Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences has been granted the prestigious “HR Excellence in Research” award by the European Commission. This recognition demonstrates the university’s strong commitment to creating a supportive, transparent, and inspiring research environment in line with the principles set out in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. Vidzeme University of Applied Science is the first higher education institution in Latvia – and the third in the Baltics – to receive this distinction.
“Receiving this award confirms that Vidzeme University of Appliec Science can provide a research environment that meets the highest European standards. This is an important step in our development – strengthening academic and research excellence in Latvia while also creating a competitive and attractive environment for the international research community,” said ViA Rector, Ph.D. Agnese Dāvidsone.
Getting the HR Excellence in Research Award brings benefits to both the university and its research community. It strengthens Vidzeme University’s role as a driver of innovation, improves the institutional framework for continuous change, and enhances its visibility both nationally and internationally. It also opens opportunities for closer collaboration with European research networks and like-minded institutions across the continent.
Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences has set four strategic directions for the next three years: academic career development, academic leadership and mentoring, professional development, and improving the academic and research environment.
“A big thank you goes to the researchers who dedicated their time, participated, and helped identify what constitutes an environment that allows academic excellence to flourish, provides opportunities for growth, and has a clear support system. We can say that the researchers’ voices have been heard, and this is a significant benefit for further development,” said ViA Associate Professor, leading researcher, and head of the E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators Human Resources and Research & Innovation Ecosystem working group, Dr.psych. Vineta Silkāne.
“I am truly delighted to be part of the team that worked on preparing the documentation and helped Vidzeme University of Applied Science obtain the HR Excellence in Research Award. This achievement proves that ViA is developing as an internationally competitive and employee-supportive environment that fosters professional growth and career development,” added ViA research assistant and member of the E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators working group, Katrīne Kūkoja.
Following the receipt of the HR Excellence in Research Award, ViA’s next steps include strengthening professional development by implementing training programs for staff, expanding access to learning resources, promoting international mobility, and improving the academic and research environment through regular infrastructure evaluations, integration and motivation programs for new employees, and transparent recruitment processes.
The preparation of documentation for the HR Excellence in Research Award took place within the framework of the E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators Human Resources and Research & Innovation Ecosystem working group.
Ent-r-e-novators stands for entrepreneurs-researchers-educators-innovators – a project aimed at introducing a mindset that encourages strong collaboration between education, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Through various approaches, E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators addresses regional needs.
