http://www.lu.lv/ Latest news from www.lu.lv/eng en http://www.lu.lv/typo3conf/ext/tt_news/ext_icon.gif http://www.lu.lv/ 18 16 Latest news from www.lu.lv/eng TYPO3 - get.content.right http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:51:00 +0200 http://www.lu.lv/eng/news/t/10348/ In the beginning of 2012 “CentralBaltic Job Ferry” (CB Job Ferry) project team has initiated the... Romans Putans, Researcher at the Centre for European and Transition Studies, University of Latvia, romans.putans@lu.lv. The project CB Job Ferry is a part of Central Baltic INTERREG IV A Programme 2007 – 2013. It aims at improving the accessibility of clear, understandable and comparable information on four labour markets in the cross-border region of Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Sweden. The information – collected in a structured, transparent and searchable way and stored on a publicly available web platform – will be of a great value for job seekers, as well as enterprises, employers and investors already located or willing to settle in the cross-border regio.                  ]]> Centre for European and Transition Studies Project Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:51:00 +0200 http://www.lu.lv/eng/news/t/10318/ The end of 2011 was the deadline for the third BAFF (Baltic-American Freedom Foundation) scolarship... BAFF.

Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.]]> Faculty of Biology Faculty of Economics and Management Faculty of Physics and Mathematics Faculty of Social Sciences Institute of Astronomy Scholarship Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:50:00 +0200 http://www.lu.lv/eng/news/t/10264/ Santa Jastrebova, President of „ESN-Riga”, studies in the programme „European Studies” at FEM. She... Could you tell us about the activities of ESN-Riga?  “ESN-Riga” is part of an international organisation “Erasmus Student Network” (ESN), the largest international student organisation in higher education. It supports student mobility under the principle “Students Helping Students”. “ESN-Riga” is a volunteer non-political, non-profit and non-religious organisation that prepares various activities for the exchange students that arrive in Latvia. Those Latvian students who have returned from an exchange period abroad or simply wish to participate are brought into the international environment and organising of activities. “ESN-Riga” also develops international projects in cooperation with the international ESN. The foundation of “ESN-Riga” is the “buddy” system. Who is a “study buddy” and how can you become one? A buddy is a mentor, an adviser, the first Latvian friend to the incoming exchange student who has chosen Latvia as the destination of his/her exchange studies. A study buddy helps the exchange student to accommodate themselves in Latvia for the first weeks by providing practical advice. Please elaborate on the “ESN-Riga” activities. Can the UL students take part, too? “ESN-Riga” organises various activities, mainly the ones oriented towards the incoming exchange students. However, other activists are welcome as well. For the exchange students, it organises introductory and conclusion seminars of the semester as well as trips within Latvia and abroad, including Russia. One of the greatest Northern Europe exchange student festivals is the Sea Battle where exchange programme students from Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway and Denmark get together and take part in various activities on a cruise-ship. In the future, trips to other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States are being planned – Belarus, Ukraine and others. Various sport activities such as paintball tournaments, the Nordea marathon that we have taken part in for the fourth year and the UL sport games are organised, too. The target audience of these activities is the exchange students; nevertheless, there are may other activities that welcome anyone interested. These are themed evenings, parties, various festivals – Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, the Carnival, etc. In cooperation with the exchange students, cultural evenings are organised, too. Up to now, we have had Spanish, Italian, African and other cultural evenings when the exchange students present the traditions, places to see, as well as dances, dresses and food of their countries and cultures. How did you decide to take part in ESN and how long have you been working in it? ESN exists since the year 2008, and I must say that my participation in ESN was coincidental. ESN organised a trip to Tallinn, and I decided to join them. After that I became a member of ESN and I was designated the coordinator of the buddy system – my first assignment was connected with finding 20 buddies for the foreign students. My becoming President of “ESN-Riga” is based on objective reasons. The previous manager switched jobs; therefore, two more people were looked for. At the time I was on the Board of “ESN-Riga” and I was responsible for PR and communication. Two years ago after returning from an ERASMUS exchange programme I became President of ESN. In the beginning, my main motivation was to practice my English; however, as time passed by, I became more and more interested in the essence, goals and activity of the ESN organisation. That is why I still participate actively in it. Is there an ESN event that stands out in your memory? It was actually a funny occasion. On the back trip from Saint Petersburg, in the middle of the night as we were crossing the Latvian-Russian border, our bus broke down. First, the driver gave us an optimistic prognosis – we would have to wait for 2 hours. Of course, in reality we had to wait for a much longer time. The exhausted exchange students felt like sardines packed in the limited space on bus. I think that those students will never forget that trip either. What has been your experience like with ESN? This type of experience is invaluable – skills of practical management, organising and time planning; of course, a better understanding of how to protect the interests of students at the European Commission. I have also established new contacts and met fantastic people from all over the world. I can assure you that ESN is part of my life and working in it changed my life significantly. Undeniably, ESN is hard work that requires time and also sleepless nights, but it is definitely worth it! A student’s “Thank you!” for an unforgettable semester in Latvia owing to ESN when they say goodbye to me on their last semester day is the best reward I can imagine.

Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.]]> Erasmus Student Network Foreign Students Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:38:00 +0200 http://www.lu.lv/eng/news/t/10220/ The Annual Scientific Conference takes place at the UL from the end of January until March... The Economic Crisis of Europe/ Eurozone - Opportunity for National Development and Economic Growth.” Afterwards Vjaceslavs Dombrovskis, member of Latvian Parliament, will present his paper „ The Experience of Latvia in Overcoming the Financial Crisis: Lesson for Other Countries.” And Associate Professor Janis Keruss, the Faculty of History and Philosophy, will also give a presentation „ The Origin of Scientific Conferences: its Science and Ideology.” The Conference activities are organised in 8 sessions and 123 sectional meetings. Within the Conference more than 1990 presentations will be delivered in various branches: Biology, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Theatre Science, Mathematics, Astronomy, Pedagogy, Philology, etc. The Annual Conference is aimed at ensuring the exchange of research results and ideas among researchers, lecturers and students. This has been an integral component of scientific activities since the conference was first held in 1945. Anyone interested is welcome to participate in the Conference events. The Conference programme and additional information is available on the website: www.lu.lv/70konference. Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.]]> ACTUAL NEWS (rotating on index page) Conference Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:21:00 +0200 http://www.lu.lv/eng/news/t/10113/ At the end of the last year, Vol. 6 of the Baltic International Yearbook of Cognition, Logic and... http://thebalticyearbook.org/journals/baltic/issue/current Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.]]> Faculty of Social Sciences Center for the Cognitive Sciences and Semantics Publication Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:09:00 +0200 http://www.lu.lv/eng/news/t/9992/ On March 29- 30, 2012, a conference „Community- based oral history dialogue” will take place in... www.fsi.lv, the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, as well as on the website : www.dzivesstasts.lv, Latvian Oral History Association „ LifeStory”.

Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.]]> Conference Faculty of History and Philosophy Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:44:00 +0200 http://www.lu.lv/eng/news/t/9928/ Based on the submissions by the universities, scientific institutes and centres, the Latvian... "Pārskats par tautas attīstību 2010/2011: Nacionālā identitāte, mobilitāte un rīcībspēja"), edited by Doctors of Science Brigita Zepa and Evija Klave. Vija Strazdina, Dace Grauda and Izaks Rasals, researchers at the UL Biology Institute and the State Stende Cereals Breeding Institute, have introduced a new and high-yielding variety of spring wheat “Robby” (“Robijs”) especially adapted to the Baltic region. Margarita Badzdevica, Doctor of Historical Sciences at the UL Latvian History Institute, has studied the urban history of Riga in the 17^th century based on the cartographic materials of Latvian and foreign archives. Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.]]> ACTUAL NEWS (rotating on index page) Faculty of Medicine Faculty of Social Sciences Faculty of Biology Institute of Solid State Physics Project Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:32:00 +0200 http://www.lu.lv/eng/general/administrative/studycentres/language-center/ Foreign Students Language Center Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:07:00 +0200 http://www.lu.lv/eng/news/t/9858/ On December 6, Rector of the University of Latvia (UL) Marcis Auzins and UL Vice-rector for... Muiznieks, in his turn, marked the necessity for coordination among university representatives in forming infrastructure development plans. The purpose of the Report is to analyze the present relationship between the two countries as well as to propose recommendations for the future. In 2009, it was decided upon conducting annual conferences dedicated to the elaboration of these recommendations and ideas of cooperation in definite areas. Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.]]> Rector Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:47:00 +0200 http://www.lu.lv/eng/news/t/9857/ The UL team has become International Collegiate Programming Contest (ACM- ICPC) Final’s contestant... Unusual ( Eduards Kalinicenko, Jevgenijs Vihrovs and Normunds Vilcins) ranked in 22nd place, but the team Hyperdrive ( Agnis Arins, Arturs Backurs and Krisjanis Prusis)- 44th place. Latvian teams have also shown outstanding results among the Baltic States. Vilnius University got the 78th place, University of Tartu - 103th, Kaunas University of Technology - 104th. the UL won the 13th place, which made it possible to be selected for the finals. „ This success proves that we must not paint our situation in very gloomy colours. Despite the short financing in some educational areas, we have been able to produce ground-breaking results and become one of the top universities in the world,” said Juris Borzovs, Dean of the UL FC. Last year 24,915 students from 2,070 Universities, representing 88 countries, participated in the ACM- ICPC. The 2012 ACM- ICPC World Finals is to be held in Warsaw, May 14- 18, and 105 teams will participate. Guntis Arnicans, Associate Professor of the UL FC, and Rihards Opmanis, PhD student, prepared the UL teams for the contest while Sergejs Melniks, Progmeistars Ltd., and senior lecturer, assisted  in training Unusual.

Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.]]> Faculty of Computing Competition Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:40:00 +0200