PROJECTS

European Researchers' Night in Latvia 2021

ERAF

The main objective of the project (Nr 1.1.1.5/20/A/002) is to raise awareness of science in the wider community, particularly youth, as well as to present the public with the profession of scientist; to demonstrate the impact of such science as the daily human life of natural science, social science and humanities: to bring researchers closer to the Latvian society and raise interest in research.

The aim of the event is to promote the visibility of the profession of researchers and to show their role to Latvian society. During European Researchers' Night, a number of interesting and interactive events will be organised in Riga, Jelgava, Ventspils, Liepāja, Valmiera, Salaspils, Rēzekne, Daugavpils, covering the entire territory of Latvia. This year's slogan: "Diversity of Science for the Future" telling us that scientific research is focused on a better future and showing the diversity of science fields from social, humanities, medicine, physics, chemistry, biology to social sciences. The project will support the visibility of the research community, including, the Horizon 2020 projects, in particular the visibility of Marie Skłodowska - Curie activities in general.

Project partners: University of Latvia, Rīga Stradiņš University, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Liepaja University, Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Latvian Academy of Sport Education, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Institute of Electronic and Computer Science, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences

Project manager: Oskars Java

Poject period: 01.04.2021 - 31.05.2021

Financing source: ERDF

Simulation Games in Strategic Communication

Erasmus+

Goal of the project: Integration of simulation games in strategic communication studies for the development of future competences. The aim is to create and test pedagogical innovations in strategic communication teaching in three Baltic universities through academic staff training, development of teaching aids, and development of a prototype of an interactive collaborative digital learning and teaching platform.

Programme: Erasmus+

Full title of the project: European Union Erasmus+ programme KA2 (cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices) strategic partnerships for higher education project “Simulation Games in Startegic Communication”

Project number: 2018-1-LV01-KA203-046981

The target group: (1) Academic staff members and (2) students at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences and partner institutions

The leading partner: Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

Cooperation partners:

Lithuania, Vilnius University
Estonia, University of Tartu

Associated partners:

United Kingdom, King’s College London
Latvia, Valmiera City Council
Latvia, Vidzeme Planning Region

Project implementation period: 01.12.2018. – 31.08.2021. (30 months)

Main activities: Erasmus+ mobility activities (student, staff exchange, learning/teaching/training activities) between partner institutions, development and dissemination of intellectual outputs

Expected outputs: handbook and methodological guide, descriptions of simulations, teacher training workshops programs, description of simulation game architecture (technical specification and description of technological tools), data set, survey instruments and learning analytics’ metrics for evaluation students competences, scientific publications

Study directions: Communication and media

Total budget: 149 884,00

Project funding: EC funding

Contacts:

Project managers at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences: Tatjana Mažāne (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and Agnese Dāvidsone (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Phone: +371 22042022

26/03/2019 Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences will develop students' skills to solve problem situations through social simulations. Read here.

08/07/2019 Lecturers of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences work together with partner universities to develop social simulations for students' communication competencies. Read here .

27/10/2019 Social simulation scenarios will be tested at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences. Read here

13/11/2019 Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences has hosted the 6th International Week. Read here

03/12/2020 A publication has been published on transferring in-person social simulation to online environment: pedagogical reflections on creating teaching presence. Read here

11/02/2021 During the online training lecturers gain experience in developing social simulations. Read here

31/03/2021 International Week at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences will Focus on Engaged and Entrepreneurial European University. Read here

11/06/2021 An online scenario of the “Simulation Games in Strategic Communication” project was tested at the Vilnius University Faculty of Communication. Read here

09/09/2021 Three Baltic States universities concludes the project with a research on students' perceptions on acquirement of transversal skills during an online social simulation. Read here

Quantitative Data about Societal and Economic Transformations in the Regions of the Three Baltic States during the Last Hundred Years for the Analysis of Historical Transformations and the Overcoming of Future Challenges (BALTIC100)

fff

Summary: The aim of the project is to create a depository of quantitative data about societal and economic transformations in the regions of the three Baltic states during the last hundred years and provide a quantitative analysis of the long-run trends (since 1920) in regional disparities.

This project breaks new interdisciplinary ground in the socio-economic history of the Baltic countries, providing for the first time cross-time and cross-country comparable gross domestic product (GDP) data series for all three countries, covering the complete 100 years period since the end of independence wars. Applying a methodology tested in recent research on the economic development of Europe‘s regions since 1900, it will decompose these series down to a regional level to explore trends in the economic and social disparities between regions inside of each Baltic state.

The implementation of the project will include two tasks: (1) creation of data depository with data on economic and social differences between regions of Baltic countries and (2) analysis of long-run trends (since 1920) in cross-regional economic and human development disparities. As a result, a collective monography and 8 high-quality publications will be prepared.

Project No: EEA-RESEARCH-174

Implementation period: 01.05.2021.-30.04.2024.

Financial support: European Economic Area (EEA) Grants, Research and Education, Baltic Research Programme

ViA role: Lead partner

Cooperation partners: Norwegian School of Economics, Norway; Vilnius University, Lithuania; University of Tartu, Estonia

Project funding: 999092,70 EUR

Project scientific manager: Dr.hist., lead researcher Gatis Krūmiņš (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Administrative coordinator: Ieva Gintere (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Involved staff: HESPI research staff Jānis Šiliņš, Ilmārs Mežs, Baiba Kļaviņa, SSII research staff Kaspars Osis, Andris Lapāns

Further information: https://eeagrants.lv/;https://eeagrants.org/

Project news: https://www.hespi.lv/en/node/530

International workshops

1. September 27th-28th, 2021 in Riga and Valmiera. Meeting of the project partners and stakeholders at Ministry of Education and Science, Bank of Latvia, and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

2. International workshop on June 14th-15th, 2022 at Tartu University, Estonia

3. International workshop on December 1st-2nd, 2022 at Norges Handelshøyskole, Bergen, Norway

4. International workshop on June 14th, 2023 at Vilnius University, Lithuania

5. International workshop on March 2024 at Norges Handelshøyskole, Bergen, Norway

See the EEA homepage here.

Partners

Tartu university, homepage here.

Vilnius University, homepage here.

Norwegian School of Economics, homepage here.

Scientific articles

1. Norkus, Z., Jasilionis, D., Grytten, O., Mežs, I., Klesment, M. Mortality Transition in the Interwar Baltic States: Findings from Cross-Country Comparison of New Life Tables. Scandinavian Economic History Review, 2022. Available here.

2. Grytten O. H., Norkus Z., Markevičiūtė J., Šiliņš J. (2022). Can the economic growth of interwar Latvia be estimated by contemporary national accounts? Baltic Journal of Economics. Available here.

3. Norkus, Z., Grytten, O., Šiliņš, J., Klimantas, A. (2022). Benchmarking Latvia’s Economy: A New Estimate of Gross Domestic Product in the 1930s. Cliometrica, Springer Journal. Available here.

4. Norkus, Z. (2022). Handbook of Economic Nationalism, Chapter 6: Varieties of currency nationalization and denationalization, pp. 81-99. Abstract available here; the full chapter available here.

5. Klimantas, A., Norkus, Z., Grytten O. H., Šiliņš, J. (2023). Reinventing Perished “Belgium of the East”: New Estimates of GDP for Inter-war Latvia (1920-1939). Cliometrica, Springer. DOI: 10.1007/s11698-023-00275-y. Available here [limited number of downloads].

6. Klimantas, A. (2022). Lithuanian economy, 1919-1940: stagnant but resilient. The first interwar GDP time-series estimates and their implications. Scandinavian Economic History Review. Available here.

7. Norkus, Z., Markevičiūtė, J., Grytten, O., Krūmiņš, G. (2023). Demographic Continuity as a Factor in the Post-Communist Restorations. Filosofija. Sociologija. Available here.

8. Norkus, Z., Markevičiūtė, J., Grytten, O., Krūmiņš, G. (2023). New Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Benchmark Estimate for Latvia in 1935. November 28th-29th 2022, Rzeszów, Poland. Proceedings of the Central European Congress of Economic History: Modernization Processes in “Younger Europe”. Available here.

9. Norkus, Z., Grytten O. H., Markevičiūtė, J., Šiliņš, J. (2023). A Long-run Perspective on Latvian Regional Gross Domestic Product Inequality, 1925-2016. Baltic Journal of Economics. Available here.

10. Norkus, Z., Markevičiūtė, J., Grytten, O. H., Ambrulevičiūtė, A. (2023). Regional Gross Domestic Product (rGDP) Disparities in the Interwar and Restored Independent Lithuania: A Long-Run Cross-Time Comparison. Lithuanian Historical Studies, submitted.

International scientific conferences

Norkus, Z. (2021). Life Expectancy in Lithuania 20th Century: New Research Findings. XV European Sociological Conference “Sociological Knowledges for Alternative Futures”, Barcelona 31 August – 3d September 2021.
Norkus, Z., Markevičiūtė, J. (2021). Changes in the Cross-Regional Disparities of the Economic Productivity: A Comparison of Baltic Countries (1995-2019). XIII Lietuvos sociologų draugijos konferencija. January 14th.
Norkus, Z., Markevičiūtė, J. (2022). The Disparity of Economic Productivity between Regions of Lithuania from the Comparative Perspective of Baltic Countries. Conference REGIONS AND SELF-GOVERNMENT IN LITHUANIA – PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS, Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, 29 April 2022. Program: http://www.lma.lt/uploads/news/id1523/2021-04-29_kvietimas_02.pdf
Norkus Z., Markevičiūtė J., Grytten, O., Šiliņš J. (2022). Latvia’s Relative Wealth in the 1930s: Measured as GDP per capita in 1935 as Benchmark Year. Baltic Connections: a Conference in Social Science History, June 16th-17th, 2022, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. The program available here:https://www2.helsinki.fi/sites/default/files/atoms/files/baltic_connections_2022_program.pdf
Norkus, Z., Markevičiūtė, J. (2022). Regional Gross Domestic Product (RGDP) in the Restored Baltic States: Convergence or Divergence? The Midterm Conference of European Sociological Association (ESA) Research Network 36, Prague 2nd-3rd September 2022, https://www.soc.cas.cz/rn36midterm#prog
Norkus, Z., Klimantas, A., Markevičiūtė, J. (2022). Is Economic Growth Possible During a Crisis? The Great Depression of the 1930s in Baltic States. The General Assembly of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, 20th September 2022, Vilnius, program available at: http://www.lma.lt/uploads/news/id1646/2022-09-20_kvietimas_03.pdf
Markevičiūtė, J., Norkus, Z., Grytten, O., Šiliņš, J. (2022). GDP estimate for Latvia in 1935 using SNA2008 and regional disparities. 63th Conference of Lithuanian Mathematical Society on 15-16 June 2022, Kaunas, Vytautas Magnus University.
Markevičiūtė J., Norkus Z., Grytten, O., Šiliņš J. (2022). New Benchmark Estimate for Latvia in 1935. Seminar at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics of Vilnius University on May 23rd, 2022. http://www.lmd.mif.vu.lt/lietuvos-matematiku-draugijos-seminaras-31/
Norkus, Z. (2022). New Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Benchmark Estimate for Latvia in 1935. November 28th-29th 2022. Central European Congress of Economic History. Modernization Processes in "Younger Europe", Poland, https://congressofmodernization.pl
Norkus, Z., Klimantas, A., Markevičiūtė, J. (2022). Celebrating 100th Anniversary of Lithuanian University and Facing New Economic Crisis: The Pecularities of the Great Interwar Economic Crisis (1931-1935) in Lithuania, XIV Conference of Lithuanian Sociological Society "Universities, Sociology, and Civil Society Facing the Crises", 02.12.2022, Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts. https://lsdkonferencija2022.ktu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/426/2022/11/LSD_pilna-programa-1129.pd
Markevičiūtė, J., Norkus, Z., Klimantas, A. (2022). Latvia’s Regional Disparities: Comparison of Interwar Period with Modern Latvia. Data Analysis Methods fo Software Systems (DAMSS), 13th Conference, Druskininkai, Lithuania, Hotel „Europa Royale“, December 1st – 3rd, 2022. Program: https://www.mii.lt/damss/index.php/program/oral-presentations

12. The 15th Conference on Baltic Studies in Europe (CBSE) “Turning Points: Values and Conflicting Futures in the Baltics”, 15th-17th June 2023, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania. Panel “REGIONAL ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC DISPARITIES IN THE BALTIC STATES IN 100 YEARS: History, Memory, Identity”. The program available here.

1st session. Chair: Gatis Krūmiņš, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

Regional Economic Productivity Disparities in the Inter-War and Restored Independent Latvia: A Cross-Time Comparison - Ola Honningdal Grytten, Norwegian School of Economics; Jurgita Markevičiūtė, Vilnius University; Zenonas Norkus, Vilnius University

Perceptions and Attempted Solutions to Regional Disparities in Inter-War Latvia: The Case of Latgale Region - Jānis Šiliņš, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

Demographic Trends in Latvian Regions in the Inter-War Period - Ilmārs Mežs, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

2^nd session. Chair: Zenonas Norkus, Vilnius University

Krūmiņš, G. The Financial Policy of the USSR in the Baltics after the Second World War (1945 -1950): Non-existent Investments. Conference on Baltic Studies in Europe (CBSE), Kaunas (Lithuania), 17th June 2023. - Gatis Krūmiņš, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

Estimating the GDP of Soviet Lithuania (1940-1989) - Adomas Klimantas, Oxford University

Regional Differences in Latvian Agricultural Productivity after the Second World War (1945-1950) - Baiba Kļaviņa, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

13. Osis, K., Krūmiņš, G. (2023). Quantitative Data about Societal and Economic Transformations in the Regions of the Three Baltic States – Data Acquisition Approach. E³UDRES² Citizen Science Conference, 29th-30th June 2023, Setúbal (Portugal)

14. Session “Economic growth and regional disparities in the Baltic countries (1920-2020)”, 15th European Historical Economics Society (EHES) Conference. Vienna, 1 & 2 September 2023.

The first GDP time-series estimates for Lithuania 1919-1990 and their preliminary implications. Adomas Klimantas, Vilnius University/University of Oxford

Regional Gross Domestic Product Disparities in the Interwar and Restored Independent Lithuania. Jurgita Markevičiūtė, Zenonas Norkus, Vilnius University; Ola Honningdal Grytten, Norwegian School of Economics

The Financial Policy of the USSR in the Occupied Baltic States 1946-1960. Gatis Krūmiņš, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

Regional Gross Domestic Product Disparities in the Interwar and Restored Independent Latvia. Zenonas Norkus, Jurgita Markevičiūtė, Vilnius University; Ola Honningdal Grytten, Norwegian School of Economics

Regional economic growth in Estonia over the long run (1923-2020). Martin Klesment, University of Tartu

15. Mežs, I. (2023). Language proficiency of the population of Latvia in census data (1920-1989). The international conference “Language and Power” dedicated to the National Language Day, 20.10.2023. Riga: Museum of Occupation in Latvia.

16. Krūmiņš, G. (2023). EEA/Norway BRP programme, a mid-term conference on October 18th-19th, 2023 in Riga.

17. Markevičiūtė, J., Norkus, Z. (2023). Statistical Estimation of the Economic Differences across Regions of Interwar Lithuania. 64th Conference of Lithuanian Mathematical Society, Vilnius university, Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, 21.06.2023

18. Markevičiūtė, J., Norkus, Z. (2023). Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Unification of Klaipėda Region and Lithuania: Cross-Regional Economic Productivity Disparities in 1923-1925 and after the Restoration of Independence. 15th annual conference of Lithuanian Sociological Association, Klaipėda University, 6.-7.10.2023.

19. Markevičiūtė, J., Norkus, Z. (2023). Regional GDP Disparities in the Interwar (1923-1938, first estimates). DAMSS Conference December 1^st, Druskininkai, Lithuania.

20. International Scientific Conference of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences “Society. Technologies. Solutions 2024”, Valmiera, April 11^th-12^th.

Reports

Development of the Baltic States in the last 100 years: new knowledge and data availability

Gatis Krūmiņš (lead researcher at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences)

Kaspars Osis (associate professor at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences)

Adomas Klimantas (guest researcher at Vilnius University, doctoral student at Oxford University)

Main conclusions (National and regional gross domestic product (GDP) in 100 years)

Adomas Klimantas (PhD candidate at the University of Oxford, researcher at Vilnius University). Gross domestic product of the Baltic States 1920-2020: main conclusions

Jurgita Markevičiūtė (professor at Vilnius University), Zenonas Norkus (professor at Vilnius University). Regional differences of the Baltic States 1920-2020, analyzing GDP

Olaf Mertelsmann (professor at Tartu University). Dry data or full of surprises: 100 years of Estonian statistics

Baiba Kļaviņa (research assistant at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences). Land use and its changes: Baltic and Latvian regions in 100 years (1920-2020)

Ilmārs Mežs (researcher at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences). Regional differences of demographic indicators in Latvia in a 100-year historical perspective

Jānis Šiliņš (researcher at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences). Time, space, and personalities: some unexpected pathways in Latvian economic history

Records of live streaming from the conference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQtkQUNJL0Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lOBhpdwW9k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuuu1-BiJRQ

21. Mežs, I. (2024). Changes in life expectancy in Latvian regions 1924 – 1931 / Paredzamā mūža ilguma maiņas Latvijas novados 1924. – 1931. International Scientific conference at University of Latvia 82^nd conference 21^st March, 2024, Riga.

Press releases on the project results

1. Initial release (2021, eeagrants.lv). Scientists have started to create a database about the Baltic States in the last 100 years

2. Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (23.02.2022). Yuliia Kovalenko from Ukraine has joined the research team of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

3. Vilnius University (14.06.2023). Tarptautinis projekto BALTIC100 partnerių susitikimas

4. Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (08.03.2024, LVportal). Starptautiska zinātnieku grupa pabeigusi vēsturiskā Baltijas valstu IKP aprēķināšanu pēdējā simtgadē

5. NHH Norges Handelshøyskole, Bergen (22.04.2024): Ready to present main results of the Baltic100 project

6. Final release (11.04.2024.)

Press conferences

Ministry of Education and Science. Baltic100 seminar of partners and press conference in Riga and Valmiera, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, September 27^th- 28^th, 2021;
Press conference at the European Union House (Riga), April 11^th, 2024;
Press conference at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Valmiera, April 12^th, 2024.

Science popularization articles

Mežs, I., Krūmiņš, G. (2023). Kā 100 gados mainījies Latvijas iedzīvotāja vidējais dzīves ilgums un ko no tā var secināt [How has the average life expectancy of Latvian residents changed in 100 years and what can be concluded], LSM 11.09.2023.
Lamų slėnis, interview with Adomas Klimantas (October, 2023) „Kaip kinta lietuvio gyvenimo kokybė/How quality of life of an Lithuanian is changing”, pp. 62-73 (reference on p. 73).
Gatis Krūmiņš: Saeimas 24 stundu maratons un nākotnes vēsturnieki, Delfi 10.03.2023.
Krūmiņš, G., Mežs, I. (2024). Latvieši un alkohols: neliels ieskats ligas apkarošanas 100 gadu pieredzē. LSM 27.03.2024.
Bruno, L. Ch., Grytten, O. H. (2024). Convergence between the Baltic and the Nordic economies: Some reflections based on new data for the Baltic countries.
Mūsu pienākums – starptautiski prasīt kompensāciju par ciešanām PSRS sastāvā. Saruna ar vēsturnieku Krūmiņu. LSM 14.04.2024.
Gatis Krūmiņš: Varam grūtos brīžos savākties un vairāk paciest. Žurnāls IR 11.04.2024.
ReTV 15.04.2024. Gaile, H. N. Baltijas valstu ekonomikas attīstība ir unikāla.
LSM 13.04.2024. Pētnieks Krūmiņš: Atpaliekam no Baltijas kaimiņiem, jo neinvestējam izglītībā un zinātnē.

Visitor Monitoring and Digital Solutions for More Efficient Management of Visitors' Flow in Specially Protected Nature Territories

Summary: In 2020, the joint cooperation between Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences and the Nature Conservation Agency concentrated the resources of both institutions and involved data available to other organizations in order to establish a comprehensive inventory of visitors to specially protected nature territories, which forms a quantitative part of wider monitoring.

In order to establish an appropriate qualitative monitoring component and assess visitor motivation, socio-economic impact, the role of ecosystem services and alternatives to recreation in a specially protected nature territory (SPNT), as well as to provide Kemeri National Park with recertification information required by the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, a large-scale coordinated survey of the ten most popular SPNTs in Latvia in terms of visitors is planned. A digital platform has already been set up for the interpretation of monitoring data, which needs to be adapted for combining quantitative and qualitative data. This would deepen the understanding of the interrelationships of interactions between humans and nature in SPNTs. The obtained data will be applicable to the situation in Latvia as a whole, in order to use them for making informed decisions on the daily management and protection of the territory and to find solutions for more efficient management of the visitors' flow to SPNTs.

Implementation period: 01.04.2021.-15.02.2022.

Funding/ programme: Latvian Environmental Protection Fund

HESPI role: Project implementer

Cooperation partners: Nature Conservation Agency

Project funding: 26 653 EUR

Project scientific manager (e-mail): HESPI Lead Researcher Andris Klepers (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Involved staff: HESPI research staff Agita Līviņa, Anda Arkliņa, Iveta Druva-Druvaskalne

More information: https://www.hespi.lv/en/node/512

Nudging for Behavioural Change to Improve Households’ Waste Management

olll

Summary: This research project will study behavioural insights of recycling efforts among the households, exploring the potential of nudges in the promotion of sustainable consumption and circular economy. The scientific excellence of this project lies in the multidisciplinarity: the application of social psychology in increasing the efficiency of existing recycling approaches by altering the behaviour of private households, thus, contributing to existing policy efforts in environmental protection.

Implementation period: 01.01.2021. - 31.12.2024.

Project number: LZP-2020/1-0303

Funding/programme: Fundamental and Applied Research Programme (Latvian Council of Science)

HESPI role: Project implementer

Cooperation partners: N/A

Project funding: 300000.00 EUR

Contact person (e-mail): Vineta Silkāne (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Involved staff: HESPI research staff Agnese Dāvidsone, Anna Broka, Linda Veliverronena, guest researchers Jana Simanovska, Inga Belousa, Andris Saulītis, master's students - guest research assistants Armands Aivo Astukevičs, Anna Karolīna Ozola, Gerda Ajanta Gaile

More: https://www.hespi.lv/en/aktualie-petijumi