The VIMAS project continues to move forward by combining the research of its doctoral candidates with collective training and networking activities. Training School 2 took place in Finland from August 25 to September 5, 2025, bringing together all doctoral candidates and professors for ten intensive days in Helsinki and Joensuu.

The first part of the programme, hosted by the University of Helsinki, focused on the planning and governance of recreation areas in urban environments. Sessions and discussions examined how recreation spaces are planned, how visitor pressure is managed, and which challenges arise in balancing conservation and local use. Participants explored practical examples and data sources, including digital platforms such as VisitFinland, and visited the Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE) to learn about its practices.

The second part of the training school was hosted by the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu. Here VIMAS partners met to review the project’s progress, aims, and coordinate upcoming activities such as the next training school and conferences. The workshops guided doctoral candidates through the process of structuring scientific papers, selecting journals, and understanding the peer-review process. Karolina Taczanowska, Co-Editor of the Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, shared her experience on the entire research article publication process, from submission to final publication.

To connect theory with practice, field trips were arranged to Nuuksio National Park and Koli National Park, providing first-hand experience in nature-based tourism and outdoor recreation. During the program, professors from VIMAS partner universities, including Henna Konu, Tuuli Toivonen, Øystein Aas, Hans Skov-Petersen, and Peter Fredman, contributed their expertise and lively discussions.

Ilker Gül, a doctoral candidate at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, participated in the sessions, continuing his research and expanding international collaborations. Training School 2 thus successfully combined advanced learning, practical experiences, and network building, reinforcing VIMAS project.

The project "Visitor monitoring and management in protected and recreational areas: new challenges, novel solutions for the Anthropocene (VIMAS) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA) invites academic, business, and municipal representatives to the E³UDRES² Stakeholders’ Forum, taking place on 17 October 2025, from 9:00 to 15:00 (GMT+3) at Cēsu Street 4, Valmiera. The forum will bring together stakeholders from across the E³UDRES² alliance and beyond to explore new forms of cooperation that drive innovation, research, and education in the regions.

Programme highlights:

• 09:00 | Introduction to the Vidzeme Open Innovation Hub
• 09:30–12:30 | Stakeholders’ Management Workshop
• 12:30–13:30 | Networking lunch for training and leadership discussion participants
• 13:30–15:00 | Business and university leadership roundtable on the impact of future education, research, and innovation

Stakeholders’ Management Workshop

The workshop is organized by ViA in cooperation with the University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN, Netherlands), the world’s leading organization for fostering university–business collaboration.

• For universities, the workshop offers professional development to enhance partnership-building capacity, encourage knowledge exchange, and showcase international best practices in university–industry cooperation.
• For companies, it provides a structured dialogue with academia, opening new opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and long-term partnerships.
• For municipalities, the workshop supports their role as facilitators in regional innovation ecosystems, equipping them with tools to promote entrepreneurship, attract talent, and foster cross-sector cooperation.

This interactive training is aimed at E³UDRES² universities’ academic and administrative staff, industry partners, municipal representatives, chambers of commerce, and business development agencies who are eager to strengthen cooperation with higher education and regional innovation hubs.

Apply Now

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required by 30 September 2025.
Apply here: https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/register/event/74870?

Event programme here

The entrepreneurial university can play a crucial role in economic development across countries. Such a university acts as a central driver of development within an innovative society, operating within a continuous process of transformation. Its capacity to evolve depends greatly on the entrepreneurial mindset and actions of its community—academics, researchers, and leaders—who generate knowledge, create solutions, and foster innovation. At the same time, the university itself acts entrepreneurially by engaging with its surrounding environment: building partnerships, transferring knowledge, and shaping ecosystems where transformative, innovative, and entrepreneurial activities can take root and flourish.

University leaders play a central role in strengthening the capacity of an entrepreneurial university, as they set the vision, create enabling structures, and mobilize resources. Leaders can enhance the entrepreneurial capacity of their institutions by being visionary change agents, establishing supportive policies and structures, fostering partnerships, and cultivating an entrepreneurial culture among staff and students. Furthermore, university leaders who are also researchers should possess strong leadership traits, as their role extends far beyond producing knowledge—they influence people, shape institutions, and guide innovation.

The importance of university management in developing an entrepreneurial mindset was highlighted in a survey conducted at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, which included students, staff, and management. Almost all participants emphasized the significant role of the rector and other managerial staff in fostering an entrepreneurial mindset, promoting openness in external cooperation, and strengthening the university as an entrepreneurial institution.

Recognizing the importance of leadership skills, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, through the Accelerate Future HEI project, has set the goal of fostering an entrepreneurial mindset, mindful leadership, and human resource management skills among its leadership, professional staff, and lead researchers. Based on a staff needs survey, the Academic Leadership Program was developed. This program offers senior staff training across six modules: strategic academic leadership, change management, collaboration and communication, personal motivation and effectiveness, and a supervision program. While most of the training targets management staff, certain modules are also designed for academic staff to enhance self-leadership skills in working with students.

UIIN training plays a key role in the Academic Leadership Program. ViA’s senior personnel have already gained valuable knowledge through the first module in areas such as strategic university cooperation, partnership building, entrepreneurial mindset development, and the creation of entrepreneurial ecosystems.

At the end of August, the Academic Leadership Program was officially launched with its first training session. The day included lectures and discussions on leadership in higher education, as well as group work exploring various aspects of leadership—self-leadership, scientific activity, leadership in the international environment, and leadership within the E³UDRES² alliance.

During the workshop on leadership in science, each researcher had the opportunity to discuss their personal motivation for working in science and research, as well as to evaluate their professional development in accordance with the EURAXESS researcher career framework. Priority tasks in daily work were addressed for both the coming month and the year ahead, along with the identification of needed support. Participants agreed that the individual career growth and success of each researcher contributes to the collective strength, reputation, and development of the institute.

The discussion on international academic leadership promoted shared goals, collaborative planning, and communication among E³UDRES² organizations, while the workshop on self-leadership emphasized each person’s ability to act as a leader and inspire both colleagues and students.

Common conclusions from the discussions highlighted the importance of stable support from management, grounded in strategic vision, scientific competence, international engagement, care for both young and experienced researchers and lecturers, and an inclusive and fair management style. Such an approach inspires teams to achieve high-quality scientific results and ensures the sustainable development of the university’s scientific institutes and the university as a whole.

The Academic Leadership Program will continue in October with training on strategic change management and will run until the end of 2026.

Author: Dr.sc.admin Agita Smitina, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA) has taken a leading role in shaping the future of higher education in Latvia by coordinating a national pilot project on micro-qualifications. The project, launched in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science, will run until December 2027.

Micro-qualifications represent a new, flexible study format in higher education. Unlike traditional bachelor’s or master’s degrees, they:

• focus on a specific subject or skill,
• can be completed in a shorter time frame,
• are often more affordable, and
• can be studied alongside work or other commitments.

Each completed micro-qualification results in a micro-credential – an official recognition of learning outcomes that learners can use in the job market, share digitally, or combine into larger qualifications. This approach helps bridge the skills gap by aligning education with the needs of society, culture, and the labor market.

The micro-qualification pilot project will:

• Map and analyze the current regulatory framework for professional development in Latvia;
• Test and implement new training programs (5th–7th professional qualification levels);
• Involve employers and international experts in program design and delivery;
• Develop guidelines and methodologies for implementing micro-qualifications;
• Support participating institutions and identify challenges in recognizing learning outcomes;
• Share best practices and international experience in micro-credential implementation.

This initiative will provide learners with more flexible and targeted learning opportunities, while employers will benefit from better-prepared specialists. The pilot project will also strengthen cooperation between universities, colleges, and industry partners in Latvia and abroad.

Find out more HERE