unite people who were willing to share their music preferences and was constantly developing. During all these years Radio NABA has been producing music and culture programmes, arranged concerts of local and foreign performers, informative events, festivals, competitions, as well as published music records, focusing on non-commercial and non-traditional music and culture events. The exhibition has been organized in cooperation with “MagnumNT”. It can be seen at the central lobby of the University of Latvia (Raiņa Boulevard 19). To see the exhibition online, please visit the following web page of Radio NABA: http://www.naba.lv/par/galerija/naba10/.

Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.