On March 5, the Human Resources International workshop "From Scholars to Leaders: Strengthening Leadership and HR Management Skills in Academia" will take place at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences in Valmiera (Latvia), as part of the Ent-r-e-novators project General Assembly.

The Human Resources International Workshop Plan:

14:00-15:15 – Panel discussion: "From Scholars to Leaders: Strengthening Leadership and HR Management Skills in Academia"

Speakers:

• Darja Aksjonova – Senior Expert, Latvian Science Council
• Giuliana Sabbatini – Head of Service and Competence Center for Higher Education Development and Quality Management, St.Pölten University of Applied Sciences
• Brigita Kukjalko – Senior Expert at the Ministry of Education and Science

15:30-16:30 – Parallel group discussions on academic careers and professional development

16:45-17:30 – Group presentation and summary

“To achieve excellence in science and academia, we need not only outstanding researchers and academic professionals but also inspiring academic leaders,” says Dr.psych., Mg.math. Vineta Silkāne, Associate Professor, HESPI Leading Researcher and project Ent-r-e-novators leader of Human Resources and R&I ecosystems work package.

V.Silkāne emphasizes that these leaders are crucial in guiding and supporting the next generation, fostering their growth, and helping them navigate their academic careers.

Key Features of the Event:

• Experts and researchers discussion on academic leadership and academic career development
• International collaboration
• Networking opportunities

📅 Date: March 5, 2025

📍 Venue: Cēsu street 4, C229, Vidzeme University of Applied Science, Valmiera (Latvia)

💻 Format: In person

Regitration

We encourage all stakeholders in the research and educational communities to join us for this enlightening workshop. Whether you are a researcher, educator or young researchers (PhD students), your participation will contribute to the broader discourse on human resources.

We look forward to welcoming you to an engaging and informative event that aims to shape the future of open science and education in Europe.

The VIMAS project, which is funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) under the Horizon Europe framework, held its Mid-term Evaluation Meeting in Oslo, Norway, on January 30-31, hosted by Norwegian University of Life Sciences in As, Norway. The event brought together 10 doctoral candidates and their advisors from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Latvia, along with online participants from partner institutions. The meeting was also attended by REA Project Officer Isabelle Aires Pinto, who oversaw the evaluation process. Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences was represented by Prof. Agita Līviņa and MSCA doctoral candidate Ilker Gul.

The first day featured a series of presentations by professors and doctoral candidates, followed by discussions in which participants assessed the project's current progress and achievements. Various aspects were thoroughly reviewed, including research developments, collaborative efforts, and challenges encountered.

On the second day, the focus shifted to a workshop on future collaboration opportunities, fostering discussions on how to strengthen further research networks, interdisciplinary cooperation, and project impact. The ways of cooperation between doctoral candidates was explored by Peter Fredman from Mid-Sweden University. He identified four types of collaboration: 1) sharing ideas and knowledge; 2) collaboration on a research area when multiple researchers study the same area using different data collection methods; 3) sharing and reusing data, analyzing it from different perspectives; and 4) joint publications. Often, the first three types of collaboration are overlooked, with focus placed solely on joint publications.

The mid-term evaluation meeting was successfully concluded after valuable exchanges of ideas and a shared commitment to advancing research in the field. This project meeting also provided ideas for planning and developing the ViA Doctoral School, but it was especially significant for doctoral students as it offered an opportunity to discuss relevant issues.

Information prepared by: Agita Līviņa and Ilker Gul

Immerse yourself in nature, tackle real-world challenges and make lasting connections. This event invites students from 7 to 11 July 2025 to explore Austria, develop creative solutions and make memories for a lifetime.

Our one-week Bootcamp combines teamwork, fresh perspectives, and expert guidance in a vibrant international setting. No matter your study programme or skill background - this event can be your chance to shine. In today’s busy world, it is more important than ever to bring nature back to our minds through meaningful experiences.

By designing interactions that immerse us in its beauty, we can ensure that this essential knowledge isn’t lost, but becomes a lasting part of how we live, thrive, and reconnect with the environment.

Find out more: Bootcamp 2025 | E³UDRES²

For almost a year, researchers from Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences Latvian Maritime Academy (Riga Technical University) and the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre , as well as entrepreneurs from Latvia and France, have been working on the project “Coastal Fishing Vessels Powered by Zero Emission Hydrogen Fuel Cell | H2-SEAS”.

During the project implementation, the main efforts are devoted to the design, construction and demonstration of the prototype of an electric hydrogen fishing vessel. As ViA researcher Ojārs Balcers admits, data acquisition is one of the project’s tasks. “The data will provide statistics with which we will be able to make the necessary measurements,” says O. Balcers. Researchers from the Stockholm Environment Institute Estonian Tallinn Center and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences are analyzing the existing regulations and possible obstacles to the implementation of this type of technology. 

The project is implemented by the design, construction, and operational demonstration of a hydrogen-electric fishing vessel, to test and validate its resilience in the harsh marine environment. The outcome will be complimented by the gathering of technical competencies provided by the Riga Technical University (RTU) and the Latvian shipyard A2Z, which oversee major activities of hull design, engineering, building, and testing.

H2-SEAS initiative is an Innovation Action targeting the overarching objectives of the topic HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-01-05. The project is funded by the European Union.