Universities in regions, although small, play a huge role in the development of the region – they are powerful drivers of regional development in multiple ways. Their contributions span intellectual, economic, entrepreneurial, and innovative fields, making them essential pillars for their communities. Entrepreneurial mindset of universities emphasizes close collaboration between university, industry and government, and has the contribution of tertiary education to society and the economic development. The mindset of an Entrepreneurial University also leaves an impact to the economic growth, employment, importance of socioeconomic and environmental issues.
Latvia's higher education institutions are navigating both regional and global pressures to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA) as a relatively small university is closely connected to various business activities in the region, cooperates with local entrepreneurs by organizing student internships, creating hackathons, joint entrepreneurial and innovative projects, and cooperating with business incubators. ViA vision is closely connected with entrepreneurial and innovative transformation both in university and in all Vidzeme region.
During Vidzeme Innovation Week 2025, ViA brought together the region's largest employers, young and experienced entrepreneurs, university employees, pupils, students, business incubators, and local governments in several powerful events. Together with the Latvian Investment Development Agency and with the support of Accelerate Future HEI project our university organized a youth and young entrepreneurs Innovation Forum, during which ~200 young people had the opportunity to gain knowledge about business areas, participate in master classes, workshops on inspiring topics, as well as listen to inspirational stories from young entrepreneurs, inspirational stories from graduates, how to innovate, how to succeed in business, how to fail, and stay very inspired. It was a huge satisfaction after the ViA Youth Innovation Forum, seeing how young people were inspired by the speakers, responded vividly to the success and failure stories of entrepreneurs, actively participated in workshops, and discussed their experiences during breaks. The forum showed that courage is also an integral part of innovation – it is the courage to abandon the usual and accept new challenges, overcoming the obstacles of traditional thinking and action.
The importance of developing entrepreneurial skills was also noted by teachers and career counsellors in an open discussion panel organized by Accelerate Future HEI ViA representatives with educators from various schools in the region, saying that it allows young people to broaden their horizons, promote thinking and provide experience, as well as develop higher self-confidence. They also noted the role of regional universities in the career development of young people. It is a challenge for young people to find out what they want and like to do, they are afraid to start new things, and these kinds of events help them to overcome the hesitation and take the first step. Inspiring examples and stories how to cooperate, how to fail and start again mean a lot for their self-development and becoming more entrepreneurial. We also identified the role of municipalities to bring together schools, universities and companies to ensure that the education is better connected to real business environments.
The power of Innovation Week continued with another of the university's largest entrepreneurial events - the Cooperation Forum! At it, regional entrepreneurs and major cooperation partners exchanged experiences with entrepreneurial successes, established mutual contacts, and outlined further cooperation opportunities with the university. I.Putniņa and A.Šmitiņa, project managers of the Accelerate Future HEI project, shared both their vision of the role of an entrepreneurial university in the region and their experience in promoting cooperation between the university and the regions, talking about the excellent program - Business Laboratory 2025, in which 40 young entrepreneurs from 4 regions, together with university lecturers and mentors, develop their ideas, establish contacts, and gain excellent experience and knowledge trying turn their ideas into reality! During Innovation Week, Business Laboratory participants met with mentors, discussed their intended business ideas, networked, and listened to lecturers. As one of project leaders- Agita Šmitiņa highlights, “𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴, 𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘴. 𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳’𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴!”
The programme “Business Laboratory 2025” is implemented within the framework of the Accelerate Future HEI project and ends with a final event on 15 May 2025, when participants will present their refined business ideas.
During this week the significant open lecture was also offered to anyone interested in the art of innovation management, creating an understanding of different types of innovation, the role of innovation in sustainable and powerful business development.
"An important aspect of ViA's vision is to become an engaged university and to be a leader in promoting entrepreneurial skills in the region. And with such events, we are succeeding!", emphasize the ViA leaders of the Accelerate Future HEI project.
We conclude what regional universities are far more than educational institutions; they are catalysts for holistic regional development. By nurturing talent, driving economic activity, fostering entrepreneurship, and leading innovation, they create self-sustaining ecosystems that improve the quality of life and competitiveness of their regions. Investing in these universities ensures long-term prosperity for local communities and beyond.
Authors: Iveta Putniņa, Mg.paed.,ViA, Agita Šmitiņa, Dr. sc.admin., ViA
Find out more about project: Home - Accelerate Future HEI
