The VIMAS project, which is funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) under the Horizon Europe framework, held its Mid-term Evaluation Meeting in Oslo, Norway, on January 30-31, hosted by Norwegian University of Life Sciences in As, Norway. The event brought together 10 doctoral candidates and their advisors from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Latvia, along with online participants from partner institutions. The meeting was also attended by REA Project Officer Isabelle Aires Pinto, who oversaw the evaluation process. Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences was represented by Prof. Agita Līviņa and MSCA doctoral candidate Ilker Gul.

The first day featured a series of presentations by professors and doctoral candidates, followed by discussions in which participants assessed the project's current progress and achievements. Various aspects were thoroughly reviewed, including research developments, collaborative efforts, and challenges encountered.

On the second day, the focus shifted to a workshop on future collaboration opportunities, fostering discussions on how to strengthen further research networks, interdisciplinary cooperation, and project impact. The ways of cooperation between doctoral candidates was explored by Peter Fredman from Mid-Sweden University. He identified four types of collaboration: 1) sharing ideas and knowledge; 2) collaboration on a research area when multiple researchers study the same area using different data collection methods; 3) sharing and reusing data, analyzing it from different perspectives; and 4) joint publications. Often, the first three types of collaboration are overlooked, with focus placed solely on joint publications.

The mid-term evaluation meeting was successfully concluded after valuable exchanges of ideas and a shared commitment to advancing research in the field. This project meeting also provided ideas for planning and developing the ViA Doctoral School, but it was especially significant for doctoral students as it offered an opportunity to discuss relevant issues.

Information prepared by: Agita Līviņa and Ilker Gul

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For almost a year, researchers from Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences Latvian Maritime Academy (Riga Technical University) and the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre , as well as entrepreneurs from Latvia and France, have been working on the project “Coastal Fishing Vessels Powered by Zero Emission Hydrogen Fuel Cell | H2-SEAS”.

During the project implementation, the main efforts are devoted to the design, construction and demonstration of the prototype of an electric hydrogen fishing vessel. As ViA researcher Ojārs Balcers admits, data acquisition is one of the project’s tasks. “The data will provide statistics with which we will be able to make the necessary measurements,” says O. Balcers. Researchers from the Stockholm Environment Institute Estonian Tallinn Center and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences are analyzing the existing regulations and possible obstacles to the implementation of this type of technology. 

The project is implemented by the design, construction, and operational demonstration of a hydrogen-electric fishing vessel, to test and validate its resilience in the harsh marine environment. The outcome will be complimented by the gathering of technical competencies provided by the Riga Technical University (RTU) and the Latvian shipyard A2Z, which oversee major activities of hull design, engineering, building, and testing.

H2-SEAS initiative is an Innovation Action targeting the overarching objectives of the topic HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-01-05. The project is funded by the European Union.

Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences has launched an ambitious research project aimed at discovering the socio-economic potential of Soviet military heritage sites in Latvia. The project is entitled "From Soviet military legacy to heritage: Stakeholder perspectives on socio-economic values of sites in Latvia. To preserve or to forget?". The research will take place at a number of sites across Latvia, including on the North West Kurzeme coast, which was the external border of the USSR.

The importance of understanding and managing military heritage has become even more pressing now that Europe is facing increasing geopolitical tensions. The war in Ukraine serves as a stark reminder that today's events shape tomorrow's legacy, and it is therefore essential to rethink how we preserve and interpret the evidence of past conflicts.

Latvia's complex past during the Cold War period (1947-1991) has left a vast military legacy, ranging from partisan bunkers to once top-secret military bases. These sites, which are reminders of recent history, have cultural, educational and tourism potential which is difficult to exploit due to the different perspectives of stakeholders - owners and heritage managers, local authorities, the public, tourists and other groups.

By combining expertise in historical, economic, tourism and socio-technical systems modelling, the research team will develop guidelines that will make it easier for the businesses and municipalities that own or manage these sites to make decisions on heritage management.  Dialogue on the challenges and opportunities related to the Soviet military heritage will be promoted through the involvement of different stakeholders.

"In society, the debate on military heritage is often polarised because it is associated with a particular power or ideology, the victory or loss of one side - involving different stakeholders will not only stimulate dialogue but also allow a better understanding of the specificities of managing this complex heritage", says Dr. Linda Veliverronen, the project's lead researcher.

The research team is committed to transparency and public involvement throughout the project. The results will be used in various educational programmes, promoting the involvement of younger generations in the study of Latvian history.

Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences is a leader in interdisciplinary research focusing on cultural and natural heritage, sustainability and innovation. As a member of the European University Alliance, ViA brings together experts from different fields to address the challenges facing contemporary society.

Funding institution: Latvian Council of Science

Funding number: lzp-2024/1-0565

Acronym: lzp-2024/1

This research is funded by the Latvian Council of Sciences, project "From Soviet military legacy to heritage: Stakeholder perspectives on socio-economic values of sites in Latvia (VA#MILIT)”, project No. lzp-2024/1-0565.

For further information, please contact:

Name and surname: Linda Veliverronen

Position: Project Manager, Lead Researcher

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone: 28339049