New monitoring and management tools honed for the Anthropocene must address the cumulative social and ecological impacts from increased tourism and recreation while striking a balance with ethics, privacy, and equal opportunities.

VIMAS’ primary objective is to develop more efficient governance of nature areas for tourism and recreation, in the best way possible for biodiversity, people’s quality of life and business development. This will be achieved through research about smarter monitoring methods, improved visitor management and more inclusive governance.

VIMAS Strategic objectives are:

• Train the next generation of multidisciplinary scientists that will be equipped with the skills to secure sustainable, knowledge-based visitor management through recruitment of 10 international Doctoral Candidates (DCs) to be assigned to a specific PhD curriculum, to be monitored and supervised in their career development by the multidisciplinary expertise network of the VIMAS consortium.

• Strengthen European geo-digital businesses, public administration, and academia with a cohort of talented, well-connected researchers with the qualities to become leading European professionals in visitor management and planning.

The innovations of VIMAS are to realise potential from new knowledge developed in the intersection between quantitative and qualitative social sciences, ecology, and geo-informatics technology based on inclusive approaches for non-agency stakeholders and citizens.

Implementation period: 01.11.2023.-31.12.2027.

Funding/ programme: Horizon Europe MSCA DN (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks) 

HESPI role: Project partner

Cooperation partners: NMBU - The Norwegian University of Life Sciences (coordinator), Mid-Sweden University (Sweden), University of Copenhagen (Denmark), University of Eastern Finland (Finland), University of Helsinki (Finland), University of Iceland (Iceland)

Project funding: 2892644 EUR

Project scientific manager (e-mail): Agita Līviņa (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

More information: https://www.nmbu.no/en/research/projects/vimas

The project aims to study the impact of the value of education in the socio-economic and cultural context of the growth of Latvian society, ensuring a contribution to the productivity of humanitarian capital in the regional context of Latvia.

It is intended to study the value of education from the following aspects:

1. awareness of the value of education in Latvian society (focus groups - teachers, teachers, social work and cultural professionals, entrepreneurs);
2. the value of education and culture (education through cultural activities and the contribution of cultural institutions to education);
3. the value of education and entrepreneurship (impact of education in the business community; potential contribution of entrepreneurs to the development of the education system);
4. the value of education and IV and social services in building an inclusive society;
5. research into methodological approaches to human capital social return research and the experience of their implementation in the international context.

Three Latvian regional universities shall cooperate in the course of the study, thereby highlighting the need in the country for polycentric development, by burying the results at international scientific conferences, publications and educational events. The resulting study data will be used to improve the content of the study process in higher education, and recommendations will be developed for policymakers in the regions involved in the study. Research will be presented and explained to the public in order to build a modern-day understanding of education as a value needed for the spiritual and economic growth of society.

Project period: 2020 - 2023

Funding source: Fundamental and applied research programme, Latvia

Project lead: Liepaja University

Project partners: Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences 

ViA peroject team: Maira Leščevica, Aigars Andersons, Vija Melbārde, Santa Lemša, Līga Zariņa

Total budget: 300000.00 EUR

Number: 2023-1-LV01-KA171-HED-000127100 (-LV)

The target group: Students and staff at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences and its partner institutions

The leading partner: Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

All project partners:

• Albania - UNIVERSETI SHKODRES LUIGJ GURAKUQI
• Albania - UNIVERSITETI ALEKSANDER MOISIU DURRES
• Albania - UNIVERSITETI FAN S NOLI KORCE
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - JAVNA USTANOVA UNIVERZITET U ZENICI UNIVERSITAS STUDIORUM ZENICAENSIS
• Kosovo - UNIVERSITETI NDERKOMBETAR PER BIZNES DHE TEKNOLOGJI UBT SHPK
• Montenegro - UNIVERZITET DONJA GORICA PODGORICA
• Armenia - BRUSOV STATE UNIVERSITY
• Georgia - IVANE JAVAKHISHVILI TBILISI STATE UNIVERSITY
• Georgia - SHOTA RUSTAVELI STATE UNIVERSITY
• Georgia - THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
• Republic of Moldova - Technical University of Moldova
• Ukraine - BOHDAN KHMELNYTSKYY NATIONAL UNIVERSITY AT CHERKASY
• Ukraine - CHERNIHIV NATIONAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
• Ukraine - Cherkasy state business-college
• Ukraine - National University "Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic"
• India - Dr. YSR National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management
• India - PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY
• Kazakhstan - KOKSHETAU ABAI MYRZAKHMETOV UNIVERSITY
• Chile - UNIVERSIDAD ANDRES BELLO

Project implementation period: 01.08.2023. – 31.07.2026.

Main activities: Student and staff exchange

Study directions: Business administration, information technologies, communication and journalism, political sciences, tourism

Total budget: EUR 413 545,00 (EUR 345175,00EU; EUR 68370 Latvian national co-financing)

Project funding: EU funding, Latvian national co-financing Erasmus+ Charter: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/resources-and-tools/erasmus-charter-for-higher-education Information for partners: https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/resources/documents/erasmus-international-credit-mobility_en

The selection process of students takes place at SENDING university based on following criteria - academic performance and achievements, adequacy of exchange study content to the study programme, already used abroad study and internship opportunities (preference is given to students who have not participated in Erasmus+ exchange), study semester, motivation, english or particular national language skills, involvement in various professional activities and projects, other criteria of the partner university.

Student selection has to be documented (including criteria used), after the selection partner university provides an official protocol in order to participate in the particular Erasmus+ KA 171 project. After the selection, university nominates the selected student and only final chosen student has to apply at ViA university for studies (fill in the online application), not all potential candidates.

The selection process of staff takes place at the HOST university (Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences)

Contacts:
Project manager at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences: Mārīte Balaņuka
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: +371 22042022