International expert team, including OECD and European Commission staff on June 2 visited Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences to progress the activities and outputs of the project “Support for Institutionalising the New Academic Careers Framework in Latvia”.
Within the project funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument, and implemented by the OECD, in cooperation with the Reform and Investment Task Force of the European Commission the activities are designed to support the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science and Latvian higher education institutions and research organisations as they navigate the complex process of institutionalising new approaches to academic career development.
The team visiting Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences comprised of Gillian Golden and Kristiana Egle from OECD Higher Education Policy team, Thomas Weko, International Expert on Higher Education and Research Professor at the George Washington Institute of Public Policy, United States, as well as Sébastien Combeaud, Policy Officer, SG REFORM, European Commission. “We are conducting site visits, to collect information on challenges associated with reform implementation and provide opportunities for academic staff to discuss specific issues facing their organisations with international experts. The June 2025 round of visits focus on smaller, specialised and regional higher education institutions, following the Project Team's visits to the four largest Universities in November 2024,” Gillian Golden, the project manager, explains the purpose of the visit.
Kārlis Krēsliņš, vice-rector for academic work, Iveta Putniņa, vice-rector for development, Oskars Java, senior researcher, head of the Senate and director of institute, Vineta Silkāne, senior researcher, associate professor and head of the Science Council, Arnis Cīrulis, senior researcher, associate professor and head of VR/AR laboratory, Linda Veliverronena, senior researcher and assistant professor, Liene Ločmele, research assistant and lecturer, as well as Zane Kudure, lecturer and science secretary represented Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences during the visit. “With involvement in this project we acknowledge the importance of effective implementation of the new academic careers’ framework in Latvia. We have been participating in the project’s meetings since 2024 and look forward to the results in 2026,” the motivation of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences was summarised by Zane Kudure.
The project “Support for Institutionalising the New Academic Careers Framework in Latvia” will be finalized in February 2026.
