The year of 2024 at the Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA) has been especially filled with important international events and initiatives that strengthens the European University network and expands cooperation opportunities. ViA actively participates in E³UDRES² alliance projects, which aims to promote innovation, develop future skills and create international contacts that provide added value to both students and academic staff.
We started year of 2024 with the event "E³UDRES² breakfast", which took place at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences in February, during the Vidzeme Innovation Week. The main theme of the event was the opportunities and challenges of diversity to discuss the future of the European University. The visitors included both students and teaching staff, researchers and cooperation partners. Video review from the event.
In May, we held a week-long Erasmus+ Mixed intensive program for staff "Innovative methods for future skills 2.0". The aim of the intensive program was to develop the pedagogical skills of university staff to work with innovative teaching methods, such as virtual reality, multimedia, breakout room, etc. The acquired knowledge will help in future work with students and in developing their skills. ViA was visited by staff from partner universities in Slovakia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Austria, Romania, Cyprus, Germany and Finland. The participants also discussed the vision of the future European University and created a context map - what they think the ideal university of the future looks like. Reflections included not only innovative teaching methods, but also technology, people skills, etc.
During the summer break, the students not only rested, but also participated in the "E³UDRES² Bootcamp 2024", which took place in Belgium this year. Bootcamp is a five-day event where E³UDRES² university students come together to find solutions to various challenges. This year's theme was healthcare, focusing on its technological, business, sustainability and entrepreneurial side. Līga Āboliņa, a 2nd-year media and journalism student of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, and Evelīna Dokāne, a 2nd-year communication and public relations student, took part in the event. Video review with student experience stories.
The new 2024/2025 academic year we started powerfully. From September 16 to 20, the International Week took place at ViA, within the framework of which teaching staff and researchers from 11 countries - Latvia, Ukraine, Albania, Romania, Czech Republic, Georgia, Egypt, Poland, Moldova, Belgium and Georgia - gathered at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, representing a total of 16 higher educational institutions and universities. Over the course of five days, seminars, workshops, guest lectures and panel discussions took place, including the "E³UDRES² breakfast" event and discussions at the World Cafe for the second time.
ViA development vice-rector Iveta Putniņa:
“Why is ViA doing this? Why is it important for everyone to build their international contact network? First of all, so that ViA lecturers, researchers, heads of structural units and students can understand and communicate with foreign colleagues, and are able to transfer the best international experience to Latvia, their region and city. And secondly, it is an opportunity to test your ideas and find new directions that are also relevant at the international level. In Latvia we would generally have much less problems if everyone responsible for the development of a field had tested their ideas in an international environment. ViA's network of international contacts is our asset, which allows us to undertake to solve such issues in higher education, for which it is not yet clear how to do it better." Video review from the event.
At the end of September, ViA hosted the European Night of Scientists event, where participants aged 14 and over, including schoolchildren and students, took part in the express training "Entrepreneur and scientist met and understood each other". During the training, the participants took part in activities that promote the generation of creative ideas and problem solving. The event combined elements of design thinking and gamification, created great interest among young people. Video review of the event.
At the beginning of October, ViA E³UDRES² team - rector, PhD Agnese Dāvidsone, E³UDRES² project manager ViA, development vice-rector Iveta Putniņa, ViA council member Inese Ebele, HESPI research assistant Katrīne Kūkoja, ViA students, E³UDRES² student council representatives Karīna Anna Lapiņa, Marta Klēra Priede and Denis Nazarovs went to Fulda, Germany to participate in the "E³UDRES² General Assembly". This event was held for two days, where more than 100 representatives from nine E³UDRES² partner universities gathered. The first meeting was also held with the partner university associated with E³UDRES² from Ukraine, whose representatives shared ideas on how they can get involved in the European University Alliance and what plans to realize together in the future. A new president from the Saxion University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands) and a vice-president from UCLL Limburg University (Belgium) were also elected in the student council. Rector of ViA, PhD Agnese Dāvidsone after the event: "We spent intense days filled with good conversations and discussions. In the rectors council, we made important decisions together."
In October, we again welcomed guests in Valmiera and organized the "E³UDRES² International Engagement Circus" (IEC) from October 14 to 18. It was a unique event that brought together more than 70 students from nine E³UDRES² partner countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, Romania and Austria for the first time in this format. The purpose of the event was to establish contacts, gain inspiration, create innovative ideas and solutions through a series of interactive seminars and activities during these days in order to develop further in the European University.
The participants of the event visited companies as SIA "Tet", "Mira Motion", as well as met with representatives of the Ministry of Defense, learning in-depth about digital hygiene practices, which was the main focus this time. During the week, seven youth teams, together with their mentors, developed and presented ideas for tasks prepared by entrepreneurs.
Various seminars were also held, for example, lecturer Fransje Immink from the Saxion University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands) provided knowledge on how to promote creativity, unlock the mind and combine ideas, creating new and extraordinary solutions. Lecturer João Ferreira from Setubal University (Portugal) taught students how to sell an idea, or pitch, while Kristaps Felzenbergs, director of the ViA study program "Cybersecurity Engineering", gave an insight into the impact of artificial intelligence, as well as introduced interested ones to the most common tactics of cyber attackers. Video review of the event.
This year, ViA has proven its ability to be an active and important participant in the European University Alliance, where international cooperation is promoted. The organized events have served as a platform for exchanging experiences, generating ideas and learning new skills, thus strengthening the position of both - the university and Latvia in the international educational environment. By purposefully developing international contacts and exchanging experience, ViA continues to make a significant contribution to the realization of the vision of the future European University.
