CONFERENCE
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Faculty of Medicine to Celebrate Its 15th Anniversary
The restored Faculty of Medicine (FM) will celebrate its 15th anniversary the same year when our Alma Mater celebrates its 95th anniversary. FM has been a part of Alma Mater since the establishment of the University of Latvia (UL) in 1919. In 1950, FM was closed down under Stalin’s order, and Medicine Institute of Riga was established instead. FM was restored only 50 years after, in 1998, and thus a new stage in the development of medicine in Latvia began. In 15 years, three thousand of new specialists have graduated from FM, among them doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and radiographers. There are ten chairs, two centres and three laboratories in FM. FM will celebrate its anniversary in new premises, as from autumn of 2013 it is located in the UL’s main building on 19 Raiņa–the heart of the UL.
InCell: Turning Science into Business
InCell was established in February by Anna Ramata-Stunda, Jānis Ancāns, and Mārtiņš Borodušķis, three determined scientists of Microbiology and Biotechnology Chair of the UL. In less than six months the new start-up has received an internationally acknowledged certificate and a financial support provided by a grant programme Atspēriens. InCell actively examines export markets, focusing on Germany and Central Europe. Students have been involved in the work of InCell since its establishment, and one or two students per year will work for the company and develop their course papers or bachelor theses.
University on Its 100th Anniversary: What It Will Be Like?
Latvia has gone through good and bad times since 1991. Some time ago Latvia had the world’s second highest ratio of students to the whole population. Now the number of students is about to fall twice. In his article Juris Borozovs, the Dean of the Faculty of Computing, offers solutions for the challenges the decreasing number of students create both to the country and the University.
Milda Purīte, Peer of the University of Latvia
Thee UL turns 95 on September of 2014, but UL’s peer Milda Purīte has already celebrated her 95th anniversary on 11 May. Milda Purīte worked at the Faculty of Chemistry (FC). Dace Silarāja, the Executive Director of the FC, shares her memories of Milda Puriņa. The former colleagues visit Milda Puriņa every spring since her deserved retirement.
Students Should Make the Best Use of Their Studies
Famous UL graduates once were inquisitive students, and they still remember their study years very well. The graduates share their good memories of their intelligent, well-humoured and charismatic professors, their study mates and interesting and funny events, and reflect on the changes in the study process during the years. The article tells the experience of a sports journalist Gunārs Jēkabsons who during his full-times studies managed to work full-time as a broadcaster at Latvijas Radio, a mountain ski-runner Liene Fimbauere, a host of TV shows and a radio DJ Gustavs Terzens, a writer Pauls Bankovskis, and a journalist Ilze Nagla.
University of Latvia–Heir to Kobronskanstes Fortress
The biggest present for the UL on its 95th anniversary is the beginning of the building of the UL Academic Centre. On 28 May the highest officials of the government joined the ceremony in Torņakalns where the foundation stone the Centre of Natural Sciences of UL was laid. The Centre of Natural Sciences is the first of four centres of sciences to be built. The first stage of the construction will conclude in 2015. The Centre will accommodate around 3,000 students, scientists, and members of teaching staff. Before the construction started, an archaeological research was carried out in the construction site. It revealed the parts of Kobronskanstes Fortress, coins and other items which date back to the second half of the 13th century.
Between Medicine and Philosophy
Giulio Lo Bello is an Italian translator and lecturer who is interested in psychiatry, philosophy, and culture of Latvia and Italy. He is a doctoral student at the UL Faculty of History and Philosophy. Giulio tells about his doctoral thesis that examines the development of ethical values in people with mental problems, as well as the great changes in the Italian system of psychiatric care which took place at the end of the 20th century. Also, he shares his experience in working with students in Italy and Latvia.
Indriķis Muižnieks, Mentor of Young Scientists
The UL Science Pro-Rector Indriķis Muižnieks has been a supporter of science and a mentor and inspirer of young scientists for fourteen years. Before UL turns 100, he wants to achieve the unity of education and science, sufficient finances and never-ending initiative of scientists. Indriķis Muižnieks believes that the UL is the key to the development of the state and that the true treasure of the UL is the people.
Traditions of Mentoring in UL during Interwar Period
Dozens of Latvian and foreign businessmen, as well as individuals and funds have supported the UL in the interwar years. The first substantial donation was made in 1925 by Kristaps Morbergs. In his will, he left all his houses to the UL. The second largest mentor of this period was Minna Matilde Vilhelmīne Petkevičs. In total, more than fifty millions of euro has been donated to the UL since 1925. In 1935, the UL organised the biggest fundraising to collect donations for the organ. In 112 days, Latvian companies and society donated more than LVL 25,000 for organ, which today equals to more than EUR 177,000.
The Most Beautiful Historical House of the University
The most beautiful historic building of the UL is the recently renovated Kerkovius House which is located on 4 Kalpaka Street, the street whose name changes very often. Kerkovius House is a cultural monument of national relevance and one of the best examples of Neo-Gothic style in Riga. It was built from 1874 to 1878 for the family of Ludwig Wilhelm Kerkovius, a land-lord and large-scale trader of Baltic German origin. The design was developed by J. Baumanis, an architect from the Province of Vidzeme. On 10 May 1945 the building became the property of Latvia State University. Since then, the Kerkovious House has hosted the Central Library of UL. In 2012, the Library was closed down due to the renovation of the building, and in 2013 it opened again.
- <link http: www.lu.lv eng general press almamater _blank>Magazine "Alma Mater"
