Strengthening and transferring the intellectual capital among geographers in Latvia and Norway

Project facts

Project promoter:
University of Latvia
Project Number:
LV05-0014
Target groups
Students and trainees in all forms of higher education level education and training,
Teachers, trainers, managers, leaders and other staff within higher education institutions
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€72,974
Final project cost:
€59,170
From EEA Grants:
€ 53,253
The project is carried out in:
Latvia

Description

The study programs in geography at the UL offer courses on planning yet the aspects of local development and landscape potentialities are only partially presented there. The Department of Geography is interested in advancing these topics through a knowledge transfer process by staff and students’ involvement in international collaboration. 2 staff members, 3 PhD and some master students currently are developing themes on social and landscape planning, and democracy in practice through public participation. The experts from Regional Development and Landscape Geography at the Department of Geography (UiB) have a strong track-record in research addressing rural landscapes and development. For the University of Latvia, Department of Geography the mobility project will strengthen the cooperation between Latvian and Norwegian partner institutions, establishing links for further student and academic personnel exchanges. The mobility project will be beneficial for collaborative knowledge creation between involved participants and further knowledge dissemination either by developing further research activities or by incorporating achieved knowledge in the existing teaching activities. Through regular meetings and communication good co-operation among projects partners will develop. This will provide the ground for further LV – NO research cooperation in other European programmes (e.g.Horizon 2020, Interreg BSR), thus contributing to the development of ERA.

Summary of project results

The main task of project was to enhance a collaboration between the University of Latvia and partner universities. In period from 20 July, 2015 to 30 March, 2017, 9 mobility visits of academic personnel from the universities of Latvia and Norway take place, thus encouraging the raising academic personnel excellence in terms of long-life learning and exchange of experience. Furthermore, 6 students from Masters and PhD programmes in geography from the University of Latvia participated in the study mobility and internship to the universities of Bergen and Tromsø. Such activities were essential in contribution to the students' cross-border study experience, personal growth and prospective involvement in research activities. Mobility of students and academic staff has contributed to the advancement of theoretical and methodological interdisciplinary solutions in the study of youth mobility in Europe. Students involved in the fieldworks during the mobility activities have developed new long-term research competencies as well as contributed to knowledge transfer between researchers from both countries. The activities of project included the visit of professor Arild Holt-Jensen from the University of Bergen –who is also known as an author of scientific book “Geography: History and Concepts”. His guest lectures were held at the University of Latvia and the Riga Technical University and gathered wide range of participants and the lecture was enjoyable for students from different study levels, academic personnel and everyone interested. The professor Zaiga Krišjāne (Dean of Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences) stated: “Internationalization can be considered as one of the highest demands of the contemporary academical environment. Such situation makes the involvement in international research programmes and projects for our researchers and students as a vitally important necessity. Not only representatives of academic personnel but also students of Masters and PhD programmes had the possibility to participate in the project. By going to the Universities of Norway in order to study, students have brought home a very important international study experience and have improved their knowledge. These qualities will be useful for them in future to acquire scientific Master and Doctoral degrees in geography. We hope and expect that such experience will promote the further involvement of students in research activities not only in Latvia but also across the border.”

Summary of bilateral results

For the University of Latvia (Department of Geography), the mobility project has managed to strengthen the cooperation between Latvian and Norwegian partner institutions, establishing links for further student and academic staff exchanges. This project has proved to be beneficial for collaborative knowledge creation between involved participants, and for knowledge dissemination by developing research activities and incorporating achieved knowledge in the existing teaching activities. During the period time, through regular meetings and communication, the communication between project partners has improved. This has provided the ground for further cooperation between Latvian and Norwegian researchers in other European programmes (e.g. Horizon 2020, Interreg BSR), thus contributing to the development of ERA.