Description
Within the strategic policy of the University of Latvia (UL), mobility is regarded as an outmost important tool for raising the expertise of academic staff. According to the Development Strategy at UL research is oriented towards multidisciplinary knowledge transfer and creation of synergy between both Latvian and foreign research institutions. The UL Vision and the international cooperation strategy underlines the regional significance and the importance of cooperating with the EU and Baltic Sea Region countries. Therefore, participation of the UL within the Norway/EEA grants scheme is regarded as a valuable implementation of the above-mentioned policy documents in order to fulfill the overarching Mission of promoting both the development of the society and the state. The overall mobility’s objective is to enhance the transfer of knowledge and experience among UL and University of Oslo (UIO) academic staff working on environmental impact management of pollutant threats in Latvia and Norway, establishing the ecological monitoring and food safety systems, e.g. methods for assessment of impact factors, recommendations for control and prevention of threat to human health, economical benefit and the environment. Considering the actuality of chemical compounds, especially pharmaceutical residue, its distribution in the environment and the possible hazard to human health, the type of research is an essential contribution under the environmental considerations of the EEA area. The activity of knowledge transfer into the UL educational programmes by staff will enhance the development of relevant educational and training programs launched in both countries (UL, UiO).
Summary of project results
The overall mobility’s objective was to enhance the transfer of knowledge and experience among UL and UiO academic staff working on environmental impact management of pollutant threats in Latvia and Norway, establishing the ecological monitoring and food safety systems (e.g. methods for assessment of impact factors), recommendations for control and prevention of threat to human health, economical benefit and the environment. Over the course of the projects, three UL employees (Dr. Arturs Vīksna, Dr. Silvija Ābele and Dr. Vadims Bartkevics) undertook study visits to Norway. During the mobility there were undertaken lecture on occurrence of pharmaceutical compounds in the environment (drinking and surface water, sludge, sediments, biota etc), toxicity and methods of analysis of these substances was prepared and presented to students and teaching staff of the University of Oslo, discussions on research perspectives in area of control of pharmaceutical compounds in environmental samples were performed, information on occurrence data of pharmaceutical compounds in the environment of Latvia and Norway has been exchanged between the academic staff of University of Latvia and Oslo University and discussions on application of several instrumental methods (ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry, hybrid quadrupole – Orbitrap or time-of-flight mass spectrometry) were done. In addition the strategy for development of the laboratory capacity of the University of Latvia and Oslo University was discussed with a possible positive implication on implementation of common research projects.
Summary of bilateral results
The mobility actions between the University of Oslo and University of Latvia have directly contributed to the establishment of contacts, experience and the long-term cooperation in research activities. Sharing the scientific experience in long term collaboration with the support form University of Oslo partners, the collaboration will be sustained between the competent leading experts to ensure the long-term cooperation in high quality research and knowledge transfer. It is planned to ensure further sustainability of this project by both allocating the Erasmus+ funding or the funds available for bilateral cooperation activities, when necessary. In addition, the possibility to prepare the application proposal for additional scientific projects will be discussed upon announced future projects. An important factor ensuring the sustainability of mobility results is the synergy with the research component of the project No.NFI/R/2014/010 "Establishing of the scientific capacity for the management of pharmaceutical products residues in the environment of Latvia and Norway".